Auburn University Bass Club anglers Sam Rochell and J.T. Murphy traveled to Lake Guntersville Saturday to represent Auburn in the National Guard FLW College Fishing Southeast Division event.
Despite the adverse weather conditions on the lake, Rochell and Murphy managed to reel in six fish weighing a total of 14 pounds, 1 ounce.
"It was a pretty grueling day between the wind and rain; the weather just wasn't too good," said Murphy, a senior in exercise science. "We were fortunate to get the bites we got and to catch the fish we caught."
The pair finished fourth in the tournament out of 40 boats with anglers from southeastern universities, including SEC rivals University of Alabama, University of Tennessee, University of Georgia, University of South Carolina and Mississippi State University.
"I went up to the lake and practiced the weekend before and did not do good at all," said Rochell, a poultry science graduate student. "But I found a few spots that I thought might pay off later."
For their fourth place finish, Rochell and Murphy were awarded a $3,000 check to split between Auburn University and the AU Bass Club.
"We didn't have many places where there were a lot fish," Rochell said. "We just went to some spots I had found the weekend before and ended up catching six keepers."
Murphy gave credit to his partner for their success.
"The fish we caught were because of Sam; he really put us on them," Murphy said. "I was lucky to be fishing with him."
The top five finish on Lake Guntersville also qualified the pair for a spot in the Southeast Division Regional Championship.
"We threw several different things early and didn't have much luck," Rochell said. "Then J.T. really figured out the particular spro frog they wanted to eat, so we threw that and it worked."
Rochell and Murphy will join other Auburn anglers Richard Peek, Caleb Rodgers, Shaye Baker and Dennis Parker, who qualified for the championship earlier in the year at the first Southeast Division event on Lake Okeechobee in Florida.
"The championship will be a lot of fun," Murphy said. "It's a pretty big deal for college anglers with money on the line. It's going to be pretty intense."
The three-day televised championship event will be Nov. 21 to 23 on Lake Monroe in Sanford, Fla. The event will consist of 20 boats -- the top five teams from each of the four qualifier events.
"We're really excited about the championship," Rochell said. "I'm going try to put in a little time before hand and get down and there a figure out what is going on and where the fish are."
The champions of the Southeast Division Regional Championship will win a brand-new Ranger 177TR boat wrapped in school colors for the school they represent and $25,000 to bring back to their bass club.
"I am just looking forward to fishing in Florida," Rochell said. "The FLW is going to put on a big show for us; it will be a good time, and I like our chances of winning."
A top five finish at the regional championship will qualify anglers for The National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship against collegiate anglers from across the country.
The team from Young Harris College of Georgia took home first in the tournament with six bass weighing a total of 19 pounds, 8 ounces.
Kennesaw State University finished second with three fish weighing in at 14 pounds, 11 ounces.
Just ahead of Auburn was the Tennessee team with six fish weighing 14 pounds, 3 ounces, just 2 ounces more than what Rochell and Murphy brought in for Auburn University Bass Club.
Faulkner University anglers rounded out the top five with four bass weighing 13 pounds, 5 ounces.
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