Zac's Fishing Corner
Welcome to Zac's fishing Corner.............................
"I have laid aside business, and gone a fishing"
-Izaak Walton
This is a quiet spot on the website for the fishing enthusiast. We will be following Zac's tournament fishing season as well as keep fans posted on current interviews and happenings.............................
Here are a few of my favorite fishing pictures:
1. What’s it like to be a semi-professional bass angler in the Bass Fishing League and FLW?
When I first started fishing FLW events it was a big jump for me because before I had only fished small clubs and buddy tournaments. The competition in FLW is tough and at first it was a steep learning curve. The tough competition of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League and the Stren Series is the reason that they are the best things to fish as a young angler. I feel like every FLW tournament I fish I become a little better fisherman.
2. Are you still studying geology at Winona State University? Will you continue to fish after graduation or pursue a career in geology?
I am studying environmental science geology at WSU, I plan to graduate in two years. From the time I was a kid I had a goal to go to college and study science, and before that goal I wanted to be a pro bass fisherman. In a sense I am working to achieve two childhood goals at once. After I graduate I will try to get into the FLW tour as a pro. That has always been my dream,
3. What’s it like to watch your brother race in NASCAR? Do you ever get to go to his races?
I really love to watch Landon race, I tape every race and watch it after I am done fishing on the weekends. I went to the Dover Nationwide race last year. It was the first time I had been in the pits at a NASCAR event, it was a rush. Listening to him talk to his crew over the scanner made me realize how far he has have come since he was just racing karts on Iowa dirt tracks.
4. How long have you been fishing? Is it something you do to relax or do you view it strictly as competition?
I have been fishing for as long as I can remember. Papa, a friend of the family, would take me and Landon out fishing. He made cane poles out of willow trees and we fished with worms and a bobber, it seems like the fishing was always good when fishing with Papa. The time we spent with Papa are some of my most cherished childhood memories.
I do fish to relax at times. On the upper Mississippi river we have fantastic trout fishing. I love going up little streams by myself totally immersed in nature and trying to outsmart the most wary fish there is, brown trout.
5. If you could be any NASCAR driver, who would it be?
I have been a Ricky Rudd fan since I was little, but I think that I would rather be Dale Jr. After getting signed on with Hendrick he has so much to look forward to. I would like to be him just because he has the entire world ahead of him, now he just has to drive.
6. Would you switch jobs with Landon for a day? A year?
I think it would be fun to switch jobs with Landon for a week or so. Doing what he does on a day to day basis would be an eye-opener. Also getting to drive a racecar 200 mph would be sweet, but I could not go any longer than a week because I start getting fishing withdrawl.
7. Do you see yourself ever getting involved in racing?
Landon and I have joked about getting a two man cruiser together, he can drive, and I will run the gas and brakes. Beyond that I do not know if I will get involved in racing, we both have our passions and at certain points they do mesh. So maybe someday down the line I will be involved in racing to some degree, and maybe he will be involved in fishing to some degree. We are both still working at our careers and it is hard to tell where the future will lead.
Though the bass fishing tournament season has just started here on the Upper Mississippi, I have already enjoyed some success in tournaments around the country. I have fished well in the Texas division of the Stren Series with finishes of 14th at Falcon, 20th at Sam Rayburn, and 4th at Texoma. I also got 51st at Norfork in a tournament where one fish separated me from over half the field. Locallly I have also been doing well, I started out with a win in Team Supreme and followed it up with a 40th place finish in a very competitive Great Lakes BFL division. As of right now I have yet to finish outside the top 40% of any tournament I have fished and have cashed a check in 75% of the tournaments I have entered this year.
National Guard and NASCAR Joint Fishing Tournament on Mountain Island Lake Charlotte, North Carolina
On April 26th, 2008 I was asked to represent Hendrick Motorsports in a National Guard tournament held in conjunction with the FLW tour stop at Lake Norman. Landon, my brother, and also the driver of the #5 National Guard Chevrolet fished together with Ramie Colson Jr. as our pro. During the tournament were filmed by the FLW camera crew and will be on Fox Sports Network sometime in June. After the tournament I was interviewed by NASCAR.com, Hooah Magazine the official publication of the National Guard, and did a radio show with Landon on XM 141, the Claire B. Lang Show.
Zac, Landon, and Ramie Colson (FLW Pro)
Lansing Pool 9 Lansing Village Creek Boat Ramp June 1, 2008
60 Fishermen 30 Boats
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PLACE
|
TEAM
|
CITY
|
FISH
|
LBS
|
AMOUNT
|
|
1st
|
Zac Cassill
|
Fair Fax IL
|
5
|
15-90
|
$1,148.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2nd
|
Darrin Hannah
|
Mechanicsville IA
|
5
|
15-00
|
$588.00
|
|
|
Rod Bunge
|
Blue Grass IA
|
|
Total
|
$1,118.00
|
|
3rd
|
David Plantenburg
|
Beloit WI
|
5
|
14-83
|
$308.00
|
|
|
Bob Howland
|
Cedar Falls IA
|
|
|
|
|
4th
|
Bob Garman
|
Center Point IA
|
5
|
14-76
|
$168.00
|
|
|
Joe Moyer
|
St Donatus IA
|
|
|
|
Winona State sophomore Zac Cassill is spending his last week of winter vacation fishing near the Mexico border. On day one, the Fairfax, Iowa, native caught 25 pounds, 4 ounces, which was good enough for fifth place after day one.
“I’ve been doing something different and it’s really been working,” said the double major in geology and ecology. “I’ve been catching 20 to 25 pounds a day during practice. I love this place.”
Falcon Lake Stren. Zapata, Texas
Lake Texoma Stren. Denison, Texas
Cassill catches biggest bag for fourth
Twenty-year-old Zac Cassill of Fairfax, Iowa caught the other co-angler limit, this one weighing 9-14 – the division’s heaviest. Gaining six places in the final round, he recorded a total of 30 pounds, 11 ounces.
Cassill fished a Lethal Weapon jig on Cabela’s 15-pound fluorocarbon line. Wearing the National Guard jersey, he gave a shout out to American service members. “I want to thank all of our (armed forces) who allow us to do what we’re doing here. Any of these people are welcome to fish with me anytime.”
Texas Stren Series Points:
|
Place
|
First Name | Last Name
|
City / State
|
Points
|
Winnings
|
|
1
|
BO MIDDLETON
|
ELGIN, OK
|
760
|
$5,710
|
|
2
|
MARK OAKLEY
|
DAVIS, OK
|
735
|
$3,402
|
|
3
|
STEPHEN FRANCIS
|
BROOKELAND, TX
|
731
|
$6,329
|
|
4
|
GILBERT HERALD
|
PITTSBURG, TX
|
726
|
$2,103
|
|
5
|
DAN WILSON
|
PILOT POINT, TX
|
716
|
$1,626
|
|
6
|
BILL ROGERS
|
JASPER, TX
|
707
|
$35,435
|
|
7
|
KEITH HONEYCUTT
|
TEMPLE, TX
|
704
|
$3,091
|
|
8
|
ZAC CASSILL
|
FAIRFAX, IA
|
701
|
$3,210
|
|
STREN SERIES UPDATE: LAST TOURNAMENT SEPT. 24, 2008
Zac had high hopes in maintaining the 2nd in points position at the Red River fall tournament. However after 3 days of catching a total of 4 keepers he slipped to 8th in overall points for the STREN series. That will keep him in the running of top 10 anglers out of 288 who will compete later this year at the Nationals, which is good news for Zac.
After finishing up at the Red River tourney, Zac flew back to Minnesota with Dad Roger and family pet Duran for an afternoon of fishing on the Mississippi before returning to his college classes at WSU.
Pool 9 Team Supreme. Lansing, Iowa
Partners Zac Cassill and Brian Fitzpatrick won the first Team Supreme Super North division in Lansing, Iowa. The winners weighed in 6 fish for 17.88, 5 largemouths and 1 smallmouth. The teammates reported catching fish in the mid-pool area on AquaGlow worms and flipping jigs. Cabelas, Evinrude, and Cassill Motors sponsor them.
Zac's Sponsor links:
www.cabelas.com
www.cassillmotors.com
Some fun links to browse:
www.takemefishing.org
http://www.flwoutdoors.com/ap/bio.cfm?mid=203262
http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Landon%20Cassill/2008/04/29/Fishing_Trucks_and_now_off_to_Richmond
