Two K-State teams advance to FLW College National Championship
Josh Rouse @RouseOutdoorsKS
Four anglers from the Kansas State fishing team will have a chance to compete for the program's fourth national title.
The two-person Wildcat teams of Kyle Simmons/Brett Halstead and Hunter French/Brianna Wagoner advanced to the 2021 FLW National Championship during the College FLW Central Qualifier tournament March 6 on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Mo.
The pair of Wildcat squads tied for 11th with 15 pounds, 4 ounces, to advance.
Simmons and Halstead, both Riley County High School products, have been fishing together since they teamed up for the Capital City Club on the Kansas BASS Nation trail in high school.
"I know it means a lot to both of us. Brett and I have worked very hard to get to where we are now," Simmons said. "We've had a taste of it in high school and now we're ready to make that jump to try to win one of these national championships. I think the biggest thing it takes to win one of these big events is to just stay positive and trust in your gut. If you work hard and do what you need to, it'll come to you. But most of all, you don't want to take any of it for granted."
Former Kansas State anglers Travis Blenn and Kyle Alsop secured the school's last national championship in 2017 at the YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship on Alabama's Lake Wheeler. The Wildcat program also secured titles in 2012 and 2016.
While the pressure is on them to succeed, Simmons said the Wildcats are also looking to enjoy their experience and take it all in.
"You definitely don't want to walk away from a national championship and say 'Man, I wish I would've just had more fun and taken it all in,' " Simmons said. "That's something I think we've both learned from our time at nationals in high school is that the experience and memories are greater than winning."
Salina product Hunter Baird teamed with his Drury teammate Jack Rankin for a 17th-place finish with a five-fish bag of 13-13, just ahead of K-State's Austin Wiley and Sam Kennedy (18th, 13-12) and DeSoto product Connor Nimrod, who fished with his Louisiana-Monroe teammate Morgan Jaladin for a 19th-place finish at 13-11.
K-State anglers Zach Vielhauer and Michael Mueting finished 31st with a bag of 12-4, while Wildcat teammates Dalton Springer and Nathan Baldwin finished 63rd with a bag of 8-3 and Braden Hageman and Camden Fleming finished 65th with a bag of 7-15.
Other notables include:
— TCU's Steven Ridout and Noah Skolnick, a Shawnee Mission East product, finished 54th with a bag of 9-4.
— Drury's Jacob Welch and Brock Bila, a Louisburg product, finished 93rd with a bag of 2-12.
— K-State's Josh Flynn and Zac Hopkins and Washburn's Thomas Heinen and Jake Brunton competed but didn't weigh a fish.
North Carolina angler Hank Cherry Jr. made history last weekend in Birmingham, Ala., winning his first Bassmaster Classic with a hulking three-day bag of 69 pounds, 11 ounces.
Todd Auten finished more than 10 pounds behind him in second place with a three-day total of 58-10, followed by Stetson Blaylock (58-1), Seth Felder (54) and Micah Frazier (54).
Check out next week's Outdoors page for a story about a Kansas angler who had a chance to be on hand for Cherry's monumental victory while helping behind the scenes.
MLF/FLW suspends public gatherings
Major League Fishing and FLW on Thursday announced the suspension of all public gatherings associated with their events through April 12, 2020, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
"The decision was made to safeguard the health and well-being of all involved. Public gatherings include all fan meet-n-greets associated with the Bass Pro Tour, and the attendance of fans and non-essential staff at all FLW tournaments, including weigh-ins," the league said in a news release.
Attendance at all FLW weigh-ins will be limited to essential staff and immediate family.