By: Kye Kocher
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV)- When it comes to competitive sports in college, most people think about football or basketball. One group of students on campus competes for something to take their bait instead of their ball.
For people who enjoy fishing, having the opportunity to compete in tournaments is a dream.
For senior Jacob Swerdloff, the University of Arkansas Bass Fishing team is fulfilling a dream he has had since he was a little boy.
“I’ve been fishing since I was four years old which was pretty much when I was able to pick up a fishing rod,” Swerdloff said.
Swerdloff joined the Bass Fishing team as a freshman and has been competing on the team for the past four years.
“It was a great way to make friends coming into college and I did it in high school, so I knew it was something I wanted to do and once I joined the team, I stuck with it,” Swerdloff said.
He said fishing brings him a lot of joy, and joining the Razorback’s Bass Fishing team is something special that allowed him to do what he loves, while also getting a degree.
Swerdloff said being on the fishing team is one of his favorite parts of his four years in college, and he will miss it when he graduates in the fall.
“It’s always a great time even just outside of the actual fishing tournament part of it all staying at the hotel with each other, all hanging out, restaurants at night. That’s probably definitely a core memory,” Swerdloff said.
When talking about tournaments, Swerdloff said his favorite tournament is the AFTCO Bass Fishing Open that takes place at Lake Dardanelle. He said that all his teammates typically get to go to this tournament together, so it is a lot of fun to have everyone in one place.
Kyle Curry is a University of Arkansas alumni who competed on the Arkansas Bass Fishing team from 2009 until he graduated in 2013. During his time on the team, he served as the President, and was even able to go and compete in some of the top tournaments.
When it was time to graduate, Curry knew that he was going to miss fishing. He went on to work in the news and production industry, but knew that he wanted to eventually find something else. After about five years, Curry landed a job that used both his skills in fishing, and production.
Curry said that the Arkansas Bass Fishing team helped him find a job where he could combine these things, and that because he was on the team, people in the industry knew his name.
“A hundred percent. If I hadn’t competed in collegiate bass fishing, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you today doing what I’m doing,” Curry said.
Curry is no longer competitive fishing, but he is now helping to plan fishing tournaments including the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open at Lake Dardanelle which Swerdloff said was his favorite. Curry also said that helping to plan these tournaments is a “very cool” experience, especially when he gets to plan the tournaments that he used to compete in as a college student.
“It’s just really awesome to look back on and know that like I competed in it, I was drawn in by other people competing in it, and now were giving these kids the platform to participate, and they’re carrying on that tradition,” Curry said.
Curry said that after students complete school, it is easy to lose time for their hobbies. Because the average job is 40 hours a week, it is important that you work your hobbies into your work, Curry said. Curry said he does this every day at his job.
He now serves as the senior video editor and the Association of Collegiate Angler managing director. A list of his daily tasks includes managing social media, managing the website, hosting a podcast, helping plan college tournaments, and lots more.
“A lot of my time spent is watching people fish and getting to help people get in the outdoors and learn how to fish, and that’s where I ended up blending my two passions,” Curry said.
The AFTCO Collegiate Bass open at Lake Dardanelle will take place from October 14-15, 2023. The Arkansas Bass Fishing team will compete at the tournament, while Curry will be weighing the fish in from the front stage.
The fishing team accepts new members at the beginning of every semester. In order to get involved, you can message them on social media @uarkansasfishing, or email them on the club website.