When the leaves turn color this upcoming fall Tomball seniors Evan Blott and Matt Thomas are packing more than just laptops and dorm supplies.

Reels and artificial worms will make their way into the beds of their trucks heading to Texas A&MKingsville.

The future A&M Kingsville fishermen have been hitting the waters together since the fifth grade. After seven years, “what’s another four.”

The tournaments that Blott and Thomas enter may not let them keep their winning fish (due to conservation purposes) but they certainly offer a good trade off; scholarship opportunities and the title of best youth fishers in the area.

“I enjoy fishing with Matt. I would have gone to a different school if I didn’t,” Blott commented. “We have slightly different mind sets when it comes to fishing but it makes both of our styles work.”

Some see fishing as something their uncle does for the weekend when he just wants to wind down and listen to country music; but it’s evident that these two are playing the waters like a poker player would play a hand.

The seniors have had countless weekends that have started before the sunrise so they could test the waters, literally. “We some times have to be out by 5 a.m. and prep fish,” the two said.

The self-proclaimed outdoors men are more than excited about taking their college education down south. “If you enjoy being outdoors like we do then it’s a great place to go,” Thomas said. “Kingsvillehad always been a choice for that reason.”