The Fresno State fishing club has already earned $31,000 for itself and the university and the club will compete on April 10 to 12 in Knoxville, Tenn. for $100,000 and a chance to compete in the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup.
Business marketing major Joseph Ostarello, 23, made his fishing hobby into the Fresno State Fishing club.
“The reason the idea for a club came to me was that I was going on fishing trips with buddies and we would always fight about who has to drive,” Ostarello said. “Then I realized that other Fresno State students must be interested in fishing and a club could bring us together.”
After a semester of finding out what it takes to start a club, Ostarello and a few friends started the Fresno State Fishing Club in January 2009.
“Since I had the idea for the club, I fell into the position of president,” Ostarello said.
This semester the fishing club is focused on competitive fishing. Funding for the club comes from the tournaments they enter. National Guard Forrest L. Wood (FLW) College Fishing sponsors the regional and national meets in which the clubs compete.
“The winnings from the tournaments are divided in half so that the club receives half and Fresno State receives the other half,” Ostarello said.
Members go out in teams of two with a professional fisherman for about 5 hours. The professional cannot help the fisherman with their fishing techniques. Each team member can weigh in three fish. The fish must be released and must be alive at judging. Also both members must be full-time students at a university.
The western division is new to the fishing circuit because meets weren’t held in the west coast until recently. The Fresno State Fishing Club is one of five college teams to make it to the national finals.
Business marketing major Sark Davidian, 23, and Kong Moua are competing in the inaugural National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship for a chance to win a prize package of $100,000.
“I am really, really excited to go to nationals. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am glad to be a part of it,” Davidian said. “I hope that the club continues to compete at this high level and maintain our success as a club.”
“I want Fresno State to rank in the top 25 fishing colleges,” Davidian said. Davidian also cites Ostarello’s organization as president as one of the reasons the team has been so successful. “He is the best president we can ask for.”
The money that the club receives goes to supplies like gas and equipment. It also pays for lodging for traveling members.
“We used the money to sponsor a deep sea fishing trip in Santa Barbara for members and people looking to sign up. People paid $20 for food, stay at a beach house and the fishing trip,” Ostarello said.
Ostarello encourages people to come check out the club when he holds a meeting later this month.
“I want to find more people that want to get involved with local fishing,” Ostarello said. “The competitive fishing is great but it is also nice to have a local meet to fish at that could qualify to go on to a higher tournament.”
“When I started this club with my buddies we were looking to go on free fishing trips with other interested people, so we met that goal,” Ostarello said.
Ostarello said the team is a part of the first college national fishing finals and Fresno State is the only school to receive first place in two of the five tournaments that were set up by the FLW.
“I am very happy with what this club has become in this short period of time,” Ostarello said.