Hook, line and sinker

Bass fishing duo finishes second

The Liberty bass fishing team finished in second place with a total catch of 51 pounds, 13 ounces at the Forest L. Wood (FLW) College National Championship held at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, April 16-18. The University of South Carolina finished in first place by 1 pound, 5 ounces, according to flwfishing.com.

The Liberty partnership of Travis Rulle and Caleb Eppler was one of the many teams making an appearance at the FLW College National Championship after finishing in third place in the Northern Conference Invitational at the Potomac River in La Plata, Maryland.

In a college bass fishing competition, teams are separated into groups of two as they compete against other schools and other partnerships from their own school.

This year, the top 10 partnerships that catch the highest total weight in fish in a regional tournament qualified for the FLW College National Championship.

However, despite their recent success, Rulle and Eppler, along with the six other members of the team, have had to learn to cope with limited resources.

When the team was created in January 2012, the Liberty bass fishing team had trouble finding enough boats, a lake to call home and funds to jumpstart the club. As a new group, it was difficult finding sponsors, according to junior team president Skye Riggleman.

Since then, the team has grown, especially in the last few months. The team has recently found a home in the 40-mile stretch of Smith Mountain Lake, and recent endeavors for the team include its appearance in the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society College Eastern Regional at Lake Norman in North Carolina. According to its Facebook page, the team came up just short of its goal in the standings after some mechanical problems and missed catches.

Aside from competing in various tournaments around the country, both Riggleman and Rulle said their favorite part of being on the team is the comradery.

“Sometimes it’s more fun to hang out and tell fish stories to each other than actually fishing,” Riggleman said.

Rulle said he specifically enjoys talking to his fellow teammates to pick up tips and chat about upcoming tournaments.

“It’s great when you’re around other guys that have been fishing and you can learn from each other,” Rulle said. “In fishing, you never fully figure it out.”

For more information, visit the Liberty University Bass Fishing Facebook page.

Young is a feature reporter.