Sporting success at the University is usually associated with football, baseball, track and other sports that draw crowds. But over the last year, a new sport, kayak fishing, has provided a new avenue of success for a group of students who want to take their sport to the next level.
In a national collegiate kayak saltwater fishing competition last year, the club took first place in both individual and team competitions. This new season and beyond, they are hoping to continue the success.
Thomas Sparks, mechanical engineering senior and founding member of the club, said the sport is relatively small right now, but with their recent success, they have already seen a growth in interest.
“What is really important first and foremost is that the club is open to everyone and anyone who wants to join,” Sparks said. “Our competition teams for national events have a tryout but the club itself is open for anyone looking to join and have fun fishing.”
Sparks said kayak fishing is a perfect opportunity for a college student looking for an outdoor experience because it is one of the most accessible forms of fishing.
“Kayak fishing can be as cheap as you want it to be,” Sparks said. “You can get a used kayak for $200 or $300 and that makes it very easy for someone to get involved.”
Shane Pantoja, bioengineering senior, joined the club without any saltwater fishing experience and quickly found himself enamored with the sport, and he has since turned it into a profitable activity.
“Last year, I won the individual championship in Biloxi and got a brand new kayak and some scholarship money,” Pantoja said. “Since then, some fishing companies have sponsored me and this has turned into something I not only enjoy but has been more successful than I could have imagined.”
Sparks said the competitions take place across the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida and it gives them an opportunity to make friends across the region.
“We pile into a truck and make our way to Mississippi or Florida and do these all-day competitions so it has really given us a way to make new friends from all over,” Sparks said. “That has been something I never expected from my college experience.”
Sparks said spending an entire day in a kayak on the Gulf can be grueling but provides a great release from college life.
“In a typical day, you could kayak anywhere between 2 to 10 miles depending if the fish are biting,” Sparks said.
Because many of the members of the club who compete in national tournaments are soon graduating, Sparks said recruiting new members is a key goal for the group going forward.
“We have over 30 members of the club and we’re looking for more,” Sparks said. “We tell people you don’t even need your own kayak. We can usually find a way to get enough to go around.”
Sparks said the experience of being in a club and meeting new people has really made his time at the University a better experience.
“Before I started the club, I didn’t know anyone else who was into kayak fishing,” Sparks said. “Now a lot of my good friends are in the club and I have seen people learn to do something they didn’t know how to do before. For me, it has been a great experience and that is what we hope to keep going.”

Gallery • 5 Photos

Trey McGlothin

The LSU Kayak Fishing Club talking amongst themselves at Milford Wampold Memorial Park.