Angelo State bass anglers qualify for national tournament

SAN ANGELO, Texas — An Angelo State University’s Bass Anglers Club two-student team qualified for the 2023 MLF College Fishing National Championship next summer at a location to be announced at a later date.

ASU’s Ty Smoot of Poteet and Robert Vance of San Angelo qualified by placing in the top 10 at the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI tournament earlier this month at Lake of the Pines in northeast Texas.

Smoot and Vance placed fourth out of 138 two-person teams representing more than 35 colleges and universities from Texas and surrounding states. Their total five-bass catch weight was 17 pounds, 6 ounces – and their fourth-place finish also earned a $500 prize.

The ASU Bass Anglers Club is a registered student organization. Any prize money won at tournaments goes back to the club and the university rather than to the individual winners.

Dr. Cody Scott, professor of animal science, is the faculty sponsor.

Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions of dollars in prize money across nine tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Ken., MLF conducts more than 200 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the U.S.