How to Get on a College Bass Fishing Team

Joining a collegiate bass fishing team is one of the most consistent routes for aspiring professional anglers. The sport has evolved swiftly and become a competitive fishing platform for young bass anglers throughout the years. This article will outline the most effective strategies to join a collegiate bass fishing team.

How to Get on a College Bass Fishing Team 

Fishing for bass is a rewarding, as well as a physically and mentally challenging sports activity for young anglers. It requires a great deal of passion, tenacity, and determination to be successful at it. Today, it takes even more to be a member of the nation’s finest collegiate bass fishing teams.

Fortunately, it’s not an insurmountable task; in this sport, consistency yields results. Consequently, if you have decided to join a collegiate fishing team, below are some key guidelines to follow.

Practice

Irrespective of any athlete’s sports, practice improves performance. The only way to make an excellent bass fishing squad is to train day and night. Begin training to fish for bass in a local lake during your free time, and establish weekly goals. You can only compete and be recognized if you improve your abilities to fish bass.

Your everyday practice does not have to consist of catching bass. In a section of the lake, you may examine and closely observe them.  Attempt to study their activity, where they often conceal themselves or assemble, the color of bait they react to most, amongst other factors.

Constant practice and observation result in an element of improvement. This further prepares you and makes you battle-ready for when you must demonstrate your value to bass fishing squads. You may also bring someone with you to your daily practice who shares your passion for fishing bass.

Compete and Get Noticed

Competing is one of the ways to see whether your consistent practice has resulted in progress. Competing with other anglers is a genuine gauge of your development, despite the fact that it may highlight your weaknesses and make you seem like a novice. You have the opportunity to compete against other anglers vying for a spot on a collegiate bass fishing team.

Local high school tournament participation is possible with or without membership in a club or team. For instance, at your current level, you are eligible to compete in Bassmaster High School Events against anglers from 22 states. However, you must be a member of a Bassmaster-sanctioned club, which is simple for two or more anglers to establish.

The purpose of competing is to get noticed by winning or ranking high in these tournaments. This makes the process of joining a collegiate fishing team much more uncomplicated. However, if you fall short of your expectations, there is no need for alarm. Simply practice harder and compete continuously.

Fish With Different People

As a novice or perhaps self-taught angler, college fishing will be difficult for you. While playing in several tournaments, you may begin to observe a variety of new methods. Fishing with experienced anglers is the most effective method for addressing such concerns. They have a vast amount of information and expertise that might be crucial to your success.

In addition, you will discover new and classic approaches, ideas, and procedures that will be useful upon joining a team. By gaining knowledge from various people, you establish relationships and alliances that may lead to endless opportunities.

Overall, fishing with a variety of individuals is a vital means of acquiring the information and expertise necessary to transition from beginner to professional bass angler. Conversely, the Student Angler Federation administered by Fishing League Worldwide does not need participants to be members of a club or team in order to register and compete.

Develop Off-Water Aspects

In order to join a collegiate bass fishing group, it is equally crucial to have off-water and on-water skills. These abilities include tournament preparation, managing a trailer, and addressing mechanical concerns.

However, it can be rather difficult to learn about the mechanical components of a boat on your own. I recommend:

• You spend quality time with a skilled individual and amass as much knowledge as you can
• Maintaining a high GPA is also an off-water component. Traveling for competitions and regular practice might have a negative impact on your scholastic performance and grades.

Therefore, before joining a college fishing team, it is crucial to have consistent and effective reading habits in high school that can be implemented in college.

Maintain a Positive Attitude

A positive attitude will bring you far when fishing for bass, and much further in life. It’s not unusual for many newbies to give up on fishing; lots of people feel frustrated since the activity tends to be hard and psychologically difficult. However, with the appropriate attitude and philosophy, you can accomplish the impossible and become a member of a college bass club.

You must be persistent in your practice and maintain high standards. Together with a positive attitude and consistency, these values will prepare you for whatever lies ahead. You should also keep in mind that failure is probable, particularly in tournaments. However, if you have the appropriate mentality and a good mindset, you can always pick yourself up and practice more.

Basic Needs for Collegiate Anglers

In addition to the above-mentioned guidelines, prospective anglers should possess some essential requirements that might impact their chances of joining a collegiate fishing squad. Here are some of the requirements:

Travel Skills

You should know how to plan your travel and how to book hotel rooms. You should also be familiar with trailer settings, how to change tires, and gauge tire pressure, amongst other mechanical skills. Map skills and reading lake maps are equally important.

Fishing Skills

Prior to joining a collegiate bass fishing group, you must master fundamental fishing abilities. Among them are:

• How to correctly remove hooks
• Apply bait, and 
• Fizz, a deep fish

You should also be well-versed in boating abilities, such as boat maintenance training, including:

• Oil changes
• Addressing maintenance difficulties, and
• Accessory installation
• Additionally, fishing motor abilities might be advantageous

You may quickly acquire these qualities by spending time on the water with an instructor, mentor, or competent mariner. You may also get information online or by attending fishing camps in your community.

Fishing Equipment

Some of the necessary equipment you may need include;

• Baits: get a supply of your most effective bait in different colors 
• Rods and reels suitable for all bass fishing techniques including topwater, swimbait, deepwater, dropshot, and flipping
• Electronic fishfinders
• Fishing license for the state you may fish in
• Fishing Line: braid, fluorocarbon, or monofilament 
• Outdoor Clothing: gloves, raincoats, hats, caps, and other cold weather gear
• Basic repair tools such as wrenches, battery chargers, waterproof extension cords, screwdrivers, and funnel.
• Other basic equipment include pliers, scissors, nets, a first aid kit, spare ties, spare boat parts, and cull tags.

All young anglers who want to join a college fishing team need to have these skills and tools. You should be able to keep a good travel schedule that shows how each tournament is set up. Your schedule should also work with your academic plans. If you don’t want to miss classes or campus events, it’s best to plan your classes around your tournament schedule.

Conclusion

With constant practice, the right mentality, and other positive values in place, you will be a member of a college bass fishing team in little or no time. Ensure you achieve your weekly goals and occasionally fish with professionals so you can pick up some experience and become a professional bass angler.