NEW ORLEANS — The Fishing Tigers of Louisiana State University met the Alabama Crimson tide this morning on Lake Verret, which lies roughly 90 miles west of New Orleans.
The Tide came into the event as reigning champs behind their victory at the inaugural Bassmaster College Classic last year.
However, the Tide proved to be a bit low this year as the Tigers won by more than 8 pounds. "This was so much fun; winning here in front of the hometown crowd," LSU angler Travis Laurent said. "You want to win at home because your home water is everything, and beating 'Bama was the icing on the cake. Hearing the fight song got me jacked up; I got a little crazy." Each school fielded three two-man teams, and the teams could bring in their best five fish for a total team weight. Out of a possible 15 fish, Alabama only registered nine for 20 pounds, 2 ounces.
The Tigers brought 13 fish to the scales for a total topping 28 pounds. New for this year was the weigh-in on the Toyota stage in the New Orleans Arena, where Classic competitors weighed shortly after. Rather than weighing in at the Bassmaster Classic Expo presented by Dick's Sporting Goods, the collegiate anglers got a warm welcome to the big stage. "I can tell you right now that everybody was shaking when we walked across that stage," Laurent said.