NEWS

Two members of Louisiana Tech’s Bass Fishing Club have reeled in some serious cash.
Sophomore agriculture business major Peyton Igo and sophomore construction engineering major Matthew Loetscher placed first at the National Guard Forrest L. Wood College Fishing Southern Conference event at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Lufkin, Texas.
The dynamic duo caught five bass that weighed in at 15 pounds, 8 ounces. Igo and Loetscher won $5,000 and said the money will go back into the club account.
“The more money we win gives us the better chance to give more money to the school.,“ Igo said. “We’re representing Tech at every tournament.”
Many, La., native Loetscher said the fact that this happened close to his hometown made the win more special.
“My family was there for the weigh in,” Loetscher said. “Winning the event really helped out our club, and it opened a lot of doors for us to take the Tech Bass Club to the next level.”
Loetscher said he has been in the club for three years.
“I have been fortunate to travel around the region quite a bit,” he said. “During that time, I have been to some amazing lakes: Lake Falcon and Lake Lewisville, Texas and Guntersville, Ala., just to name a few. I have met some wonderful people. It has been a great experience.”
Igo and Loetscher said they have fished their entire lives.
“Some of my oldest memories are with my grandpa,” Loetscher said. “I remember getting off of the bus from kindergarten and running to his house as fast as I could so we could go fishing. I loved it then and I love it even more now.”
Loetscher said he loves fishing because it is a sport anyone can participate in.
“It is something that a person can take as seriously or not seriously as they want,” he said. “It can be very relaxing or very stressful. But most importantly, it is always fun.”
Loetscher said he first joined the club because of his desire to compete.
“I like to go relax on the lake and catch a few fish just as much as anyone, but for as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a professional bass fisherman,” he said. “I want to be the very best that I can be no matter what it takes. I am grateful that I go to Tech where my fellow students and I can chase our dreams of fishing at a national level and get a great education.”
When it comes to how the club is organized, Igo said it is like any other campus organization, where the president’s job is to look at the schedule of events and register for tournaments.
In order to for the members to go, they must fish and compete against one another based on a points system. Members are then ranked by points, and Igo and Loetscher are currently the top two.
Igo said this accomplishment means the world to him.
“To be on top and to defeat that many other schools and win is a feeling like no other,” Igo said. “Our main goal is to win the national championship.”
Igo described the regional tournament and included that the first-place team received a boat wrapped in school colors for their fishing club. The top five teams from regionals advance to nationals. Once at nationals, the winning team must compete against the other for the grand prize.
Although the club consists of roughly 25 members, they are looking to expand. Those interested can contact president Jarod Brantley at jbb049@latech.edu.
Written by Sarah Brown