College: Day 1 on the water

Several anglers had limits by mid-morning on Clear Lake.

Mountainous terrain surrounds Clear Lake, site of the 2014 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Western Regional.
Mountainous terrain surrounds Clear Lake, site of the 2014 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Western Regional.
Travis Opel and Taylor Throop of Eastern Washington University had two bass in the boat by mid-morning.
Travis Opel and Taylor Throop of Eastern Washington University had two bass in the boat by mid-morning.
They cast to rocky banks and grassy shoreline.
They cast to rocky banks and grassy shoreline.
Throop gets a bite.
Throop gets a bite.
It’s a big one…
It’s a big one…
The visibility is so low in the water, they couldn’t see the fish…
The visibility is so low in the water, they couldn’t see the fish…
…even after fighting it for a while.
…even after fighting it for a while.
Opel has the net ready.
Opel has the net ready.
The fish has worked its way to the other side of the boat.
The fish has worked its way to the other side of the boat.
It’s so heavy that Throop still isn’t sure what it is…
It’s so heavy that Throop still isn’t sure what it is…
…but he and Opel are giddy while waiting to find out.
…but he and Opel are giddy while waiting to find out.
There’s a little bit of the nose, and it’s a…
There’s a little bit of the nose, and it’s a…
…big ol’ carp.
…big ol’ carp.
Too bad they can’t weigh it on stage.
Too bad they can’t weigh it on stage.
It’s cute in an ugly way.
It’s cute in an ugly way.
Back you go.
Back you go.
Thankfully, they had a couple of bass in the livewell already.
Thankfully, they had a couple of bass in the livewell already.
Jarid Gabbert and Kyle Sittman of Eastern Washington are just around the corner.
Jarid Gabbert and Kyle Sittman of Eastern Washington are just around the corner.
The teammates have been working docks.
The teammates have been working docks.
Like Throop and Opel, they had a couple in the livewell already, too.
Like Throop and Opel, they had a couple in the livewell already, too.
Gabbert gets a bite.
Gabbert gets a bite.
Sittman jumps in with the net.
Sittman jumps in with the net.
This one is indeed a bass.
This one is indeed a bass.
And it’s a decent size.
And it’s a decent size.
Right on the other side of them are Eastern Washington teammates Tyler Wasilewski and Cy Floyd.
Right on the other side of them are Eastern Washington teammates Tyler Wasilewski and Cy Floyd.
And in the same cove are Clif Gallagher and Stephen Johnson of Utah Valley University.
And in the same cove are Clif Gallagher and Stephen Johnson of Utah Valley University.
They’re prying the grassy banks.
They’re prying the grassy banks.
Johnson feels a tug.
Johnson feels a tug.
He sets the hook…
He sets the hook…
…and he adds another bass to the livewell.
…and he adds another bass to the livewell.
Now they have a limit, says Gallagher.
Now they have a limit, says Gallagher.
Tanner Cooper and Memo Nunez of New Mexico State University are fishing rocks and docks not too far away.
Tanner Cooper and Memo Nunez of New Mexico State University are fishing rocks and docks not too far away.
They, too, have a limit.
They, too, have a limit.
Eric Strickler and Brandon Hua of Oregon State University have a couple of good ones.
Eric Strickler and Brandon Hua of Oregon State University have a couple of good ones.
Strickler shows off one of them from the livewell.
Strickler shows off one of them from the livewell.
Nick Barr and Jarred Walker of Eastern Washington University have a couple of good ones, too.
Nick Barr and Jarred Walker of Eastern Washington University have a couple of good ones, too.
Around the bend, Chase Cochran and Ryan Sparks of Oregon State University are fishing grass.
Around the bend, Chase Cochran and Ryan Sparks of Oregon State University are fishing grass.
Sparks was one of the anglers who won the Western Regional last year. Is he going to win again? “I’d sure like to,” he said.
Sparks was one of the anglers who won the Western Regional last year. Is he going to win again? “I’d sure like to,” he said.
Alex Stewart and Daniel Vine of Northern Arizona University fish near docks.
Alex Stewart and Daniel Vine of Northern Arizona University fish near docks.
Vine also goes by Thunda Dan.
Vine also goes by Thunda Dan.
Stewart is having a good time, but they’re about to move on to another spot.
Stewart is having a good time, but they’re about to move on to another spot.
Several boaters are out on Clear Lake today, enjoying the beautiful weather.
Several boaters are out on Clear Lake today, enjoying the beautiful weather.
Travis Bounds of San Jose State University has a couple of nice ones to show off.
Travis Bounds of San Jose State University has a couple of nice ones to show off.
He re-rigs while his teammate, Patrick Friedman, casts to the grass.
He re-rigs while his teammate, Patrick Friedman, casts to the grass.