Campus Lands a Keeper in BVU Fishing Club
More than 100 register for a student organization committed to fishing on Storm Lake
Riley Flint didn’t know what to expect when he cast a figurative line into the Buena Vista University student body during an activity registration event called “The Plunge.” Flint, a junior from Hampton, wanted to see how much interest there would be in forming a BVU Fishing Club.
The result: 102 Beavers bit.
“I could tell from talking to other students that there was a lot of interest in fishing at BVU,” says Flint, an elementary education major who seeks to earn a middle school endorsement as well. “There are students here who like to fish and who really like the lake.”
Count Cole Turnis among that faction of anglers. Turnis was sitting at a table for his ALPS Club, an organization that stresses outdoor leadership activities, when Flint put out the registration sheet. Turnis signed on immediately.
“I met a couple of BVU students while ice fishing last year and became friends with them,” says Turnis, a junior graphic design major from Manchester. “Being able to use the lake and meet people who have an interest in the lake is one of the greatest aspects about attending BVU.”
Turnis, who worked for the Boy Scouts of America assisting on deep-sea fishing treks and snorkeling adventures for children last summer, savors his time on the lake in search of walleye, perch, bluegills, and more.
“When I’m back home, I spend time fishing,” he says. “I get to do the same while in college, relieving my stress by being on the lakeshore just off-campus, listening to the waves hit the shoreline.”
Flint echoes the sentiment, stating how the lake played a role in his decision to attend BVU. He and other members of the BVU Fishing Club have since explored the 3,200-acre lake in their quest to find the hottest spots. Storm Lake Marina, on the south/southwest corner of the lake, is one go-to location.
“Lately, striped bass have been hitting near the lighthouse, just west of campus,” he says.
The BVU Fishing Club hosted a tournament earlier this spring and invited fellow students, community members, and parents and friends of BVU students to participate. BVU junior Tyler Willey, who majors in agricultural business, reeled in a bass for top honors. Other tournaments are coming as the club, one of 55 active student organizations, works to increase its visibility while bringing BVU students closer to a natural resource that can’t help but set BVU apart.
“The lake hooked me into coming here,” Turnis says, sharing a smile while turning a phrase. “It’s awesome. I love it.”