Coldwater Meltdown
A notorious picture surfaced on several Facebook pages the morning of October second. It was black with soft blue numbers-the reading on a digital thermometer that read 40 degrees. The Big Ten Classic started off a little cooler than most people would have expected. A large cold front blew through the night before the tournament and dropped the water temperature by up to ten degrees from the days leading up to the event, making Coldwater Lake earn its namesake.
“We were catching fish in shallow grass with lipless crankbaits, and out on humps with creature baits and shaky heads. Saturday we were still catching fish, but had more quality fish on top-water lures and bladed jigs around grass” said IU’s ‘Mr. Consistency’ Chris Weiss. During the two practice days, everyone was on fish; the IU boys were confident. Barrett Crone, a first year club member, couldn’t make it to practice days, but was ready for tournament day after he heard the success the other members were having. Unfortunately he could not get any of the staple lures from the last few days to produce quality fish.
The day of the tournament didn’t start like most of the members had planned, not only because of the cold, but also because one of Nebraska’s boats was hit by an alleged drunk driver while waiting to launch near the ramp. Levi Carlock and Jon Bash were injured in the accident but were luckily able to return home safe after medical treatment.
Once the tournament was underway club members struggled connecting with fish due to the cold front and falling water temperatures. Also, bright bluebird skies and no wind made it difficult for the anglers to get their bait where they wanted without spooking fish in this clear water impoundment. Despite the tough conditions, Senior Michael Hackman noted that, “The team bonded well over the weekend, and it was exciting to learn the fishing styles of our four new members.”
IU ultimately finished sixth for the classic, with Michigan State, Wisconsin and Purdue taking the top three spots.