Hayden Marbut and Tucker Smith of Auburn University are leading after Day 1 of the Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship at Pickwick Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops with 20 pounds, 8 ounces.
Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.
August 10, 2023
Auburn duo maximizes offshore bites to take Day 1 lead at Bassmaster College Series Championship on Pickwick Lake
COUNCE, Tenn. — Taking advantage of the increase in current generation, the Auburn University duo of Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut claimed the Day 1 lead at the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship at Pickwick Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops by catching a limit of largemouth weighing 20 pounds, 8 ounces.
They hold a 9-ounce lead over Missouri State’s Aric Szambelan and Tyler Flacke, who fell just an ounce shy of breaking the 20-pound mark. Hayden Pirman and Luke Chaddock of West Virginia University are third with 19-9.
In 2020, Smith and Marbut were crowned Bassmaster High School National Champions on Kentucky Lake, leading that event from start to finish. Now, they have teamed up again at Auburn and continue to show they are a winning combination.
“It would be really cool to win both,” Marbut said. “We still have a lot of fishing left to do. We have two more days.”
So far, Pickwick has fished better than many teams had expected. Five bags over 19 pounds hit the scales on the opening day, and if the Top 12 cut was made today, Carson-Newman’s Dylan May and Carson Palmer would be the final team in with 16-15.
The improved numbers likely have a lot to do with the influx of rain from heavy thunderstorms that have moved through the area the last few days.
“(The Tennessee Valley Authority) was pulling about 30,000 (cubic feet per second) all week and they are pulling 50,000 today and are supposed to pull 55,000 tomorrow,” Marbut commented.
While it looked good on paper, there were plenty of lulls throughout the day for the Auburn team. Of the 30 areas they fished, only three produced bites. Still, Smith said the duo landed the majority of their weight by 9 a.m.
“We bounced around and hit a bunch of places, but it was tough during the midday,” Smith said. “We made one stop at the end of the day and caught a big one.”
Fishing mainly offshore ledges, the duo has found schools in about 12 feet of water all the way out to 20 feet of water. Of those schools, they said three are better than the rest, one in shallow water and the other two deep.
To catch their bass, they have been rotating through the standard ledge-fishing arsenal, baits like deeper-diving crankbaits, swimbaits and jigs.
“We have some that not everyone found,” Marbut said. “We scanned the whole practice and looked for some sneakier stuff that not everyone would be on.”
Using forward-facing sonar, Marbut and Smith have noticed most of their bass have been relating to the bottom of the ledge. Many of their spots don’t have baitfish around — and when a ball of shad does show up, it scatters the bass.
“We’ll see some bait come over the top of them and the bass will start chasing them. It kind of pulls them off the place, so it’s not really the best,” Smith said.
It was a slow start for Szambelan and Flacke. But when showers moved out of the area around midday, the bass began to bite and the Missouri State duo was able to take advantage.
“We stayed calm, kept our heads up and kept fishing,” Flacke said. “We had our final bag around 1.”
Similar to Smith and Marbut, Szambelan and Flacke are focusing on offshore ledges, finding more bass in the 12- to 15-foot range. A couple of baits, including a drop shot and small swimbait, produced most of their weight.
“We have a handful of spots, but they are all getting pressured by a bunch of different guys,” Szambelan said. “We found seven schools in practice. They were pretty good when we found them, but we were only able to hit one or two today.”
Forward-facing sonar has helped them pick off some of the bass that are suspended or roaming. Szambelan said it has been about 50/50 as to whether the bass were set up on the bottom or suspended.
While it didn’t go exactly as they planned, Pirman and Chaddock caught their 19-9 Day 1 limit in areas where they found success during practice.
After a lull, the West Virginia duo discovered a new pattern and was able to make a couple of key culls. They switched between deep and shallow areas and power fished with a couple of baits.
With more sun in the forecast Friday, they hope the secondary pattern will hold up.
Cole and Clay Taylor from Lander University in South Carolina caught a 7-12 largemouth to take Big Bass of the Day honors.
The full field will take off from Pickwick Landing State Park at 6 a.m. CT and return at 2 p.m. for weigh-in. The field will be cut to the Top 12 after the Day 2 weigh-in. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.
The tournament is being hosted by Tour Hardin County.
2023 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship at Pickwick Lake
presented by Bass Pro Shops 8/10-8/12
Pickwick Lake, Counce TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Hayden Marbut – Tucker Smith Auburn University 250
Day 1: 5 20-08 Total: 5 20-08
2. Aric Szambelan – Tyler Flacke Missouri State University 249
Day 1: 5 19-15 Total: 5 19-15
3. Hayden Pirman – Luke Chaddock West Virginia University 248
Day 1: 5 19-09 Total: 5 19-09
4. Kyle Zainitzer – Avery Whitwell University of North Alabama 247
Day 1: 5 19-08 Total: 5 19-08
5. Chris Baker – Elijah Kelley Kentucky Christian University 246
Day 1: 5 19-07 Total: 5 19-07
6. Cole Taylor – Clay Taylor Lander University 245
Day 1: 4 18-12 Total: 4 18-12
7. Matthew Cummings – Levi Mullins Bethel University 244
Day 1: 5 18-05 Total: 5 18-05
7. Easton Fothergill – Nick Dumke University of Montevallo 244
Day 1: 5 18-05 Total: 5 18-05
9. Tyler Campbell – Parker Guy Emmanuel University 242
Day 1: 5 17-13 Total: 5 17-13
10. Joey Bissing – Jackson Paden University of Tennessee 241
Day 1: 5 17-12 Total: 5 17-12
11. Brody Robison – Jack Alexander University of Montevallo 240
Day 1: 5 17-08 Total: 5 17-08
12. Dylan May – Carson Palmer Carson-Newman University 239
Day 1: 5 16-15 Total: 5 16-15
13. Brandon Martin – Cole Holloway Emmanuel University 238
Day 1: 5 16-07 Total: 5 16-07
14. TJ McKenzie – Seth Jenkins Emmanuel University 237
Day 1: 5 16-05 Total: 5 16-05
14. Hunter Suchsland – Cade Ludwig University of Nebraska-Lincoln 237
Day 1: 5 16-05 Total: 5 16-05
16. Dalton DeFelice – Connor Tonkel Southwestern Michigan College 235
Day 1: 5 16-02 Total: 5 16-02
17. Will Oberman – Wil Rigdon Campbellsville University 234
Day 1: 5 16-00 Total: 5 16-00
18. Mike Pierlott – Max Pierlott UNC Charlotte 233
Day 1: 5 15-10 Total: 5 15-10
19. James Willoughby – Jacob Pfundt University of Montevallo 232
Day 1: 5 15-09 Total: 5 15-09
20. Kaleb Brown – Cole Moulton Lander University 231
Day 1: 5 15-04 Total: 5 15-04
21. Dalton Eury – Zeb Roberts Catawba Valley Community College 230
Day 1: 5 15-03 Total: 5 15-03
22. Tim Herrmann – Justin Botts Bryan College 229
Day 1: 5 15-02 Total: 5 15-02
23. Tyler Hudson – Evan Mcnaughton Western Kentucky University 228
Day 1: 5 15-01 Total: 5 15-01
24. Braylon Eggerding – Adrian College 227
Day 1: 4 15-00 Total: 4 15-00
25. Nathan Reynolds – Banks Shaw University of North Alabama 226
Day 1: 5 14-12 Total: 5 14-12
26. Zachary Ward – Easton Bouma Drury University 225
Day 1: 5 14-11 Total: 5 14-11
27. Hudson Choquette – University of Montevallo 224
Day 1: 5 14-10 Total: 5 14-10
28. Tripp Bowman – Matthew Nesbit LSU – Shreveport 223
Day 1: 5 14-09 Total: 5 14-09
29. Drake Hemby – Ewing Minor Carson-Newman University 222
Day 1: 5 14-09 Total: 5 14-09
30. Jacob Butts – Mark Kershaw-Klara USC Union 221
Day 1: 5 14-07 Total: 5 14-07
30. Trey Schroeder – Lane Stephens McKendree University 221
Day 1: 5 14-07 Total: 5 14-07
32. Seth Slanker – Jackson Swisher Florida Gateway College 219
Day 1: 5 14-07 Total: 5 14-07
33. Adrian Urso – Cole Hadlock Murray State University 218
Day 1: 5 14-06 Total: 5 14-06
34. Beau Browning – Drake Sturgill University of Montevallo 217
Day 1: 5 14-04 Total: 5 14-04
35. Jared Hubbard – Riley Hendricks Lander University 216
Day 1: 5 14-04 Total: 5 14-04
36. Blake Bullock – John Mark Berry Blue Mountain Christian Universi 215
Day 1: 5 14-01 Total: 5 14-01
37. Szymon Piton – Gavin Clevenger Carson-Newman University 214
Day 1: 5 14-00 Total: 5 14-00
38. Merrick Diaz – Cade Hayford Campbellsville University 213
Day 1: 5 13-14 Total: 5 13-14
38. Grant Williams – Nathan MacDonald Mississippi State University 213
Day 1: 5 13-14 Total: 5 13-14
40. Lane Clark – Adam Seagle Erskine College 211
Day 1: 5 13-12 Total: 5 13-12
40. Noah Trant – Evan Howe Northwestern State University 211
Day 1: 5 13-12 Total: 5 13-12
42. Andrew Ready – Harley Collins Webber International University 209
Day 1: 5 13-09 Total: 5 13-09
43. Mason Hoke – Jayce Garrison Sam Houston State University 208
Day 1: 5 13-08 Total: 5 13-08
44. Smith McGregor – Ben Ivey University of North Alabama 207
Day 1: 5 13-01 Total: 5 13-01
45. Jordan Brewer – Sam Harvey Auburn University 206
Day 1: 5 12-15 Total: 5 12-15
45. Sam Hanggi – Sam Hoesley Auburn University 206
Day 1: 5 12-15 Total: 5 12-15
47. Ben Brockwell – Kentucky Christian University 204
Day 1: 5 12-14 Total: 5 12-14
47. Reese Walters – Garrett Walters University of Alabama 204
Day 1: 5 12-14 Total: 5 12-14
49. Tallis Morrison – Jonathan Hanna Erskine College 202
Day 1: 5 12-10 Total: 5 12-10
50. Aaron Jagdfeld – Elliot Wielgopolski Adrian College 201
Day 1: 4 12-08 Total: 4 12-08
51. Dylan Nutt – Carter Nutt University of North Alabama 200
Day 1: 5 12-01 Total: 5 12-01
51. Austin Parr – Hunter White Erskine College 200
Day 1: 5 12-01 Total: 5 12-01
53. Evan Sutton – Grant Olsen McKendree University 198
Day 1: 5 11-11 Total: 5 11-11
54. Will Ahnen – Caleb Knoll University of Wisconsin-La Cross 197
Day 1: 5 11-10 Total: 5 11-10
54. Dylan Fogarty – Hunter Fillmore Bethel University 197
Day 1: 5 11-10 Total: 5 11-10
56. Henry Mcpherson – Matthew German University of Alabama 195
Day 1: 4 11-05 Total: 4 11-05
57. Nate Triplett – Cy Lambert University of North Alabama 194
Day 1: 5 11-04 Total: 5 11-04
58. Jaxson Freeman – Maxwell Trotter McKendree University 193
Day 1: 5 11-03 Total: 5 11-03
59. Noah Vanderwall – Daniel Borrousch Purdue University 192
Day 1: 5 10-14 Total: 5 10-14
60. Braden Cox – Joel Berelsman Ohio State University 191
Day 1: 5 10-13 Total: 5 10-13
61. Hunter Townsend – Jonathan Wehner Jr James Madison University 190
Day 1: 5 10-10 Total: 5 10-10
62. Merritt Arnold – Chance Schwartz University of Montevallo 189
Day 1: 3 10-10 Total: 3 10-10
63. William Tew – Brayden Nichols LSU – Shreveport 188
Day 1: 5 10-08 Total: 5 10-08
64. Kyle Workman – Evan Barker Campbellsville University 187
Day 1: 4 10-08 Total: 4 10-08
65. Anderson Jones – Max Muzones Lander University 186
Day 1: 4 10-06 Total: 4 10-06
66. Kaden Proffitt – Cason Ragsdale East Texas Baptist University 185
Day 1: 4 10-05 Total: 4 10-05
67. Jeremy Monda – Bryson O’steen Florida Gateway College 184
Day 1: 5 10-04 Total: 5 10-04
68. Turner Hart – Summer Dees Bryan College 183
Day 1: 4 10-02 Total: 4 10-02
69. Sam Smith – Connor Jacob Auburn University 182
Day 1: 4 09-14 Total: 4 09-14
70. Corey Yaden – Caleb Barrow Brewton-Parker College 181
Day 1: 3 09-12 Total: 3 09-12
71. Riley Faulkner – Cole Rankin Carson-Newman University 180
Day 1: 3 09-11 Total: 3 09-11
72. Stevie Mills – Brady Duncan Carson-Newman University 179
Day 1: 4 09-08 Total: 4 09-08
72. Jackson Smith – Sawyer Williams Bethel University 179
Day 1: 4 09-08 Total: 4 09-08
74. Andrew Blanton – Jamison Bagwell Lander University 177
Day 1: 4 09-07 Total: 4 09-07
75. Ryan Park – Sam Niemeyer Murray State University 176
Day 1: 4 09-06 Total: 4 09-06
76. Tommy Dunaway – Seth Jones Florida Gateway College 175
Day 1: 5 09-05 Total: 5 09-05
77. TJ Edwards Jr – Blue Mountain Christian Universi 174
Day 1: 2 09-05 Total: 2 09-05
78. Bryant Martin – Luke Batts LSU – Shreveport 173
Day 1: 4 09-02 Total: 4 09-02
79. Hayden Gaddis – Ben Cully Carson-Newman University 172
Day 1: 4 09-01 Total: 4 09-01
79. James Gillis – Blake Richards Clarkson University 172
Day 1: 4 09-01 Total: 4 09-01
81. Dylan Akins – Chase Carey Emmanuel University 170
Day 1: 4 09-00 Total: 4 09-00
82. Chase Hubble – Brent May University of Florida 169
Day 1: 3 07-11 Total: 3 07-11
83. Evan Fields – Campbellsville University 168
Day 1: 3 07-10 Total: 3 07-10
84. Peyton Harris – Dalton Head University of Montevallo 167
Day 1: 3 07-08 Total: 3 07-08
85. Tyler Cory – Scott Sledge University of Montevallo 166
Day 1: 4 07-05 Total: 4 07-05
86. Connor Cartmell – Andrew Vereen Coastal Carolina University 165
Day 1: 2 07-02 Total: 2 07-02
87. Colby Carrier – Justin Frey Bethel University 164
Day 1: 3 06-15 Total: 3 06-15
88. Nicholas Holtgrave – Colsyn Head McKendree University 163
Day 1: 2 06-13 Total: 2 06-13
89. Caleb Dachenhaus – Sam Shoemaker Adrian College 162
Day 1: 3 06-10 Total: 3 06-10
90. Jake Thornbury – Morgan Miracle Campbellsville University 161
Day 1: 2 06-06 Total: 2 06-06
91. Braden Fairbanks – Kentucky Christian University 160
Day 1: 2 06-03 Total: 2 06-03
92. Jonah Potts – Drew Fromm Wabash Valley College 159
Day 1: 3 06-01 Total: 3 06-01
93. Nate Kimberling – Matt Kavanaugh University of Idaho 158
Day 1: 3 05-13 Total: 3 05-13
94. Hunter McClaskey – Landon Lawson King University 157
Day 1: 2 05-13 Total: 2 05-13
95. Bennett Slinkard – Carty Shoen Auburn University 156
Day 1: 2 05-12 Total: 2 05-12
96. Brenton Godwin – Hunter Odom University of Montevallo 155
Day 1: 2 05-11 Total: 2 05-11
96. Cabe Mackey – William Hammond Catawba Valley Community College 155
Day 1: 2 05-11 Total: 2 05-11
96. Gus McLarry – Jared West Texas A&M Commerce 155
Day 1: 2 05-11 Total: 2 05-11
99. Levi Thibodaux – Chance Shelby LSU – Shreveport 152
Day 1: 2 05-05 Total: 2 05-05
100. Luke Glasgow – Logan Barrett Mississippi State University 151
Day 1: 2 05-04 Total: 2 05-04
101. Ryan Lachniet – Clay Oberman Campbellsville University 150
Day 1: 2 05-00 Total: 2 05-00
102. Seth Elkins – Dale Hansard Jacksonville State University 149
Day 1: 2 04-15 Total: 2 04-15
102. Nick Redlin – Benjamin Redlin University of Wisconsin-Plattevil 149
Day 1: 2 04-15 Total: 2 04-15
104. Owen Januszewski – Matt Mosby Adrian College 147
Day 1: 2 04-12 Total: 2 04-12
105. Landon Surrett – Hampton Shull Lander University 146
Day 1: 2 04-09 Total: 2 04-09
106. Nathan Lee – Chase Bolden University of Wisconsin-Plattevi 145
Day 1: 2 04-02 Total: 2 04-02
107. Cole Dodson – Tyler Cain University of Montevallo 144
Day 1: 2 04-01 Total: 2 04-01
108. Jake Monti – Samuel Dunson UNC Charlotte 143
Day 1: 1 04-00 Total: 1 04-00
109. Blake Milligan – Matthew Parrish Auburn University 142
Day 1: 2 03-12 Total: 2 03-12
110. Brooks Anderson – Max Heaton Emmanuel University 141
Day 1: 1 03-09 Total: 1 03-09
110. Garrett Thompson – Ethan Perry West Virginia University 141
Day 1: 1 03-09 Total: 1 03-09
112. Christian Turner – John Gray Coastal Carolina University 139
Day 1: 1 03-03 Total: 1 03-03
113. Hayden Scott – Jerry Brumbaugh Jr. Adrian College 138
Day 1: 1 03-01 Total: 1 03-01
114. Colton Hill – Tomas Matual McKendree University 137
Day 1: 2 02-15 Total: 2 02-15
115. Kyle Simmons – Brett Halstead Kansas State University 136
Day 1: 1 02-10 Total: 1 02-10
116. Eric Wawrzyniak – Dylan Crystaloski Penn State University 135
Day 1: 1 02-06 Total: 1 02-06
117. Garrett Warren – Jake Peck Auburn University 134
Day 1: 1 02-05 Total: 1 02-05
118. Fisher Hill – Paris Mccullers Murray State College 133
Day 1: 1 02-04 Total: 1 02-04
119. Jacob Silver – Western Carolina University 132
Day 1: 1 02-03 Total: 1 02-03
120. Clayton Easter – Trevor Easter Tarleton State University 131
Day 1: 1 02-02 Total: 1 02-02
121. Tyson Verkaik – Carson Kamien University of Florida 130
Day 1: 1 02-01 Total: 1 02-01
122. Jordan Pennington – Andrew Oswalt University of Montevallo 129
Day 1: 1 02-00 Total: 1 02-00
123. Corey Morris – Brayden Mercer East Texas Baptist University 128
Day 1: 1 01-14 Total: 1 01-14
124. Logan Plueger – Charlie Wright University of Montevallo 127
Day 1: 1 01-11 Total: 1 01-11
125. Wes Bailey – Lake Norsworthy Blue Mountain Christian Universi 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
125. Cal Culpepper – Ryan Thomas University of Montevallo 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
125. Mitch Johnson – Gunner Whitaker Kentucky Christian University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
125. Braydon Kelley – Trey McMeen East Texas Baptist University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
125. Giancarlo Russo – Florida Gateway College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
125. Myles Steward – Trey Zagrzebski University of Wisconsin-Stevens 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
125. Zachary Verbrugge – Mohave Community College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 60 459 1290-14
———————————-
60 459 1290-14
