Bassing with Florida GCU

Just how popular is collegiate bassing becoming? Just ask Tommy Edwards, the Florida Gulf Coast University Fishing Club and Sports Club Council President. “We had about 65 members sign up for the 2009-20010 school year,” Tommy said, “and about 15 or 20 of them were active. A lot of people don’t even know about us yet, but we’re constantly getting better known because we do well, and get into the school paper.”

The FGCU club fished both bass and saltwater tournaments this year, from Texas to Iowa. At least, almost Iowa – mechanical difficulties put their boat out of action for that tournament, but Edwards said they still travel close to 1,000 miles a year to compete. “In 2010 we’ve won two tournaments, had six finishes in the top 10, and we’ve finished in the top half of the field in all but one.” The reason for that one anomaly? Yup—boat problems, again.

Edwards has been fishing “since I could walk,” and his grandfather was a Florida tournament angler for over four decades. It must run in the blood, because Tommy started the FGCU club when he arrived at the school to discover there wasn’t a fishing team established yet. Eventually he hopes to go pro, and hopes to start in the BFL, or as a co-angler in the Open series. “I know it would be a hard life,” he said, “but I’d like to try it out and see if I really am good enough, at some point, to compete on that level.”

When asked what his favorite thing about bass fishing is, Tommy says that you’re always learning, and you never get to a point that you can’t learn anymore. But it’s not all about the bass. “I love all kinds of fishing, I like to fish for redfish, trout and flounder inshore as well as go off shore and troll for fish like kingfish, Wahoo, sailfish and cobia. Also you can’t beat relaxing and catching some cat fish.” His favorite bait? “Either a Rattle Trap or a drop shot,” Tommy said. “I like a Rattle Trap style bait year around in Florida, you just have to change the size and the way you fish it. I normally use either a one Knocker or Red Eye Shad in a quarter to three-quarter ounce size. I also love drop shotting any time when the bite gets tough. I use either a finesse worm or a Shaky Worm by GULP!, in Junebug, Watermelon or Redbug colors.” His final words? “I would just like to thank everyone who has helped our club and team since we started. Everyone who has been in the club or helped the club in any way has helped us get to the place we are now.”