A pair of bass fishermen and college teammates will be going for a national championship next week. Fort Smith native Bennett Pierce and Ratcliff resident T.J. Tucker, both of whom fish as a tandem for Arkansas Tech University’s squad, will both be heading to Minnesota this weekend to begin preparations for the 2017 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. It will be held Aug. 10-12 on Lake Bemidji in Bemidji, Minn.

The two qualified for the event after coming in fifth in the Central Region tournament earlier this year at Lake Sam Rayburn in Texas. Pierce qualified for nationals as a freshman at Tech, while Tucker is getting to go for the first time in his final chance, as he is a graduating senior. In fact, Tucker was scheduled to take part in his graduation ceremony next week, but has decided to go to the national tournament instead.

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