2008 Woodie Awards
A sport of a different color
Josh Unruh
Issue date: 4/25/07 Section: Outdoor
- Page 1 of 1
Here at ISU, we have a variety of sports in which students may compete. Trained athletes compete in football, basketball, volleyball, and soccer while every day students can compete in intramurals like bowling, rugby, and Frisbee-golf. But there is one sport that I compete in that is not offered at ISU, or any other school that I know of: competitive bass fishing.
Since I was a kid, I have loved to go fishing. To me, bass were the most fun to catch. At the age of 15, I joined a fishing club and began competing. Over the years, my experience and my talent have grown to the point that I now compete on a professional level. Whenever I tell someone about my sport, their first response is, "There are bass in Idaho?" There sure are. The next question I get is, "How does someone become a professional bass fisherman?" The best way to start fishing competitively is to join a local bass club.
The Eagle Rock Bassmasters is a local club based in Idaho Falls. I have been a member of this club for 2 years, the full amount of time I have lived in Idaho. This is a great club for anyone interested in trying his or her luck at tournament fishing simply because there is an amateur division for just such a person. These amateur anglers compete against others who don't quite possess the skills to be ranked as professional, giving them a chance to win and gain some confidence. Aside from the fishing, our club also holds youth events as well as conservation projects throughout the year to make people aware that we as bass fisherman care about the future of bass fishing. Besides joining a local bass club, there are other steps that can be taken by the weekend angler wishing to do more.
Since I have a few years of experience under my belt, I decided to join the Idaho Bass Federation. This is the step above a club membership, but below the pro tour. The Federation holds qualifying tournaments for each state to determine who the participants are going to be for the state team. The team then moves on to the divisional championship where the top boater and non-boater from each state will move on to the national championship. At this tournament, the top fisherman from each division moves on to the Pro Tour Championship to compete for $500,000! Luckily, last year I happened to make the state team and will compete in Washington State in May at the divisional championship.
Although my sport is not offered at ISU, I want to make students aware of it. I know there are many people out there who love to fish but had never thought of taking their talent as far as tournament fishing. Give tournament bass fishing a chance and I guarantee that you will become "hooked!"
If any of you would be interested in joining a bass club, feel free to contact me at unrujosh@isu.edu and I will get you headed in the right direction.
Since I was a kid, I have loved to go fishing. To me, bass were the most fun to catch. At the age of 15, I joined a fishing club and began competing. Over the years, my experience and my talent have grown to the point that I now compete on a professional level. Whenever I tell someone about my sport, their first response is, "There are bass in Idaho?" There sure are. The next question I get is, "How does someone become a professional bass fisherman?" The best way to start fishing competitively is to join a local bass club.
The Eagle Rock Bassmasters is a local club based in Idaho Falls. I have been a member of this club for 2 years, the full amount of time I have lived in Idaho. This is a great club for anyone interested in trying his or her luck at tournament fishing simply because there is an amateur division for just such a person. These amateur anglers compete against others who don't quite possess the skills to be ranked as professional, giving them a chance to win and gain some confidence. Aside from the fishing, our club also holds youth events as well as conservation projects throughout the year to make people aware that we as bass fisherman care about the future of bass fishing. Besides joining a local bass club, there are other steps that can be taken by the weekend angler wishing to do more.
Since I have a few years of experience under my belt, I decided to join the Idaho Bass Federation. This is the step above a club membership, but below the pro tour. The Federation holds qualifying tournaments for each state to determine who the participants are going to be for the state team. The team then moves on to the divisional championship where the top boater and non-boater from each state will move on to the national championship. At this tournament, the top fisherman from each division moves on to the Pro Tour Championship to compete for $500,000! Luckily, last year I happened to make the state team and will compete in Washington State in May at the divisional championship.
Although my sport is not offered at ISU, I want to make students aware of it. I know there are many people out there who love to fish but had never thought of taking their talent as far as tournament fishing. Give tournament bass fishing a chance and I guarantee that you will become "hooked!"
If any of you would be interested in joining a bass club, feel free to contact me at unrujosh@isu.edu and I will get you headed in the right direction.
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