President Faith Hensrud took the ceremonial first cast under rainy skies Thursday at 6am as Bemidji State University hosts the finest college fishing teams in the country Aug. 10–12 for the 2017 Bassmaster College Series National Championship on Lake Bemidji. The championship field includes 90 teams — including two representing Bemidji State — which qualified for the tournament in a series of five regional championships and a wild-card tournament held throughout 2017.