Last weekend, the Tarleton State University Bass Team placed first in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series’ Louisiana-Texas Shootout on the Red River.

In this rivalry filled tournament, 10 teams from Texas went head to head against 10 teams from Louisiana. To win, each team, composed of two members, had the challenge of bringing in the five largest fish they could catch that were all over 12 inches in length.  Texans Colt Farris and Kehl Robbins took top prize with a haul of 11 pounds and 4 ounces.

They managed to catch about 40 bass total using a speed craw worm in about 2 feet of water on shallow brush. Even with all of the new fishing technology incorporated into the lures, the Texans biggest fish of the day, which weighed in at just under four pounds, was caught on a homemade hair jig that was fashioned by Robbins and his father. 

Robbins, a manufacturing engineering technology major, said, “This win versus Louisiana was pretty special because of the bragging rights involved. It was also pretty cool that we got to weigh in on the Bassmasters Elite Series stage which was taking place on the Toledo Bend Reservoir. The Bassmaster Elite Series is like the NFL of fishing.”

Farris, a senior political science major, said, “Our strategy was to go out and get our five bass limit and try and make the size better as the day went on, and that’s what happened. The tournament is cool because of the format. Fishing against other states is cool and it feels good to bring the trophy back to Texas.”

This is the first year of the Louisiana-Texas Shootout on the Red River and the Texans fought hard to claim the first title.