University of Montevallo Upsets on Championship Day to Win 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship Presented by Lowrance" title="University of Montevallo Upsets on Championship Day to Win 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship Presented by Lowrance" />
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2023) – The University of Montevallo duo of Peyton Harris and Dalton Head, both of Montevallo, Alabama, weighed a five-bass limit Thursday totaling 27 pounds, 11 ounces to win the 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship at Lake Toho Presented by Lowrance. With two Tackle Warehouse School of the Year titles under their belt (2021 and 2022), the University of Montevallo team came from behind to edge out the leaders from Bryan College on the third and final day to put more hardware and another national championship title on the shelf. The win earns the team a $43,500 prize package, including $10,000 and a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard, as well as automatic entry into the 2023 Toyota Series Championship to compete as pros for a shot to win up to $235,000.
After finishing Day 1 in sixth place and Day 2 in third, the Falcon duo’s three-day total of 15 bass, weighing 66-15 gave them the win by a 1-pound, 8-ounce margin over runners up Andrew Ready and Vincent Maffei from Webber International University, whose three-day total of 15 bass weighed 65-7.
Both winning anglers are sophomore marketing majors at UM, and said they knew after the first day of practice that they had stumbled upon something special.
“It’s been a magical week – nearly 67 pounds in three days – and that weigh-in ticket is definitely going on the mantle,” said Head. “We typically struggle here in Florida, but we stumbled on something on the first day of practice that was really exciting. We just didn’t know whether it would hold up through the event.
“We made a long run to find our key area this week,” Head continued. “We knew there were bass in prespawn and postspawn, so we started looking for places where we could find both of them – where there were spawners coming in and post-spawners going out.”
The duo said the key to their week was managing the fish they found. They set 20 pounds per day as their goal, and left them biting after 20 pounds on Day 1. With the weather-shortened Day 2, they only brought in 18-9, but still ended the day in third place.
“On the first day of competition, we quit fishing around 11:30 a.m. to conserve our fish,” said Head. “On the second day with the fog delay, we only had about 2 hours to fish after locking down, so we ran straight back to that spot and caught 18-9 but knew that we’d saved a lot of fish for the final day.
“Today we swung for the fence and caught everything in that area that we could,” added Harris. “We knew we would win it or lose it right there, and if we fell short, we fell short. But thankfully, we didn’t.”
The team attributes the stability of the area to having access to fish in all three stages of the spawn.
“The area we found was basically a ‘fish highway’,” Harris laughed. “There were fish in all three stages – prespawn fish coming in, fish spawning on the grassy flat, and postspawners leaving – so we had fish coming and going in that area the entire time.”
The pair said the spot was about a half-mile long, and maybe 100 yards wide – a big grass flat with lily pads, hay grass and little patches of scattered reeds.
“We fished most of the same areas of the flat the first two days, but today we had to move up a little,” said Harris. “In the last 20 minutes or so we moved up to more shallow water and caught the 9-pound kicker fish that sealed the deal for us.”
The team was flipping a Texas-rigged 3/0 flipping hook with a custom-colored Yamamoto Senko and an Okeechobee Craw-colored Strike King Ocho with a 3/16-ounce weight.
“We did a lot of flipping,” said Head. “We had to stay 50 feet back from where we were fishing and just fished one little clump of pads for 10 to 15 minutes before moving on. But, when you’re fishing around 20 to 30 boats, that’s what you’ve got to do. The fish are there, and they aren’t going anywhere, but they know when boats are there. So we just had to hang back and slow down to catch them.
“It means so much to me to win a tournament like this because I’ve worked my whole life up to this point, just for this moment,” Head continued, choking up on stage. “Some of my buddies came out and supported us today on the water and watched us catch some big fish and just kept us hyped up all day. I couldn’t ask for a better fishing team.”
The duo gave much credit to their stellar University of Montevallo fishing club, amid cheers as the team crowded around the stage in excitement.
“These guys have taught me so much,” said Head. “I come from a small town in Moody, Alabama and these guys are some of my best friends and have made me ten times better as an angler.
“Competing against our own teammates is usually the hardest competition we have all year, so to be able to stand up here and hoist these trophies, with all of our teammates here cheering us on, just means the absolute world to us,” Harris added. “We both fished in high school and chose to go to University of Montevallo to join their fishing team because they are the best.
“If you want to be the best, you’ve got to compete against the best and if you want to get to the next level, you’ve got to put yourself in the position to do so. The University of Montevallo has been that position for us,” Harris finished.
The top 10 teams on Lake Toho finished:
1st: University of Montevallo – Peyton Harris and Dalton Head, both of Montevallo, Ala., 15 bass, 66-15, $43,500 prize package
2nd: Webber International University – Andrew Ready of Auburndale, Fla., and Vincent Maffei of Lake Wales, Fla., 15 bass, 65-7, $5,000
3rd: LSU – Beau Landry of Brusly, La., and Peyton Matherne of Walker, La., 15 bass, 61-6, $4,000
4th: Drury University – Cole Breeden of Lebanon, Mo., and Hunter Baird of Salina, Kan., 15 bass, 59-15, $3,000
5th: East Texas Baptist University – Brett Jolley of Kingwood, Texas and Cade Nettles of Stonewall, La., 15 bass, 58-8, $2,000
6th: Bryan College – Conner DiMauro of Longwood, Fla., and Justin Botts of Bluff City, Tenn., 14 bass, 56-12, $1,000
7th: Kentucky Christian University – Lafe and Matt Messer, both of Warfield, Ky., 15 bass, 52-1, $1,000
8th: Bryan College – Elijah Kirk of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Andrew Fisher of Calhoun, Ga., 15 bass, 49-6, $1,000
9th: Adrian College – Matthew Davis of Morenci, Mich., and Sam Shoemaker of Martinsville, Ind., 15 bass, 47-3, $1,000
10th: University of Montevallo – Brandon Berry and Hunter Bright, both of Helena, Ala., 15 bass, 42-3, $1,000
For a full list of results, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 50 bass weighing 195 pounds, 4 ounces caught by the final 10 teams Thursday. The catch included 10 five-bass limits.
The 14th annual Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship was a three-day event – hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission – featuring the top 195 college bass fishing teams from across the nation competing in an internationally televised, no-entry fee tournament for a $33,500 prize package plus $10,000, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
In addition to the boat package, both members of the winning University of Montevallo team and the runners-up from Webber International University now advance to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship where they will compete as pros for a top prize of up to $235,000. In addition, the winning University of Montevallo team’s highest finishing team member at the Toyota Series Championship will advance to REDCREST 2024 to compete against the world’s best pros for the sport’s top prize of $300,000.
Both members of the third-place Louisiana State University team from the College Fishing National Championship will advance to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers for a shot at winning a $33,500 Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The Top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the Top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Grundens, Lawless Lures, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
University of Montevallo Upsets on Championship Day to Win 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship Presented by Lowrance
Charlotte and Lake Norman Ready for Major League Fishing’s
REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch
Charlotte and Lake Norman Ready for Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour Championship Set to Showcase Top 40 Anglers Competing on Lake Norman for $300,000 Top Prize, General Tire Outdoor Sports Expo to Take Place at Charlotte’s The Park Expo and Conference Center
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Feb. 23, 2023) – Major League Fishing’s (MLF) REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch, the Bass Pro Tour championship, will visit Charlotte, North Carolina, and Lake Norman in two weeks, March 8-12, to crown professional bass fishing’s newest world champion.
The five-day tournament, shot for television broadcast on Discovery Channel and Outdoor Channel, will showcase the top 40 Bass Pro Tour anglers from the 2022 season competing for the prestigious REDCREST Championship and the top prize of $300,000.
“Lake Norman is absolutely thriving – it’s one of the best spotted bass lakes in the country,” said General Tire pro Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, South Carolina, who will be making his fourth career REDCREST appearance. “The lake is full of fish, and this time of the year the fishing is very good. It’s going to be a very fun tournament.
“I think you’re going to see guys catching them a lot of different ways,” Montgomery continued. “The big wildcard in this one is going to be the forward-facing sonar – I think it’s going to be a big factor in this event. But guys are going to catch them with typical prespawn techniques – shallow cranking, jerkbaiting, and the old, traditional standby on Lake Norman – fishing docks.”
While most fans and casual boaters would prefer a warm, slick calm, sunny day on the water during the event, Montgomery hopes that the wind blows throughout the event.
“The lake is so condition-oriented, it makes it really hard to predict how much guys are going to catch,” Montgomery said. “Lately in some local tournaments we’re seeing 23-pound limits of spotted bass being weighed in. I think if we get the right conditions and the wind blows, they’ll bite better and it’s going to take at least a 15-plus-pound a day average to win. But if it’s slick calm and sunny, it might only take 12 to 13 pounds a day to win. But I think we’ll blow that out of the water.”
Fellow pro Casey Ashley of Donalds, South Carolina, echoed Montgomery’s sentiments.
“I think it’s going to take 15 to 16 pounds a day average to win this one,” said Ashley, who is making his third career REDCREST appearance. “Lake Norman is fishing really well, and I think the docks are going to be big player.
“I’m so happy to be fishing in this event,” Ashley went on to say. “This is a pretty tough crew on Tour that we fish against, so just making it here is a feat in itself. I’m excited, and I really want to win.”
The General Tire Take Off Ceremony will begin at 6:15 a.m., on Days 1-4, and 7:15 a.m. on Day 5, at Blythe Landing Park, located at 15901 N.C. 73 HY, in Huntersville, North Carolina. Anglers will depart at 7 a.m. on Days 1-4, and 8 a.m. on Day 5, and return after competition ends at 4 p.m. on Days 1-4 and 5 p.m. on Day 5. Fans are welcome to attend all launch events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In conjunction with the event, the FREE, family-friendly General Tire Outdoor Sports Expo Presented by Shore Lunch will also take place throughout the weekend, March 10-12 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day at The Park Expo and Conference Center, located at 800 Briar Creek Road, in Charlotte. Fishing and outdoor enthusiasts will have the opportunity to visit numerous booths and vendors, showcasing the latest and greatest in fishing, boating and the outdoors. The biggest names in the outdoor industry will be on hand, including the professional anglers that compete on the Bass Pro Tour and fishing legends like Jimmy Houston, Roland Martin and Hank Parker.
Children are welcome to visit and play in the Bass Pro Shops Kids Zone, plus meet Skye & Marshall from PAW Patrol. Throughout the day there will be giveaways and prizes, including signed MLF angler jerseys, rods and reels, gift cards, and more. On Friday evening one lucky fan will win a Toro 42-inch TimeCutter Zero Turn Mower, on Saturday night one lucky attendee will win a Tracker Off Road 300 ATV, and on Sunday one lucky attendee will walk away with a brand new 2023 Toyota Tundra SR5 Crew Max. Fans must be present to win the Grand Prize drawings. For more information on the General Tire Outdoor Sports Expo Presented by Shore Lunch, visit REDCRESTExpo.com.
REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch at Lake Norman will feature pros competing using the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, with each angler’s five (5) heaviest bass per day tallied as their day’s weight. Anglers strive to catch their heaviest five fish each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the live scoring SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
All 40 Anglers will compete on Days 1 (Wednesday) and 2 (Thursday) of the event and will score their five heaviest bass each day. After two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 20 based on two-day total (10 bass) cumulative weight. Weights are zeroed, and the top 20 anglers compete on Day 3 (Friday). The field is trimmed to 15 anglers on Day 4 (Saturday), then the final 10 anglers compete on Day 5 (Sunday). The winner is determined by the heaviest three-day total (15 bass) cumulative weight with the winner earning the top prize of $300,000 and the REDCREST 2023 trophy.
The 2022 Bass Pro Tour featured a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country. The top 40 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the seven events qualified to compete in REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action from 7:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the first four days of competition, and from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Championship Sunday. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch will be showcased across two, two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, July 1 and July 8 on Discovery Channel. Starting in July 2023, MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery Channel, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, Ark Fishing, ATG + Wrangler, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, Daiwa, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star tron, T-H Marine, TORO, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, Yellowstone Bourbon, Yo-Zuri and Zoom Baits.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Rookie Will Davis Jr. adapts to take lead at Bassmaster Elite on Lake Seminole
Rookie Will Davis Jr. adapts to take lead at Bassmaster Elite on Lake Seminole" title="Rookie Will Davis Jr. adapts to take lead at Bassmaster Elite on Lake Seminole" />
Will Davis Jr. of Sylacauga, Ala., is leading after Day 1 of the 2023 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole with 21 pounds, 13 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
February 23, 2023
Rookie Will Davis Jr. adapts to take lead at Bassmaster Elite on Lake Seminole
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. — Will Davis Jr. didn’t get what he wanted, but he made the most of what he got and sacked up a Day 1 limit of 21 pounds, 13 ounces to take the lead in the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole.
Coming off a 14th-place finish in his first Elite event — last week’s SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee — the pro from Sylacauga, Ala., heads into Day 2 with a 7-ounce lead over Australian pro Carl Jocumsen.
“I’m a bigtime bed fisherman, but it just didn’t pan out well this week,” Davis said of his preferred game plan. “I went to my strength, which is power fishing in the river.”
Davis, the 2022 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation champion, said he knew the lake’s lower end was receiving a lot of pressure. Electing to fish the mouth of the Flint River proved to be a prudent call.
“I started really close working a crankbait, but I was catching only small fish, so I knew I needed to make a move,” Davis said. “I picked up a spinnerbait and fished current breaks and caught two of my biggest ones.
“The current breaks were little indentions in the bank. They had to be close to a little feeder pocket; it had to be where they’re staging.”
Davis caught his bass on a shad-colored FISHCO crankbait and the Xwire spinnerbait, both made by Davis Bait Company, which is owned by his father, Will Davis Sr. The spinnerbait had a peacock-color skirt, which comprised blue glimmer, chartreuse and pink strands and tandem willow-leaf Colorado blades.
“When you’re fishing a current break, you have to start below it and come up to it,” Davis said of his presentation strategy. “Some guys will start on the spot, but by the time you get positioned, you have to get on the trolling motor to get back up there. So, you cover a lot of time doing that.
“I would make two specific casts on each current break — one on each corner. I would throw five or six times and leave.”
Covering an area of about 5 miles, Davis said he hit several spots. One of those spots produced a 6- and a 5-pounder.
“They bit really good from about 9 to 10 (a.m.) and then from 1 to 3 (p.m.),” Davis said. “My biggest fish today was a 6-pounder that bit during that early period.”
Davis credits his lifetime of fishing the Coosa River lakes for helping him develop the diversity that allowed him to adjust and thrive.
“I’m used to fishing current — and mean spotted bass — but we do get big largemouth too,” Davis said. “But they’re on the move, so I might have to change up tomorrow.
“That’s the good thing about growing up where I did; we have clear lakes, current lakes and diverse habitat, so it has definitely helped me know when to change.”
Hailing from Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, Jocumsen is in second place with 21-6. Set to make his first appearance in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota March 24-26 on the Tennessee River, he said he’s capitalizing on what he believes is well-earned momentum.
“It was a phenomenal day and I had some amazing bites,” said Jocumsen, who finished sixth last week at Lake Okeechobee. “You get on a bit of a roll and you start making good decisions. Life’s good right now because I spent a lot of years not having any of that and grinding and wondering what I was doing.”
Jocumsen said he caught most of his bass on a similar swim jig technique to what he used on Okeechobee, but he made one significant change that seems to be triggering the fish. He also caught a keeper by flipping a Texas-rigged X Zone Lures Adrenaline Craw.
“The biggest fish, a 6-pounder, hit harder than I’ve ever had any bass hit — I didn’t even think it was a bass,” Jocumsen said. “I just have this thing going right now that they do not like. It’s not conventional and when they get aggressive, they do not like it around them.”
Jonathan Kelley of Old Forge, Pa., is in third place with 20-12. Noting that he had a tough practice, Kelley said he wasn’t sure he’d be able to catch anything today, so he was delighted with his productivity.
“It was such a tough practice, I had nothing to lose, so I didn’t get confused by one 3- or 4-pound bite,” Kelley said. “I just kept a clear mind and went to an area I went to yesterday around 3 o’clock, just to have somewhere to start.
“I had five for 5 pounds right away, then I kept hopping around and caught a 3-pounder and then a 4-pounder. I looked at my marshal and was like ‘This could happen.’ I just went back to areas where I had caught fish in practice and caught a big one here and a big one there.”
Kelley anchored his bag with a 5-9, which he caught on a jerkbait after spotting the fish on forward-facing sonar. Kelley dedicated his day to family friend Tommy Doria, who recently passed.
“I really felt like I had someone else with me in the boat today; there was an angel looking over me,” Kelley said. “It was a special day. I honestly could do no wrong and everywhere I went there was fish.”
Matt Arey of Shelby, N.C., earned the $1,000 daily bonus for catching the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day with his 8-1 largemouth.
Jocumsen leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 202 points. Davis is in second with 195, followed by Tyler Rivet of Raceland, La., with 193, Drew Cook of Cairo, Ga., with 186 and Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., with 185.
Davis also leads the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 195 points.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. ET at the Earle May Boat Basin Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 3:30 p.m. After Friday’s weigh-in, only the Top 50 remaining anglers will advance to Semifinal Saturday. Bassmaster LIVE coverage begins at 8 a.m. on Bassmaster.com, Tubi and the FOX Sports platforms.
The Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee is being hosted by the City of Bainbridge Community Development.
| 2023 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole 2/23-2/26 Lake Seminole, Bainbridge GA. (PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1 Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$ 1. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 5 21-13 104 Day 1: 5 21-13 2. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 5 21-06 103 Day 1: 5 21-06 3. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 5 20-12 102 Day 1: 5 20-12 4. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 5 20-11 101 Day 1: 5 20-11 5. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 5 20-06 100 Day 1: 5 20-06 6. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 5 19-13 99 Day 1: 5 19-13 7. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 5 19-06 98 Day 1: 5 19-06 8. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 19-04 97 Day 1: 5 19-04 9. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 5 18-12 96 Day 1: 5 18-12 10. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 18-08 95 Day 1: 5 18-08 11. John Cox DeBary, FL 5 18-07 94 Day 1: 5 18-07 12. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 18-05 93 Day 1: 5 18-05 13. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 5 18-00 92 Day 1: 5 18-00 14. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 17-14 91 Day 1: 5 17-14 15. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 17-05 90 Day 1: 5 17-05 16. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 17-04 89 Day 1: 5 17-04 17. Taku Ito Chiba, JAPAN 5 17-00 88 Day 1: 5 17-00 18. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 16-13 87 Day 1: 5 16-13 19. Kyoya Fujita Minamitsuru, Yamanashi 5 16-12 86 Day 1: 5 16-12 20. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 16-07 85 Day 1: 5 16-07 20. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 16-07 85 Day 1: 5 16-07 20. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 16-07 85 Day 1: 5 16-07 23. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 5 16-06 82 Day 1: 5 16-06 24. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 16-02 81 Day 1: 5 16-02 25. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 15-15 80 Day 1: 5 15-15 26. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 15-12 79 Day 1: 5 15-12 27. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 15-10 78 Day 1: 5 15-10 28. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 15-07 77 Day 1: 5 15-07 28. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 15-07 77 Day 1: 5 15-07 30. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 15-06 75 Day 1: 5 15-06 31. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 15-05 74 Day 1: 5 15-05 32. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 15-03 73 Day 1: 5 15-03 32. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 15-03 73 Day 1: 5 15-03 34. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 15-01 71 Day 1: 5 15-01 35. Bradley Hallman Edmond, OK 5 15-00 70 Day 1: 5 15-00 35. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 5 15-00 70 Day 1: 5 15-00 37. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 5 14-13 68 Day 1: 5 14-13 38. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 14-12 67 Day 1: 5 14-12 38. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 14-12 67 Day 1: 5 14-12 38. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 14-12 67 Day 1: 5 14-12 41. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 14-10 64 Day 1: 5 14-10 42. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 5 14-09 63 Day 1: 5 14-09 42. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 14-09 63 Day 1: 5 14-09 44. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 14-05 61 Day 1: 5 14-05 45. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 14-04 60 Day 1: 5 14-04 46. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 5 14-02 59 Day 1: 5 14-02 47. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 14-01 58 Day 1: 5 14-01 47. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 5 14-01 58 Day 1: 5 14-01 49. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 5 14-00 56 Day 1: 5 14-00 50. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 5 13-13 55 Day 1: 5 13-13 51. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 13-12 54 Day 1: 5 13-12 51. KJ Queen Conover, NC 5 13-12 54 Day 1: 5 13-12 53. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 13-11 52 Day 1: 5 13-11 53. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 5 13-11 52 Day 1: 5 13-11 55. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 13-10 50 Day 1: 5 13-10 56. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, Ontario CANADA 5 13-09 49 Day 1: 5 13-09 56. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 13-09 49 Day 1: 5 13-09 58. David Williams Newton, NC 5 13-08 47 Day 1: 5 13-08 59. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 13-07 46 Day 1: 5 13-07 60. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 13-04 45 Day 1: 5 13-04 60. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 13-04 45 Day 1: 5 13-04 62. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 13-03 43 Day 1: 5 13-03 63. Cole Sands Calhoun, TN 5 13-01 42 Day 1: 5 13-01 64. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 13-00 41 Day 1: 5 13-00 65. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 5 12-15 40 Day 1: 5 12-15 65. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 5 12-15 40 Day 1: 5 12-15 67. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 12-14 38 Day 1: 5 12-14 67. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 12-14 38 Day 1: 5 12-14 69. Keith Poche Cecil, AL 5 12-05 36 Day 1: 5 12-05 69. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 5 12-05 36 Day 1: 5 12-05 71. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 12-04 34 Day 1: 5 12-04 72. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 12-03 33 Day 1: 5 12-03 73. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 12-01 32 Day 1: 5 12-01 73. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 12-01 32 Day 1: 5 12-01 75. Chad Pipkens DeWitt, MI 5 11-15 30 Day 1: 5 11-15 75. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 5 11-15 30 Day 1: 5 11-15 77. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 5 11-14 28 Day 1: 5 11-14 78. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 11-12 27 Day 1: 5 11-12 79. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 5 11-10 26 Day 1: 5 11-10 80. Larry Nixon Bee Branch, AR 5 11-08 25 Day 1: 5 11-08 81. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 11-07 24 Day 1: 5 11-07 82. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 5 11-03 23 Day 1: 5 11-03 82. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 11-03 23 Day 1: 5 11-03 82. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 5 11-03 23 Day 1: 5 11-03 85. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 5 11-02 20 Day 1: 5 11-02 86. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 5 11-01 19 Day 1: 5 11-01 87. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 11-00 18 Day 1: 5 11-00 88. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 5 10-15 17 Day 1: 5 10-15 89. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 5 10-10 16 Day 1: 5 10-10 90. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 10-09 15 Day 1: 5 10-09 91. Skylar Hamilton Jefferson, TN 5 10-05 14 Day 1: 5 10-05 92. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 10-04 13 Day 1: 5 10-04 93. Mike Huff London, KY 5 09-13 12 Day 1: 5 09-13 94. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 5 09-03 11 Day 1: 5 09-03 95. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 09-02 10 Day 1: 5 09-02 96. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 09-01 9 Day 1: 5 09-01 97. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 08-14 8 Day 1: 5 08-14 98. David Fritts Lexington, NC 5 08-06 7 Day 1: 5 08-06 99. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 08-04 6 Day 1: 5 08-04 100. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 07-15 5 Day 1: 5 07-15 101. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi, JAPAN 5 07-10 4 Day 1: 5 07-10 102. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 07-04 3 Day 1: 5 07-04 103. Bryan New Saluda, SC 3 04-14 2 Day 1: 3 04-14 104. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 2 02-10 1 Day 1: 2 02-10 ———————————————————————– Totals Day #Limits #Fish Weight 1 102 515 1433-10 ———————————- 102 515 1433-10 |
Bassmaster Opens pros may hit Alabama’s Lake Eufaula at perfect time
Bassmaster Opens pros may hit Alabama’s Lake Eufaula at perfect time" title="Bassmaster Opens pros may hit Alabama’s Lake Eufaula at perfect time" />
The St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series will start the 2024 season March 2-4 on Alabama’s Lake Eufaula.
Photo by B.A.S.S.
February 23, 2023
Bassmaster Opens pros may hit Alabama’s Lake Eufaula at perfect time
EUFAULA, Ala. — When you’re the mayor of Eufaula, it makes sense that you have a firm understanding of your city’s top attraction — the 45,000-acre reservoir with which it shares a name.
But as the owner of a major lure manufacturer, which happens to be headquartered in Eufaula, Jack Tibbs takes his knowledge a step further. Lake Eufaula literally is his business, both in and out of City Hall.
That makes him a great choice to predict how the fishery will stack up when the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula is held March 2-4. Daily takeoffs will be held at 6:30 a.m. CT from Lakepoint State Park with weigh-ins back at the park at 2:30 p.m.
“We have a good many fish right now and conditions could set up really well for the tournament,” Tibbs said a few days prior to the Open, the first of nine on the 2023 schedule.
“If it’s warm and the water is up — and if we have some off-color water — it’ll probably be a slugfest.”
It’s not odd that a civic and industry leader such as Tibbs, a three-term mayor who owns the Strikezone Lure Co., would talk up his town. But he has reason to be excited for Eufaula’s potential when 225 world-class anglers descend upon the reservoir with big goals in mind.
Win the tournament and you get a berth in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota if you’re fishing every event in the three-tournament division. Plus, for the 175 anglers competing in the brand-new Opens Elite Qualifiers Division, there are nine spots in next year’s Bassmaster Elite Series up for grabs.
Lake Eufaula is the first challenge for the pros working toward those goals.
Tibbs said offshore brushpiles figure to be the most consistent places to bust big bass during the Open. But if fish are staging for the spawn — and they likely will be if the weather is warm leading up to the tournament — shallow-water bass will be there for the taking, too.
“The water temperature has been in the low 50s, around 52 to 54,” Tibbs said. “The magic temperature here is 56 to 58. There’s not a lot of cold predicted, so we’ll get there. The water could be in the low 60s, which is just a perfect temperature. And in the areas that don’t muddy up as bad, like the south end of the lake, there could be some spawners if it’s bright.”
Tibbs said anglers have caught their best bass swimming jigs in shallow water in recent days, a sign he said, “that things are about to happen.”
“The willow grass is dead right now, but the stubble is there,” he said. “If you know where it is, you can swim that jig or a ChatterBait over the top of that, or you can go with a spinnerbait in that off-colored water. The fish relate to those dead weeds.
“That, and we have an overabundance of shad the past four years out here,” he added. “So, the bass have been full and beautiful. I’m sure they’ll catch some pretty stringers here. It’s going to be about as perfect a time to be here as you can get.”
Mainstreet Eufaula and the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce are hosting the tournament.
2023 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
Bryan College Leads Top 10 into Championship Day at 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship Presented by Lowrance
Bryan College Leads Top 10 into Championship Day at 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship Presented by Lowrance" title="Bryan College Leads Top 10 into Championship Day at 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship Presented by Lowrance" />
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 22, 2023) – After a three-hour fog delay to begin the day, 195 teams of college anglers set off across Lake Toho with limited time to find big bass and make big moves on the leaderboard to secure a spot in the Top 10 and the opportunity to compete for the National Championship. The Bryan College duo of Conner DiMauro of Longwood, Florida and Justin Botts of Bluff City, Tennessee, narrowly held their lead Wednesday after Day 2 of the 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship at Lake Toho Presented by Lowrance.
The Lions started the day with a 3-pound, 8-ounce lead, but it tightened up as the team faced the weather-shortened fishing and brought only four bass to the scale weighing 13 pounds, 12 ounces.
Their two-day total of 40 pounds, 12 ounces gives them a mere 1-pound, 1-ounce lead over the second-place team from Drury University – Cole Breeden of Lebanon, Missouri and Hunter Baird of Salina, Kansas – who brought a limit to the scale weighing 17 pounds, 7 ounces, to bring their two-day total to 39-11.
While the Bryan College duo locked down to Lake Kissimmee on Day One, they had a decision to make as their fears of getting caught in the lock and losing valuable pounds were compounded by the shortened day.
“We were sitting in the fog delay for about 2 hours, with no clearing in sight, and we just looked at each other and said, ‘You don’t win championships fishing scared’, so once the skies cleared, we ran to the lock,” said DiMauro. “It didn’t pay off for us today, but we were able to scrap something together.
“We caught three of our bass in one of our areas on Lake Kissimmee, but they were little – a lot smaller than they were yesterday – so we were sitting on three fish for about 5 pounds toward the end of the day,” DiMauro continued. “We locked back up and ran on Lake Toho and caught a 7-pounder with about 20 minutes left. It was a miracle.”
DiMauro said they found about 10 clumps of grass right in the middle of Lake Toho, with fish and bait around them.
“I would have loved to have had about 30 more minutes today to fish out there, but it is what it is,” DiMauro said. “We were a little intimidated by the lock after guys got caught in it yesterday and missed their check-in time, so we came back a little early today. That ended up working in our favor because we had about 45 minutes left to fish, and we caught that kicker fish.”
Although a large portion of their two-day catch has come out of Lake Toho, the duo said they still plan to lock down to Lake Kissimmee on Championship Thursday.
“On Toho we really only have one area, so if they don’t respond to our bait tomorrow, then we’re in trouble,” said Botts. “Yesterday we caught the Kissimmee fish on a jerkbait, and today they wouldn’t even react to it. Those offshore fish are too fickle, especially with this wind. The clumps we are talking about aren’t very big, so it’s really difficult to hold on to those spots and fish them in 15 mile-per-hour winds.”
While the pair are staying mum about the specific baits they’re using, they did say the 7-pounder and a 4-pounder from yesterday were caught on a swim jig in the grass and their team philosophy is to keep one guy winding a moving bait in the water, while the other follows it up with a slower presentation – flipping a Yamamoto Senko .
“We are absolutely going to lock back up to Lake Toho later in the day tomorrow, with some time left to fish,” said DiMauro. “We caught two of those big fish on the same clumps of grass, so we will definitely hit them again tomorrow afternoon. We know the potential is there, but also know we can’t just sit on a clump of grass all day.”
Botts said it takes about an hour to run and lock down to Lake Kissimmee, but timing of the lock is the wild card.
“We won’t have to worry about it as much tomorrow because there will be way less boats on the water and all of us should be able to get in the first lock,” said Botts. “We can also push the time a little more, knowing there won’t be nearly as many boats trying to lock back up in the afternoon.”
“We only brought in four fish, but we had five bites within 2 hours, so if we’re going to win, it will be right there,” DiMauro added. “When it’s your time, it’s your time and you can’t do anything wrong to mess it up. I just hope we kept ourselves in it enough and can’t wait to get a full day out there tomorrow.”
The full field of 195 teams competed on Tuesday and Wednesday, with only the top 10 – based on two-day cumulative weight – now advancing to Championship Thursday. The National Champions will be crowned Thursday based on the cumulative three-day weight total.
The top 10 teams that now advance to Championship Thursday on Lake Toho are:
1st: Bryan College – Conner DiMauro of Longwood, Fla., and Justin Botts of Bluff City, Tenn., nine bass, 40-12
2nd: Drury University – Cole Breeden of Lebanon, Mo., and Hunter Baird of Salina, Kan., 10 bass, 39-11
3rd: University of Montevallo – Peyton Harris and Dalton Head, both of Montevallo, Ala., 10 bass, 39-4
4th: Webber International University – Andrew Ready of Auburndale, Fla., and Vincent Maffei of Lake Wales, Fla., 10 bass, 38-1
5th: Kentucky Christian University – Lafe and Matt Messer, both of Warfield, Ky., 10 bass, 37-9
6th: Adrian College – Matthew Davis of Morenci, Mich., and Sam Shoemaker of Martinsville, Ind., 10 bass, 37-9
7th: University of Montevallo – Brandon Berry and Hunter Bright, both of Helena, Ala., 10 bass, 33-2
8th: LSU – Beau Landry of Brusly, La., and Peyton Matherne of Walker, La., 10 bass, 32-15
9th: Bryan College – Elijah Kirk of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Andrew Fisher of Calhoun, Ga., 10 bass, 32-14
10th: East Texas Baptist University – Brett Jolley of Kingwood, Texas and Cade Nettles of Stonewall, La., 10 bass, 32-11
For a full list of results, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 843 bass weighing 1,916 pounds, 2 ounces caught by 170 teams Wednesday. The catch included 115 five-bass limits.
The final 10 teams will launch Thursday from Big Toho Marina, located at 69 Lakeview Drive in Kissimmee at 7 a.m. ET. Thursday’s championship weigh-in will be held at the marina starting at 3 p.m. and will be livestreamed. Fans are welcome to attend the event or tune in to the weigh-in and follow the online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The 14th annual College Fishing National Championship is a three-day event – hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission – featuring the top 195 college bass fishing teams from across the nation competing in an internationally televised, no-entry fee tournament for a $33,500 prize package, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
In addition to the boat package, both members of the winning team and the runners-up at the 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship will advance to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship where they will compete as pros for a top prize of up to $235,000. In addition, the winning team’s highest finishing team member at the Toyota Series Championship will advance to REDCREST 2024 to compete against the world’s best pros for the sport’s top prize of $300,000.
Both members of the third-place team at the College Fishing National Championship will advance to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers for a shot at winning a $33,500 Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The Top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the Top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Grundens, Lawless Lures, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Alabama’s Lay Lake hosts Bassmaster High School tournament this weekend
Alabama’s Lay Lake hosts Bassmaster High School tournament this weekend" title="Alabama’s Lay Lake hosts Bassmaster High School tournament this weekend" />
The Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors will compete on Lay Lake Feb. 25, 2023.
Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.
February 22, 2023
Alabama’s Lay Lake hosts Bassmaster High School tournament this weekend
SHELBY COUNTY, Ala. — This Saturday, Feb. 25, 246 talented high school and junior teams from a dozen states will converge on historic Lay Lake for the Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors and Junior Series tournament.
Doing battle alongside Birmingham-area fishing powerhouse schools like Briarwood Christian School — which won three consecutive national championships from 2018-2020 — are teams from as far away as South Dakota. Teams will take off from Beeswax Creek Park in Columbiana at 6:30 a.m. CT and return for weigh-in starting at 2:30 p.m. The Junior Series weigh-in, for competitors ranging from second to eighth grade, starts at 1:30 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.
Each team is accompanied by an adult boat captain.
“We are so excited to welcome the Bassmaster High School series back to Shelby County in 2023,” said Kendall Williams, manager of tourism and events for Shelby County. “Lay Lake offers some of the best bass fishing in the country, and hosting events like this reminds us how fortunate we are to have this resource in our backyard. It is rewarding to see the community of support that has grown for fishing tournaments. Our local restaurants, stores and other businesses are ready to welcome student anglers and their families! We look forward to having new families discover Shelby and all we have to offer.”
The Coosa River reservoir, located just south of Birmingham, has hosted several Bassmaster Classics and in 2023 will also welcome 104 of the world’s best anglers May 11-14 for the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Lay Lake and the Strike King Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops June 9-10.
Since B.A.S.S. started the High School Series events in 2013, there has been an astounding 724% increase in the number of clubs and schools competing.
The tournament is being hosted by DiscoverShelby.com.
Gill Fishing Signs Fletcher Shryock to Pro Angler Team
Gill Fishing Signs Fletcher Shryock to Pro Angler Team" title="Gill Fishing Signs Fletcher Shryock to Pro Angler Team" />
The veteran big-bass specialist will represent Gill Fishing as he competes in the Major League Pro Bass Tour, General Tire Heavy Hitters in 2023
BUFORD, Ga. (Feb. 22, 2023) — Gill Fishing, a leading maker of foul weather and performance fishing apparel, announces today it has signed Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour competitor Fletcher Shryock to its pro angler team. Shryock, a veteran angler who has earned more than $612,000 in his decade-plus professional career, adds another podium threat to Gill Fishing’s talented roster in 2023.
“I’ve learned that as a pro angler, it’s crucial to have confidence in the products you use and trust the people that make them. We fish in a lot of nasty weather, which is why I’m thrilled to partner with Gill Fishing. Their apparel is the best you can buy, and it allows me to perform my best, no matter how cold, wet or hot it is,” Shryock says. “The Gill Fishing team has a strong mix of established veterans and up-and-comers, and I’m proud to join this group of accomplished anglers.”
A former professional motocross racer, Shryock is a fierce competitor who thrives in big moments. He began his pro fishing career with a flash by winning the 2011 Bass Pro Shops Southern Open on Lake Norman, just the second major event he had ever competed in. In addition to earning a pair of top 10 finishes in 2022 on MLF’s Bass Pro Tour, his ability to consistently land big fish earned him a coveted spot in the 2023 Bass Pro Shops REDCREST, the world championship of professional bass fishing, as well as the General Tire Heavy Hitters field, an all-star competition featuring MLF’s top big-bass anglers.
“Fletcher was just born to compete. We love the energy he brings on tournament day, but also the discipline and drive he displays in his preparation. He’s a true believer in the idea that there’s no substitute for time on the water, and that’s why he competes at the sport’s highest level,” says Dominic McCarthy, executive vice president for Gill North America. “We’re thrilled that Fletcher has put his trust in Gill Fishing’s apparel and for him to join our other pro anglers, who I expect to spend a lot of time on the podium this year.”
The addition of Shryock is part of Gill Fishing’s growing presence in MLF. In January, Gill Fishing announced a multi-year sponsorship of the MLF Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
To learn more about Gill Fishing’s tournament-inspired apparel and footwear, including the rigorous testing they’ve passed, visit www.gillfishing.com.
About Gill Fishing: Trusted by sailors for more than 40 years, Gill Marine launched Gill Fishing to meet a growing demand for durable and reliable technical fishing apparel. By leveraging its rich marine heritage and product development expertise, Gill Fishing has created a versatile line of premium apparel trusted by anglers to protect them from the worst elements of every season. www.gillfishing.com
Bryan College Grabs Early Lead at 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship Presented by Lowrance
Bryan College Grabs Early Lead at 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship Presented by Lowrance" title="Bryan College Grabs Early Lead at 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship Presented by Lowrance" />
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 21, 2023) – The Bryan College duo of Conner DiMauro of Longwood, Florida and Justin Botts of Bluff City, Tennessee, grabbed the early lead Tuesday after Day 1 of the 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship at Lake Toho Presented by Lowrance . The Lions team brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 27 pounds even, giving them a 3-pound, 8-ounce lead over the second-place University of Montevallo team of Brandon Berry and Hunter Bright, both of Helena, Alabama.
DiMauro graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in business and is currently a graduate student at Bryan College, working on his MBA and Botts is a senior marketing major.
As was the case with most of the field, DiMauro said the pair made quite the run during Day 1 of competition, locking down to Lake Kissimmee.
“We were boat number 152 at takeoff this morning, and when we got to the lock, we were number 138 in line to lock down,” said DiMauro. “We stopped and fished for an hour in Lake Toho while waiting to lock, caught 3 or 4 fish, and still waited back at the lock for almost an hour before getting through.”
DiMauro said they got to their spot on Lake Kissimmee about 10 a.m. and were able to fish there until around 1:30 p.m. before heading back to the lock – a total of only 3½ fishing hours.
“We caught a good bag on Lake Kissimmee, but once we got back to Toho, we just started idling and looking around,” said DiMauro. “We found a little bit of grass and were able to upgrade and cull one more fish before we came to check in.”
The duo said they spent most of their day targeting isolated grass clumps on their electronics.
“We caught two bass between 7 and 8 pounds within a couple hundred yards of each other,” said DiMauro. “We caught one of them flipping and caught the other one on a 6-inch soft plastic swimbait, just winding it through the pads.
“We got on a pattern by the end of the day today and started running it in some isolated groups of lily pads,” DiMauro continued. “Thankfully, we were able to dial it in and keep our baits in the best areas to get quality bites.”
Botts said they plan to lock down again on day 2, go straight to their main spot on Lake Kissimmee, and stay there as long as they can before heading back.
“One of the boats not far behind us got caught at the lock and was 7 minutes late to check-in,” said Botts. “We know locking is a risk, but it’s a risk we are willing to take to get to some of our good areas.”
This event marks the third College Fishing National Championship qualification for 22-year-old Botts and the fifth for 23-year-old DiMauro.
“We are going to keep an open mind going into tomorrow, just like we did today,” DiMauro said. “We only really hit one area today on Kissimmee, and we have three or four spots that we’ve gotten some good bites in so we’ll see how the day plays out. We’ve got a lot of water to cover, but we’re just going to fish slow.
“The good bites happen fast,” DiMauro continued. “You get in a little area and it’s just one after the other, but then you might go for an hour without a bite. So, you just got to keep a good mindset about it and take your time.”
The 14th annual College Fishing National Championship is a three-day event – hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission – featuring the top 198 college bass fishing teams from across the nation competing in an internationally televised, no-entry fee tournament for a $33,500 prize package, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
In addition to the boat package, both members of the winning team and the runners-up at the 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship will advance to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship where they will compete as pros for a top prize of up to $235,000. In addition, the winning team’s highest finishing team member at the Toyota Series Championship will advance to REDCREST 2024 to compete against the world’s best pros for the sport’s top prize of $300,000.
Both members of the third-place team at the College Fishing National Championship will advance to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers for a shot at winning a $33,500 Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The full field of 198 teams compete on Tuesday and Wednesday, with only the top 10 – based on two-day cumulative weight – advancing to Championship Thursday. The National Champions will be crowned Thursday based on the cumulative three-day weight total.
The top 10 teams after Day One on Lake Toho are:
1st: Bryan College – Conner DiMauro of Longwood, Fla., and Justin Botts of Bluff City, Tenn., five bass, 27-0
2nd: University of Montevallo – Brandon Berry and Hunter Bright, both of Helena, Ala., five bass, 23-8
3rd: Adrian College – Matthew Davis of Morenci, Mich., and Sam Shoemaker of Martinsville, Ind., five bass, 23-4
4th: Drury University – Cole Breeden of Lebanon, Mo., and Hunter Baird of Salina, Kan., five bass, 22-4
5th: Bryan College – Elijah Kirk of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Andrew Fisher of Calhoun, Ga., five bass, 21-8
6th: University of Montevallo – Peyton Harris and Dalton Head, both of Montevallo, Ala., five bass, 20-11
7th: University of Montevallo – Ryan Thomas and Will Thomas, both of Madison, Ga., five bass, 19-7
8th: Florida Gateway College – Seth Slanker and Jackson Swisher, both of Lake City, Fla., five bass, 19-6
9th: Carson-Newman University – Hayden Gaddis of Seymour, Tenn., and Ben Cully of Rockwall, Texas, five bass, 18-12
10th: Dallas Baptist University – Mark Harris of Lindale, Texas and Jacob Witkowski of Dallas, Texas, five bass, 18-7
For a full list of results, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 843 bass weighing 1,919 pounds, 4 ounces caught by 188 teams Tuesday. The catch included 146 five-bass limits.
Anglers will take off from Big Toho Marina, located at 69 Lakeview Dr. in Kissimmee at 7 a.m. ET each day of competition. Weigh-ins will be held at the marina starting at 3 p.m. and will be livestreamed daily. Fans are welcome to attend the event or tune in to the weigh-in and follow the online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The Top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the Top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Grundens, Lawless Lures, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Butch Williams & Sonny Beam Win CATT Lake Wateree, SC Feb 18, 2023
Next Lake Wateree CATT Spring Qualifier is this coming Saturday Feb 25th at Clearwater Cove Marina! $80 entry of $90 at the ramp $35 Per Person Membership!
The 2023 Phantom Outdoors Open on Lake Wateree is April 8th! $5,000 1st Place with 50 teams entered! Tap on the link to view info!
2023 Phantom Outdoors Open Series – Carolina Anglers Team Trail (cattteamtrail.com)
Butch Williams & Sonny Beam win Lake Wateree with 5 bass weighing 18.04 lbs worth $900.00!
Craig Haven & Paul Wells 2nd with 18.023 lbs!
Alan Fletcher & Tanner Fletcher 3rd with a limit weighing 17.31 lbs and the Academy BF at 7.07 lbs!
Chad Gainey & Mack Kitchens 4th place with 17.27 lbs. They received a $40 Anglers Headquarters Gift Card!
Tennessee Angler Griffin Heffington Wins MLF Toyota Series at Lake Guntersville
Tennessee Angler Griffin Heffington Wins MLF Toyota Series at Lake Guntersville" title="Tennessee Angler Griffin Heffington Wins MLF Toyota Series at Lake Guntersville" />
SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (Feb. 21, 2023) – Pro Griffin Heffington of Murfreesboro, Tennessee brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 24 pounds, 12 ounces to win the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake Guntersville and earn the top payout of $65,000. Although Day 1 of the Central Division season opener was cancelled due to high winds and the threat of severe weather, Heffington made the most of the two-day event, weighing in 10 bass totaling 52-5 to earn the win by a whopping 9-pound, 7-ounce margin over Corey Bradley of McDonald, Tennessee, who finished with a two-day total of 42-14, good for second place and $27,500.
Despite a tumultuous practice, rife with electronic issues and only a few bites, followed by the cancellation on Day 1, Heffington said he went into the first day of competition optimistic about his chances in the event.
“Because my practice was so bad, I really only had one spot, but I figured I could still do pretty good with this one area,” said Heffington. “My co-angler and I planned to fish shallow grass, but just didn’t really see anything we liked and weren’t catching many fish up shallow.
“As we idled under the bridges during practice, we noticed that was really the only place we were seeing baitfish. I decided to drop the trolling motor and fish under the Spring Creek bridge on the last day of practice and was shocked,” continued Heffington. “There were easily more than a hundred 4 to 5-pounders swimming around under that bridge chasing bait. I made two casts and caught a five-pounder.”
While he doesn’t typically rely on his electronics much, Heffington said his Garmin LiveScope made a big difference in this event.
“There were a lot of guys that pulled up to fish there as well, but they mostly stayed closer to the bridge,” said Heffington. “I trolled away from the bridge, about the length of a football field, to go further into the creek. It took forever to troll that far, but there was a huge ball of bait there, so thick that my graph said we were in 8 feet of water, although we were really at a depth of 30 feet.
“The key area was right outside that ball of bait,” Heffington continued. “That’s where the fish had set up and were chasing other smaller bait balls outside of that big group. Using LiveScope, we were able to find that point where the bait ball broke up and throw to the fish outside that area.”
Heffington said his key bait was an umbrella rig with green-bean colored True Bass Hollow Body Swimbaits on it.
“The green tint on that swimbait looked really good in the water,” Heffington said. “I’d caught the 5-pounder in practice on it and that’s just really what they seemed to be biting.”
On Friday, Heffington caught seven bass total, bringing a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 27-9 – the biggest bag of the event.
“I caught a 7-12 close to the ramp toward the end of the first day, but I still only thought I had 24 pounds,” Heffington said. “And since I caught that big one shallow, I figured they were really biting for guys up shallow, and we’d see a 30-pound bag. So, I was super surprised when I had over 27 pounds and didn’t get knocked out of the lead.”
Following his weigh-in after the first day of competition, Heffington said he got a call from a friend and fellow angler, who was dead on the water and didn’t think he would be able to make it back for his check-in time. Heffington drove over to help jump his boat and get him back to weigh-in, a decision that almost cost him on Championship Saturday.
“On the morning of the final day, I went to turn on my trolling motor and it was dead,” Heffington said. “Turns out jumping the other boat fried my battery. We reset it and it worked, but soon after we took off, it went dead again.”
Fortunately, Heffinton was able to swap batteries with one of the MLF camera boats and get back on his trolling motor to continue the tournament.
“Going into Day 2, I figured if I could get 23 pounds, I could probably shut the door and make it pretty tough to get beat,” Heffington said. “I ended the day with 24-12 and a victory.
“It’s still hard to wrap my head around,” Heffington continued. “I was able to look back and really think about the fact that we only had two days of competition on the fabled Lake Guntersville, and to win with a nearly 10-pound margin – it’s just mind-blowing to me.
“I feel like I was really blessed in this event and despite all the issues we had, things just fell into place. I’m looking forward to the next event at Smith Lake,” Heffington finished.
The top 10 pros on Lake Guntersville finished:
1st: Griffin Heffington, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 10 bass, 52-5, $66,500
2nd: Corey Bradley, McDonald, Tenn., 10 bass, 42-14, $27,500
3rd: Gabe Jelley, Mulkeytown, Ill., 10 bass, 42-12, $18,000
4th: Aaron Stephens, Hanceville, Ala., 10 bass, 41-15, $16,000
5th: Terry Fisher, Decatur, Ala., 10 bass, 41-14, $15,000
6th: Josh Bragg, Fayetteville, Ga., 10 bass, 41-13, $12,500
7th: Vernon Lowe, Oneida, Tenn., 10 bass, 39-11, $10,000
8th: Jake Lee, Powell, Tenn., eight bass, 39-10, $8,500
9th: Isaac Warta, Mount Juliet, Tenn., 10 bass, 37-14, $7,500
10th: Travis Alcock, Burlington, Wis., 10 bass, 36-7, $5,500
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro Chris Ferguson of Wittensville, Kentucky won the $500 Day 1 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division Friday with a bass weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces. On Saturday, pro Donavan Carson of Bluff City, Tennessee, earned the $500 Berkley Big Bass prize after bringing an 8-pound, 3-ounce bass to the scale.
Bragg took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Alan Hults of Gautier, Mississippi won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a two-day total of nine bass weighing 36 pounds, 2 ounces. Hults took home the top prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on Lake Guntersville finished:
1st: Alan Hults, Gautier, Miss., nine bass, 36-2, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd: Kyle Gelles, Pingree, Idaho, eight bass, 32-2, $8,150
3rd: Andy Miles, White House, Tenn., eight bass, 29-12, $6,500
4th: Sam Maxwell, Vincennes, Ind., 10 bass, 28-7, $5,150
5th: Dakota Bishop, Brodhead, Ky., nine bass, 27-15, $4,500
6th: Andrew Kilgore, Whitewell, Tenn., six bass, 27-2, $3,750
7th: Michael Miller, Greenville, S.C., seven bass, 26-11, $3,250
8th: Jon Fatheree, Grantsburg, Ill., seven bass, 26-10, $2,500
9th: Mark Lyons, Marion, Ind., six bass, 25-10, $1,800
10th: Joseph Koch, Kewaskum, Wis., seven bass, 25-4, $1,600
Gelles was the Berkley Big Bass $150 award winner in the Strike King co-angler division, Friday, with an 8-pound, 10-ounce bass, while Saturday’s $150 award went to Kevin Lankford of Hollywood, Alabama, with a 7-pound, 1-ounce bass.
With one regular-season event in the Toyota Series Central Division now complete, pro Griffin Heffington of Murfreesboro, Tennessee leads the Central Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 260 points, while Alan Hults of Gautier, Mississippi leads the Strike King Co-angler Division AOY race with 260 points.
The Toyota Series at Lake Gunterville, hosted by the Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce, was the first of three regular-season events for the Toyota Series Central Division. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will be the Toyota Series at the California Delta Presented by Psycho Tuna, March 15-17, in Bethel Island, California. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST V. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 2-4 on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, and is hosted by ExploreBranson.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Toyota Series include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Gill, Grundéns, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.