Americana Outdoors E-Magazine - February 2018

M C K ENDREE A NGLERS C OMETO A IDOF F ELLOW C OMPETITOR ’ S B OATIN R ECENT T OURNAMENT AlthoughtheMcKendreebasfishingteampostedan18thplaceoveralfinishattheTexasLunke Chalengelastweekend,theBearcats’ programpostedanevenmoreimportantvictorybeforethe eventwascomplete. McKendreebasfishingteammembersTrevorMcKinneyandShaneCampbelhelpedthwartapo- tentialylife-threateningsituationearlySundayonLakeSamRayburnwhentheycametotheaidof threefelowanglersfromLouisianaStateUniversitywhoseboatsuferedstructuraldamage.With les-than-idealconditionsincludingcoldtemperaturesandhighwinds,McKinneyandCampbel workedquicklytogetthetriofromtheslowly-sinkingcrafttosafety. “Wewerealbatlingtheelementsoutthere,butwesawtheywereintroubleandknewweneeded todosomethingquick,”saidMcKinney, asophomoreatMcKendree.“Atthatpoint, catchingfishis notnearlyasimportantassavingsomeone’slife.” AccordingtoMcKinney, heandCampbelwerejustfinishingupattheirfirstspotofthedayandget- tingreadytoheadtoanotherlocationwhenhefirstsawtheLSUboatindistres.Hethoughtthe boatwassitinglowerthanusual inthewater, andthenhesawthehandsofhisfelowanglersbegin towavebackatthem, signalingtheywereindistres. McKinneyandCampbelthenmadetheirwayovertotheLSUboatandastheyapproachedthe vesel, McKinneycouldseethatthecraftwastakingonwater. “Wecouldseethattheboatwasfil- ingupatapretydecentrate,soweknewwehadtogetthoseguys,gettheirequipmentandge themtosafety,”saidMcKinney. MitchelMayard,oneofthethreeLSUteammembershelpedbytheMcKendreeanglers,saidtha whiletheywerebeginningtheirdayonthewater, henoticedtheirboatwasidlingandnotmoving. “Whenwefirstsawwewerehavingtrouble,weknewwewereclosetoanisland,sowetriedtoge theretogetoutofharm’sway,”saidMayard.“Itturnedoutthatourhulsplitintwo.Within15-20 seconds,wehadwateruptooursteeringwheel.Fortunately,McKendreeboatwaswithin40-50 yardsofours,andwewereabletosignaltothemthatweneededhelp.Bythetimetheygottous wehadwateruptoourknees.”