April 28, 2008

Purdue Bass Fishing Club wins Big Ten championship

The win on April 13 marks the fourth Big Ten title for the Purdue club that also won in 1996, 2000 and 2002. Teams from Michigan State University and the University of Wisconsin rounded out the top three.

"What started out as a tough tournament when it comes to weather turned out to be a great fishing weekend," said Ben Wood, a sophomore in the College of Science from Trafalgar, Ind. "We were all able to catch fish even though the canals were packed full of competitors."

A team of 10 Purdue students, chosen based on previous rankings, competed in the tournament, split up with two anglers per boat. Each boat was allowed to bring in five fish, and each fish must have been at least 14 inches in length, said club president Aaron McAlexander, a senior majoring in fisheries and aquatic sciences from Charlestown, Ind.

"It's a mental game between the fish and you, because you have to block out the terrestrial environment and focus in on what's going on underwater," McAlexander said. "Our practice time helped us know where the fish were, we just had to be patient and concentrate."

After approximately eight hours on the lake, the Purdue anglers from the team's top three boats weighed in 15 fish at 29.44 pounds. Purdue's total team weight was 20 fish weighing 40.55 pounds. Michigan State followed with 10 fish weighing 17.70 pounds and Wisconsin weighed in eight fish at 14 pounds.

The Purdue team captured the tournament's Big Sack at 11.38 pounds, which was turned in by McAlexander and Paul Smith, a senior in the College of Agriculture from Lafayette, Ind. Smith also caught the largest bass during the tournament, which weighed 4.36 pounds.

The other members of Purdue's championship team included Michael Allen, a junior in the College of Agriculture from Whitestown, Ind., J.R. Cates, a junior in the College of Liberal Arts from Syracuse, Ind., Chad Dunham, a junior in the College of Technology from Poland, Ind., Braden Kemerling, a senior in the College of Agriculture from Poseyville, Ind., Alex Lowe, a junior in mechanical engineering technology from Indianapolis, Jacob Spencer, a freshman in the College of Agriculture from Battle Ground, Ind., and Josh Strakis, a senior in computer technology from West Lafayette, Ind.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Source: Aaron McAlexander, (502) 553-9916, amcalexa@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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