PHOTO BY CHARLES WALDORF
PHOTO BY CHARLES WALDORF
PHOTO BY CHARLES WALDORF
College Fishing ’ s Millennial Matrix
Shortly after winning the Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Murray , Justin Atkins was quick to give credit to two of his friends : Brad Rutherford of Georgia and Patrick Walters of South Carolina , both young college fishing sticks who have a deep knowledge of blueback herring behavior in the Southeast .
Atkins clarified that neither friend gave him specific cane pile locations , but both taught him a tremendous amount about herring-related bass over the years .
The friendship between Atkins , a Mississippi State alum , and Rutherford and Walters was a direct result of their time fishing with and against one another in collegiate fishing programs . These days , the relationships forged in college fishing are becoming a powerful force among the millennials who are increasingly dominating the sport .
In addition to Rutherford and Walters , collegiate fishing brought Atkins into contact with other notable young standouts who were also destined for the big leagues , including Bassmaster Elite Series pros Jordan and Matt Lee and Dustin Connell , and fellow FLW Tour pro Shane LeHew , among others . The information flowing among these and other young anglers who spend so much time on fisheries across the nation has helped them develop their careers much faster than pros of previous generations .
In addition , Atkins says his college fishing networking also resulted in sponsorship contacts that have helped him land deals with T-H Marine and Prym1 Camo .
“ Without a doubt , the relationships I formed in college fishing have been instrumental in my success this year ,” Atkins says . “ Constantly sharing our fishing experiences with each other has made us all better anglers .”
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