BAINBRIDGE, Ga. — Battling harsh elements and a loaded field, the Catawba Valley Community College bass fishing team placed third among junior colleges during this past Friday's FLW Abu Garcia College Fishing tournament on Lake Seminole.
The Red Hawks placed behind only Snead State and Polk State community colleges — both of whom compete regularly at Lake Seminole.
Catawba Valley anglers faced tough conditions that included four-foot waves, temperature around the low 40s and high 30s and 12 to 15 mile per hour winds.
"This was a tough tournament for us," said CVCC bass fishing head coach Angela Mayo. "Two of our teams had boat problems and lost a lot of practice time. We also lost an entire day of practice because of the weather. Considering the harsh weather and high winds, I am extremely proud of how the team handled themselves."
Despite the difficult weather, three Catawba Valley anglers caught bass during the tournament. Only 90 out of 140 anglers in the entire field were able to catch any bass during the one-day event.
Red Hawk freshman Jeremy Dellinger led the way, catching two of those bass that weighed three pounds, 10 ounces. That performance placed him 62nd overall.
The CVCC team of Spencer Black and Megan O'Neill caught the other bass, which weighed 14 ounces. Black and O'Neill finished in 90th place.
Other finishes for Catawba Valley included Lane Bailey and Adam Seagle in 105th place, and the tandem of Nathan Smith and Caleb Lonca one spot behind them in 106th place.
Overall, the Red Hawks placed 20th as a team out of 38 total squads, finishing ahead of several Division I schools, including Florida State, Clemson, South Carolina and Alabama.
"Lake Seminole is unlike any lake they have ever seen," Mayo said. "Because of the standing timber, it is a difficult lake to navigate in the best conditions. I am proud of these guys for working together to help each other on the water. With each tournament, they will gain more experience breaking down new lakes and perhaps — before the end of the season — we will have a National Championship qualifier."
Next up for the Catawba Valley Community College bass fishing team is a three-day B.A.S.S. tournament from Feb. 27-29 at Smith Lake in Cullman, Ala. — part of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series.
Mayo is excited for her anglers heading into not only the next tournament, but the rest of the season.
"Our next tournament is on Smith Lake in Alabama at the end of this month and then we will head back to Lake Hartwell in March," she said. "I'm looking forward to these tournaments."