Written and Media by Chris Brooks.
I sat down with GU angler Ricky Huge recently and he gave me a little bit on why he fishes and what some of his ultimate goals are as a collegiate angler. Keep reading for more!
Q: When did you start fishing?
A: I started fishing before I could even talk. My mom and dad both love to fish, and they always brought me and my brother along. They did not fish for bass though. They were big on catching catfish, bluegill, crappie, and trout.
Q: When and how got you into bass fishing competitively?
A: I did not get into tournament fishing until my sophomore year of high school. My brother was on the bass fishing team and it looked like fun so I joined. I fell in love with the competition.
Q: What made you come to Greenville University to fish in college?
A: I enjoyed tournament fishing, and I wanted to test my skill at the next level. Greenville University is only 35 minutes from where I live and offers bass fishing scholarships. I felt like Greenville was a great choice.
Q: As a college angler, what is your major goal that you set to seek out, and where do you go from here?
A: My major goal in college is to win a national championship, but a more realistic goal is to just qualify for a national championship as many times as I can.
Q: In the next few weeks you have two tournaments, one at Kentucky Lake and the other at Vandalia Lake; how do you think you will do in these tournaments?
A: I can never be certain how I will finish in a tournament. Conditions are always changing and fish can change patterns in the blink of an eye. I am confident in my ability as an angler to go out and compete and contend, but I can never be sure how I will finish.
Q: Who are your biggest influences and why are they so?
A: My biggest influence is my brother. He is the reason I got into bass fishing and he always pushes me to try new things and be my best.
Q: What is your favorite thing to do outside of fishing and school?
A: I hunt pretty much any animal imaginable. When it is too cold to fish in the winter, I will deer, squirrel, rabbit, quail, and waterfowl hunt. I occasionally turkey hunt in the spring. During the summer, I fish and spend time with friends and family.
Q: What is your favorite way to fish for bass?
A: Much like many bass fishermen, I love catching fish on a topwater bait, whether it be a frog or a spook. I also enjoy finesse presentations, like a drop shot or a ned rig. There’s nothing more relaxing than throwing a finesse bait.
Q: My final question is how do you want your season to go this year, and what do you expect out of your team and yourself this year?
A: I am hopeful our team will finish high in school of the year standings. We have the potential to contend with the best. As for myself, I am in search of a victory on one of the major circuit tournaments.
