Salukis at the Bass University - Chicago

Hello once again everybody,

This past weekend 2 of the Saluki Bassers attended The Bass University. For those of you who are unfamiliar. The Bass University is a 2 day long class just for bass fishing. It is the techniques and fishing tips that you do not just learn reading FLW or Bassmaster magazine. The seminars are hosted by Bass Master CLassic Champion Mike Iaconelli and pro fisherman Pete Gluzek. They travel from town to town with other pros teaching the sport which we all love.

The weekend of December 4th Iaconelli and Gluzek rolled into Chicago along with Mark Zona, Byron Velvick, Greg Hackney, and FLW tour Pro Brent Ehrler. This was one of those things that you could not miss. So Senior Bryan Partak and Sophmore Dominick DiNovo made the trip to Chicago for the weekend, despite the fact that final exams are only a week away. As the class went on both anglers learned a great deal about advanced jig, crankbait, and even swimbait fishing. DiNovo and Partak were the only college anglers at the event so this gave them a bunch of attention from the pros. Both Dominick and Bryan had the luxury of having one on one talks with all the pros. Wheather it was about techniques or what it takes to go pro the two were full of questions. The two college anglers also learned a great deal about the fishing industy. As the class went on, Sunday afternoon Dominick and Bryan got to eat lunch with Byron Velvick and Brent Ehrler. To both Dominick and Bryan this event was life changing and made them realize that is going to take alot of hard work and dedication to make a living playing this game. But one thing is for sure, Dominick and Bryan will do anything to move on to the next level.

I encourage all of you reading this to attend at least one Bass Univeristy in your life time. Its not everyday that you get to have one on one conversations with Mark Zona or Mike Iaconelli or even Greg Hackney. Attached are some pictures of the two at the seminar.

ESPN/Boat US Qualifier tournament on Lake of Egypt

Hello everybody,

The Saluki Bass Team has had quite a busy past few weeks. The weekend of November 13-15th was the teams qualifier for the Boat US National Championship on Lake Lewisville Texas and the ESPN College Bass National Championship on the Arkansas River in Little Rock, Arkansas. Eight boats eagerly took off as their numbers were called and went to there spots. THe day started off overcast as a light drizzle came down. The week before a massive cold front hit, but within a few days of the tournament it warmed up and really jacked up those green fish. The fishing was rough at times, but the hard working Saluki Bassers managed to put together a pattern that served them well. As some anglers had there limits, and the others had close to there limits. As Day 1 came to an end cuts were made and Day 2 was quickly approaching.

Day 2 threw us with some very adverse conditions.High Blue skies and a cold front with steady winds.

5 Boats Left at a shotgun started and scattered throughout the lake. Some boats made the long run down lake and looked for cooler and deeper water and threw deep diving crankbaits on deep main lake points with brush piles on them, while others stayed up lake near the warmer water and fished the grass all day. Both techniques proved to be affective. As the day came to an end, everyone could tell the weigh in was going to be an epic one. Team Veteran and Senior Bryan Partak caught the biggest bag both days and and dominated the feild, winning the tournament with an 2 day overall weight of 27-7. He also took big bass with a 5lb 4oz fish.Bryan was fishing grass mats. But that was not the only big bag of the tournament at a close 2nd place was Junior Steven Crawley. Steven weighed in a 2 day weight of 24-3. Steven was throwing a crankbait on deep brush piles. On the Co-Angler side Sophmore Dominick DiNovo got the win with a 2 day total weight of 9-12. Both days Dominick was fishing grass with a Strike King Red Eye Shad and a Spro Frog Jr in Black. Coming in a close 2nd  on the co-angler side was senior Joe Fleishauer. Joe was fishing a whacky rig around docks to catch his 9-2 bag.

Representing the club at the Boat US National Championship will be SR Bryan Partak and Soph. Dominick DiNovo in Boat 1. And in Boat number 2 will be JR Stephen Crawley and SR Joe Fleishauer.

Going to the ESPN National Championship will be SR Bryan Partak. What is exciting about this is that BASS just announced the winner of the ESPN National Championship will get a spot in the 2011 Bassmaster CLassic in New Orleans. So if Bryan Partak can pull off a win in Little Rock, he will be competing against the best in the world for a spot in the Bassmaster Classic. Joining him will be either Soph. Dominick DiNovo or SR. Joe Fleishauer.

Be sure to stay tuned for more exciting news!!!

Till Next Time Tight Lines

The Saluki Bassers

Earth Sports Article on The Saluki Bassers

One of our sponsers, "Earth Sports" had posted an article about our team, and you can read it below.....

Original Link - http://www.earthsports.com/m/news/view/Work-Ethic

Article -

Work Ethic

Just what does it take to be a competitive college bass angler? Time, effort, and a willingness to travel—and a good casting arm doesn’t hurt, either. The Saluki Bassers prove this point, travelling to about 20 tournaments a year. They aren’t new to the collegiate trail, having been established in 2004 by four founding members. Today, the team has grown to include 20 die-hard anglers.

The work and time investment have paid off: last season the Saluki club placed fourth in the regional championship on Kentucky Lake, qualifying them to participate in the National Guard College FLW National Championship. They also took first and second in the Murray State Invitational, and one of their teams made the top 25 in the Boat US National Championship.

The payback? According to Saluki Basser Dominick DiNovo, bass fishing actually helps him with school. “Fishing for sure helps me in my studies,” he said. “It keeps me focused on what I have to do in order to stay at this school and to be a member of the bass team. Fishing keeps me motivated to do well in school. I’m sure I can speak for my teammates when I say we would rather be on the water fishing and learning as much as we can instead of sitting in the classroom. But school comes first, and in order to succeed as college anglers, we need to succeed as students, first. But I’ll admit, there are a few times where I’ll be sitting in class, thinking about the tournament we had the weekend before.”

Of course fishing is more than merely casting a rod or soaking a bait—it has great mental challenges which help not only with studies, but all forms of critical thinking. Unfortunately, people who don’t fish might not understand just what goes into the sport; Dominick does. “Bass fishing is a puzzle you have to figure out,” he explained. “I love going out to the lake and putting together a pattern and fishing that pattern the rest of the day.”

When asked about the future of competitive collegiate fishing, this Saluki Basser is bullish. “The college anglers you see now are the next generation of pro fisherman,” he said. “We are going to be the next Kevin Van Dams, the next Mike Iaconelli, and the next Skeet Reese’s. We’re all a bunch of college kids trying to live the dream and do what we love—and watch out for the Saluki’s in the 2010-2011 season.”

Chad Morgenthaler Team Tournament For Special Olympics 08/28/2010

5 Saluki Bassers took time off the water to help with a charity tournament on Rend Lake which was the Chad Morgenthaler 5th Annual Special Olympics Bass Tournament. The tournament was a buddy tournament with the proceeds going towards the Special Olympics. This year’s tournament raised more than $32,000 for Special Olympics Illinois, bringing the five-year total to $133,000. If you don't know about the tournament or haven't fished it I recommend it. This tournament is about helping out a good cause and there is a free dinner the night before with a goodie bag and a action with fishing stuff. FLW pro Chad Morgenthaler and Guido Hibdon were there fishing in the contest as well, with each team trying to prove that they have what it takes to beat a team of professional fishermen. Vice President of the club Bryan Partak participated in this tournament for the cause that the money was going towards the Special Olympics. Bryan a Special Education major said that he felt obliged to fish this tournament because it dealt with his major in school and would help with what he believes in. Bryan finished 12 out of a 82 boat field beating the pros, he weighed in a 5 fish limit for a weight of 12.01 pounds. Although his goal was to catch a limit of 5 bass with a total weight of 13lbs they came just shy of it. But great job Bryan and keep chasing those dreams. Dominick DiNovo, Nate Bochniak, Clayton Black, Joe Fleischauer and Ian Fryers sacrificed their free weekend by volunteering at a tournament instead of spending it on the water. The group arrived at the Rend Lake Marina with the intension of working and seeing big bags of bass brought to the scale. The work consisted of putting together the goodie bags of tackle if you beat the team of pros, handing out weigh in bags, releasing the caught fish, checking in boats, and taking down the weigh in station. The group had fun they got to check out a new Phoniex bass boat that was brought to the event, that offered free test rides. They also got to meet and talk to both Chad and Guido and ask question related to the fishing field. They finished the day off by stopping by McDonalds to get something to eat and talk about the stories at the tournament. All in all the group had fun minus some of the members who had their hands cut up pretty bad by handling the fish while releasing them. The group said that they were glad that they decided to take the day off and volunteer at the event and that they would do it again next year.

Lake Egypt Buddy Tournament 09/04/2010

The Saluki Bassers had a buddy tournament Saturday during Labor Day Weekend. The field of 8 boats took off not caring about the pleasure boating they might encounter during the day. Each team had one mission that day and that was to put 5 live fish in the live well.
The winners of the tournament were Nate Bochniak and Clayton Black, they said they caught their fishing flipping a Strike King flipping tube. They said they caught fish all day long, but they sealed the deal by catching their last over with an hour to go in the tournament. The rest of the field didn't seem to have the same thoughts about catching fish, most teams said that the morning bite was on, but found it hard to find fish during the day. Teams focused on two techniques deep cranking and fishing shallow by flipping.
This tournament we had some guest apperance with three Saluki Basser alumi fishing the tournament. Blake Boyer made an appareance as a boater in his champion bass boat, and Ben Debois and Jason Millis were a team as well. Afterwards the team meet up at the Mississippi Fly Way for some dinner and some games of pool. All in all a very well-run tournament and congrats to Nate and Clayton for putting it together and sealing the victory.