PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (Oct. 9, 2017) – The University of Wisconsin team of Turner Truttschel of Madison, Wisconsin, and Colin Steck of Waunakee, Wisconsin, won the FLW College Fishing Central Conference tournament on the Mississippi River Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 10 ounces. The victory earned the Badgers’ bass club $2,000 and a slot in the 2018 FLW College Fishing National Championship, scheduled for May 30-June 2 on the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The duo said they spent the tournament picking apart five different areas in Pool No. 9. They said the areas were far enough off of the main river to be considered backwaters, but still had current pushing through them.
“Four of the spots we fished had one or two bigger fish in them, and one had a big school,” said Steck, a freshman majoring in pre-med. “They had grass, rocks and weeds and were anywhere from 1 to 5 feet deep.”
Truttschel, a freshman majoring in pre-business, said the duo caught their first fish on a topwater bait, and the rest on a Brovarney Baits Silicon Swim Jig with either a grub or minnow-style trailer.
“We also lost a good fish at our first spot early on the topwater, but ended up catching it later in the day around 2:30 (p.m.) on the swim jig,” said Truttschel. “Overall we caught around 10 keepers and ended up weighing two smallmouth and three largemouth.”
The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2018 College Fishing National Championship are:
1st: University of Wisconsin – Turner Truttschel, Madison, Wis., and Colin Steck, Waunakee, Wis., five bass, 16-10, $2,000
2nd: Winona State University – Wyatt Stout, Sauk City, Wis., and Tayler Stolpa, Winona, Minn. five bass, 15-11, $1,000
3rd: University of Wisconsin – Alexander Lemke, De Pere, Wis., and Jacob Anderson, Princeton, Wis., five bass, 15-3, $900
4th: University of Wisconsin-Stout – Gavin Hessler, Roberts, Wis., and Noah Lindus, Woodville, Wis., five bass, 15-1, $500
5th: Saint Ambrose University – John Baumunk and Michael Wolthusen, Stickney, Ill., five bass, 14-14, $500
6th: Southeast Missouri State – Nick Moore, Desoto, Mo., and Jacob Harris, Bonne Terre, Mo., five bass, 14-9, $200
7th: University of Wisconsin-Platteville – Grant Ehlenfeldt, New Richmond, Wis., and Brett Stanek, Elroy, Wis., five bass,14-2
8th: Saint Charles Community College – Dale McCrackin and Gable Moeller, both of Lake Saint Louis, Mo., five bass, 14-1
9th: University of Northern Iowa – Conner Hinckle and Jack Mauer, both of Cedar Falls, Iowa, five bass, 13-6
10th: Central College – Cameron Timok, Pella, Iowa, and Dillon Peters, Urbandale, Iowa, five bass, 13-3