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SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — When Jamie Hartman burst onto the scene with the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2017, he seemed like a virtual lock to eventually hoist one of the trail’s coveted blue winner’s trophies.

He had five Top 10s that first season — including a second- and a third-place showing — prompting many to believe he could be a true superstar in professional bass fishing.

A back ailment cut Hartman’s season short in 2018 and delayed his quest for an Elite Series win.

But it couldn’t derail it.

The New York native, who now lives in Arkansas, caught five bass Monday that weighed 23 pounds, 15 ounces and claimed his first Elite Series victory with a four-day total of 79-10 at the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville.

“It’s just a godsend to be back here on the Bassmaster Elite Series,” Hartman said. “I’m just so happy to be able to do this for a living and to finally get over the hump with a win.

“I never say this — and I really don’t even know how to describe it. But I had a creepy, creepy feeling coming into this week that I was going to win.”

Having never seen Lake Guntersville before the official practice period began Tuesday, Hartman did what most anglers would likely do — he headed straight for the lake’s famous ledges and tried to find big schools of bass deep. But he struggled deep on Day 1, bringing in only 14-13 and landing in 46th place.

That’s when he finally admitted to himself that he needed to commit to a shallow pattern he had identified along a grassy stretch of shoreline. He caught 20-10 on Day 2 and 20-4 on Day 3 to begin Championship Monday in 10th place.

“It’s the third week of June, so there was no reason not to go deep,” Hartman said. “But that bite got progressively worse every day from practice through the first day of the tournament.

“I had several schools located deep. But on that first day when we lost the wind, I lost two of those schools.”

That’s when he moved to a spot that was loaded with fish in 3 feet of water. He described it as a “simple cutout along the bank that probably wouldn’t stand out to anyone.”

He caught some of fish flipping and punching baits through thick grass. But he did all of his damage Monday with an unspecified bone-colored walking topwater lure.

He had more than 18 pounds by 7:30 a.m. and continued culling up throughout the day. His biggest fish — a largemouth that weighed 6-7 — came around 1 p.m.

“The wind made that spot better today — and the cloudy conditions,” Hartman said. “I felt going out like there was a chance they would be stacked in there, and they were stacked.

“To come from behind in a tournament like this — and to catch all of the fish on top — it just doesn’t get much better than that.”

Hartman outscored Texas pro Chris Zaldain and Matt Arey who both weighed in 79-4, by 6 ounces. Louisiana pro Caleb Sumrall brought 77-10 to the scales to finish fourth.

A major storm rolled through Scottsboro just as Hartman was handed the trophy — and in the chaos of 40 mph winds, he wasn’t sure of even the smallest details.

He just knew he won.

“I don’t know if I won by an ounce or 10 ounces,” he said. “And it really doesn’t matter.”

Florida angler Bernie Schultz earned $1,500 for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the week with a 7-0 largemouth he caught on Day 1. Another Florida pro, Drew Cook, took the lead in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings and the DICK’S Sporting Goods Rookie of the Year race.

Hartman won the Toyota Bonus Bucks prize of $3,000 for being the highest-finishing eligible angler, and Sumrall collected $2,000 on Toyota Bonus Bucks for finishing second-highest.

2019 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament at Lake Guntersville 6/21-6/24
                           Lake Guntersville, Scottsboro  AL.
                            (PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY             20  79-10  100 $100,000.00
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   20-10     Day 3: 5   20-04     Day 4: 5   23-15
2.  Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX          20  79-04   99  $25,000.00
  Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   19-13     Day 3: 5   23-10     Day 4: 5   18-10
3.  Matt Arey              Shelby, NC              20  79-04   98  $20,000.00
  Day 1: 5   22-10     Day 2: 5   21-06     Day 3: 5   18-13     Day 4: 5   16-07
4.  Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA          20  77-10   97  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   20-02     Day 2: 5   16-10     Day 3: 5   20-13     Day 4: 5   20-01
5.  Matt Herren            Ashville, AL            20  77-07   96  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   20-11     Day 3: 5   19-12     Day 4: 5   18-05
6.  Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI             20  76-10   95  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   18-05     Day 3: 5   20-11     Day 4: 5   19-06
7.  Lee Livesay            Gladewater, TX          20  72-11   94  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   15-14     Day 3: 5   22-06     Day 4: 5   13-15
8.  Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC          20  72-03   93  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   21-06     Day 2: 5   17-15     Day 3: 5   17-06     Day 4: 5   15-08
9.  Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        20  72-00   92  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   22-00     Day 2: 5   21-07     Day 3: 5   14-13     Day 4: 5   13-12
10. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL           20  71-05   91  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   14-09     Day 2: 5   24-12     Day 3: 5   17-12     Day 4: 5   14-04
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
     Bernie Schultz           Gainesville, FL     07-00      $1,500.00

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — Matt Arey said coming into the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville that if he could just make it to Monday, he’d have a genuine chance to win.

He not only made it, but he will lead the remaining Top 10 anglers into Monday’s final round with a three-day weight of 62 pounds, 13 ounces — a total that includes the 18-13 he weighed in during Sunday’s semifinal round.

“With tomorrow being Monday, we’re going to be able to really run around and get in a rotation without a lot of pressure,” said Arey, who held onto the lead for a second straight day. “With just 10 of our competitors out there and it being the first of the week, it could be really good.”

Arey has made no secret of the fact that he’s fishing Lake Guntersville’s famed river ledges — mostly with a jig and a crankbait.

He said the generation schedule from the Tennessee Valley Authority, which calls for much heavier current Monday than the lake has seen the past two days, could lead to some big sacks being weighed in.

“A lot of the stuff where I’ve been catching them is in creeks down south, and I don’t think it’s affected that much by current,” Arey said. “But I do have some main-channel schools that I haven’t done much good on — and if they start ripping that current, I may check out some of those.”

Regardless of the conditions, after catching 22-10, 21-6 and 18-13 the first three days, Arey knows he can’t afford to slip with only a slim lead heading into the final day.

“Somebody’s likely to bring in 26 or 27 pounds tomorrow with the way things are going,” he said. “Everything should be right tomorrow, and I need to make the most of it.”

Closest to Arey in the standings is Texas pro Chris Zaldain, who has a three-day mark of 60-10 — just 2-3 out of the lead.

Zaldain has been targeting shallow grass with a spoon that only seems to be attractive to larger bass. He caught his total weight of 23-10 before 11 a.m.

“Today when I went up shallow on my spot, I noticed that the bass weren’t just cruising the way they do in the springtime,” Zaldain said. “They were zipping through there — and because of that, I started ripping that bait through there to draw those reaction strikes.

“They do not want anything slow. It has to be moving.”

Alabama pro Matt Herren will enter Championship Monday in third place with a three-day total of 59-2. Like Zaldain, Herren has been shying away from the Guntersville ledges in favor of shallow grass.

“When it comes to the place where I’ve been catching most of my fish, I’ve been fortunate,” Herren said. “I’ve been able to move around a little bit and let that spot rest. I probably haven’t fished it two hours a day, total.

“Tomorrow, I’m gonna lean on it and see what’s there.”

Herren said there are also some deep areas he’d like to try, but the boat traffic on the lake has kept him from it this week. He’s hoping those areas will be clear Monday, partly because he believes he’ll need at least one truly giant bass to have a chance to win.

“I need to catch a 7-pounder to go with all of those 3 1/2- and 4-pounders I’ve been catching,” Herren said. “I can do it. I caught a 9-pounder in practice out of one hole and then lost another big one the first day of the tournament out of the same hole.

“Maybe that’s where my 7-pounder comes from tomorrow.”

Only one 7-pounder has been weighed in so far, and that was a 7-0 caught by Florida pro Bernie Schultz during Friday’s opening round. That fish still leads the race for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the week.

Lee Livesay climbed from 13th Saturday to fourth in the standings today on the strength of a 22-6 limit, but Brandon Lester dropped from second to fifth after boating only 14-13 today, his lightest catch of the week.

The tournament will conclude Monday with the Top 10 remaining pros taking off from Goose Pond Colony at 6 a.m. CT. The weigh-in will be held back at Goose Pond at 2:15 p.m., with the winning angler earning a coveted blue Elite Series trophy and a $100,000 paycheck.

2019 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament at Lake Guntersville 6/21-6/24
                          Lake Guntersville, Scottsboro  AL.
                           (PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Matt Arey              Shelby, NC              15  62-13  100
  Day 1: 5   22-10     Day 2: 5   21-06     Day 3: 5   18-13
2.  Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX          15  60-10   99
  Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   19-13     Day 3: 5   23-10
3.  Matt Herren            Ashville, AL            15  59-02   98
  Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   20-11     Day 3: 5   19-12
4.  Lee Livesay            Gladewater, TX          15  58-12   97
  Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   15-14     Day 3: 5   22-06
5.  Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        15  58-04   96
  Day 1: 5   22-00     Day 2: 5   21-07     Day 3: 5   14-13
6.  Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA          15  57-09   95
  Day 1: 5   20-02     Day 2: 5   16-10     Day 3: 5   20-13
7.  Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI             15  57-04   94
  Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   18-05     Day 3: 5   20-11
8.  Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL           15  57-01   93
  Day 1: 5   14-09     Day 2: 5   24-12     Day 3: 5   17-12
9.  Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC          15  56-11   92
  Day 1: 5   21-06     Day 2: 5   17-15     Day 3: 5   17-06
10. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY             15  55-11   91
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   20-10     Day 3: 5   20-04
11. Seth Feider            New Market, MN          15  55-09   90  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   17-03     Day 3: 5   19-14
12. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX             15  54-07   89  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 5   24-01     Day 3: 5   14-04
13. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         15  54-02   88  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   21-03     Day 2: 5   18-04     Day 3: 5   14-11
14. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          15  53-06   87  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   19-09     Day 3: 5   15-06
15. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA            15  51-13   86  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   14-03     Day 3: 5   17-02
16. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TX AUSTRALIA 15  51-09   85  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   20-06     Day 2: 5   15-06     Day 3: 5   15-13
17. Robbie Latuso          Gonzales, LA            15  51-01   84  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   18-01     Day 3: 5   17-00
18. Greg DiPalma           Millville, NJ           15  50-10   83  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   19-08     Day 2: 5   13-08     Day 3: 5   17-10
19. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        15  49-14   82  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   15-12     Day 3: 5   15-04
20. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             15  48-12   81  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   19-05     Day 3: 5   16-07
21. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL          15  48-11   80   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   20-00     Day 2: 5   12-10     Day 3: 5   16-01
22. Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL           15  48-10   79   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   18-13     Day 2: 5   14-02     Day 3: 5   15-11
23. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX             15  48-05   78   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   20-14     Day 2: 5   13-04     Day 3: 5   14-03
24. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL         15  48-04   77   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   20-07     Day 2: 5   12-04     Day 3: 5   15-09
25. Drew Cook              Midway, FL              15  47-10   76   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   17-10     Day 2: 5   16-00     Day 3: 5   14-00
26. Chris Johnston         Peterborough Ontario CA 15  47-09   75   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   21-14     Day 2: 5   15-15     Day 3: 5   09-12
27. Bill Weidler           Helena, AL              15  47-05   74   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   14-11     Day 3: 5   13-11
28. Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI              15  46-04   73   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   19-15     Day 2: 5   11-11     Day 3: 5   14-10
29. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC           15  46-01   72   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   19-12     Day 2: 5   12-11     Day 3: 5   13-10
30. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC          15  45-13   71   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   17-12     Day 3: 5   13-10
31. Randy Pierson          Oakdale, CA             15  45-02   70   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   15-13     Day 3: 5   10-07
32. Gary Clouse            Winchester, TN          15  44-12   69   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   14-04     Day 3: 5   12-05
33. Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA            14  44-10   68   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   16-04     Day 3: 4   09-15
34. Dale Hightower         Mannford, OK            14  43-14   67   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   20-04     Day 2: 5   16-01     Day 3: 4   07-09
35. Quentin Cappo          Prairieville, LA        14  38-12   66   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   13-09     Day 3: 4   06-15
----------------------------------------------------------------

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — Even after a solid start on Friday, North Carolina pro Matt Arey sounded less than confident heading out for Saturday’s second round of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville.

Guntersville, after all, is one of the most popular bass fishing lakes in the world — and since a Saturday in June usually means a crowded waterway, he was worried the areas he fished Friday would no longer be reachable.

His worries proved unnecessary, however, as he caught five bass that weighed 21 pounds, 6 ounces to take the lead with a two-day total of 44 pounds.

“There were a lot of boats out there for sure,” Arey said. “But it seemed like a lot of locals were staying off a lot of the obvious stuff, and I was really pleased with the way things played out.

“When I was running to my first spot, I probably saw 50 locals that were already out there before we blasted off. But you could tell they were fishermen — very respectful.”

Arey’s day didn’t start well at all. At 10:30 a.m., he only had two fish that he described as “two of the smallest 15-inchers in the lake.”

But since he’s fishing ledges in 15 to 20 feet of water — and those areas tend to be hit or miss throughout the day — he didn’t panic.

“Yesterday I had all of my weight by about 10:30, and today I couldn’t get a decent bite until after 10:30,” Arey said. “Then from 10:30 until about 1:30 or 2, it was good. They turned the current on, and the fishing just got better.”

Arey’s big day put him just 9 ounces ahead of Tennessee pro Brandon Lester, who spent much of his time Saturday on the same offshore roadbed he fished for hours Friday. The area produced a Saturday limit of 21-7.

The catch pushed Lester’s two-day total to 43-7 and kept him on pace for a remarkable eighth Top 10 finish in his last 13 B.A.S.S. events.

“The spot I’m fishing got a little more popular today, and I’m not surprised,” said Lester, who is seeking his first Elite Series victory. “Everybody knows what to look for, and everybody’s got the same map cards.

“There’s still two days left. But there’s tons of fish out there — it’s amazing how healthy the fishery is right now — and I’ve got places that I haven’t even been to.”

Lester said the bass bit earlier Saturday than they did on Day 1 — and the presence of wind might have aided the success he had using a crankbait.

“When that wind pushes out of Brown’s Creek and hits that roadbed, it washes bait up on it,” Lester said. “When you see bait on the graph, you know it’s getting ready to go down because the bass are only coming in there to feed.”

The two biggest bags of the tournament were caught Saturday — a 24-12 limit that pushed Alabama angler Kelley Jaye into sixth place with a two-day mark of 39-5 and a 24-1 limit that lifted Texas pro Ray Hanselman Jr., into third place with a two-day weight of 40-3.

Hanselman had much of his success Saturday on a giant area that is only holding bass in certain places.

“I started on a bar off the main river that has a hard edge with a good drop on one side,” he said. “It’s about a mile-long bar, and there’s little patches of fish up and down it. When you find them, they might be 200 yards from where they were the day before.

“The only way to find them is to fish the whole thing.”

Hanselman said he caught probably 20 bass on the stretch early before making a move. After relocating, he culled twice, adding his biggest fish of the day — a 6-pound largemouth.

“I was still fishing bars, but a little bit deeper,” he said. “Just some little isolated patches of grass that were holding fish.

“I’ll probably start tomorrow on the same place where I started today.”

The tournament will resume Sunday with the Top 35 remaining pros taking off from Goose Pond Colony at 6 a.m. CT. The weigh-in will be held back at Goose Pond at 2:15 p.m., and only the Top 10 anglers will advance to Championship Monday.

Florida pro Bernie Schultz maintained the lead in the race for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award with the 7-0 largemouth he caught Friday.

The Elite Series Expo continues Sunday at Goose Pond Colony in Scottsboro, where fans can meet the Elites at Angler Alley from 1 to 3 p.m., learn advanced techniques at the Elite Angler Clinics from 1 to 2:15 p.m., and enjoy the Elite LIVE Watch Party from 1 to 3:30 p.m. to watch Bassmaster LIVE and hang out with special guests. There will also be boat demo rides, food and beverage vendors and activities for kids. All events are free.

2019 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament at Lake Guntersville 6/21-6/24
                           Lake Guntersville, Scottsboro  AL.
                             (PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Matt Arey              Shelby, NC              10  44-00  100
  Day 1: 5   22-10     Day 2: 5   21-06
2.  Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        10  43-07   99
  Day 1: 5   22-00     Day 2: 5   21-07
3.  Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX             10  40-03   98
  Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 5   24-01
4.  Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         10  39-07   97
  Day 1: 5   21-03     Day 2: 5   18-04
5.  Matt Herren            Ashville, AL            10  39-06   96
  Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   20-11
6.  Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL           10  39-05   95
  Day 1: 5   14-09     Day 2: 5   24-12
7.  Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC          10  39-05   94
  Day 1: 5   21-06     Day 2: 5   17-15
8.  Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          10  38-00   93
  Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   19-09
9.  Chris Johnston         Peterborough Ontario CA 10  37-13   92
  Day 1: 5   21-14     Day 2: 5   15-15
10. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX          10  37-00   91
  Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   19-13
11. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA          10  36-12   90
  Day 1: 5   20-02     Day 2: 5   16-10
12. Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI             10  36-09   89
  Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   18-05
13. Lee Livesay            Gladewater, TX          10  36-06   88
  Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   15-14
14. Dale Hightower         Mannford, OK            10  36-05   87
  Day 1: 5   20-04     Day 2: 5   16-01
15. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TX AUSTRALIA 10  35-12   86
  Day 1: 5   20-06     Day 2: 5   15-06
16. Seth Feider            New Market, MN          10  35-11   85
  Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   17-03
17. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY             10  35-07   84
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   20-10
18. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA            10  34-11   83
  Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   14-03
19. Randy Pierson          Oakdale, CA             10  34-11   82
  Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   15-13
20. Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA            10  34-11   81
  Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   16-04
21. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        10  34-10   80
  Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   15-12
22. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX             10  34-02   79
  Day 1: 5   20-14     Day 2: 5   13-04
23. Robbie Latuso          Gonzales, LA            10  34-01   78
  Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   18-01
24. Bill Weidler           Helena, AL              10  33-10   77
  Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   14-11
25. Drew Cook              Midway, FL              10  33-10   76
  Day 1: 5   17-10     Day 2: 5   16-00
26. Greg DiPalma           Millville, NJ           10  33-00   75
  Day 1: 5   19-08     Day 2: 5   13-08
27. Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL           10  32-15   74
  Day 1: 5   18-13     Day 2: 5   14-02
28. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL         10  32-11   73
  Day 1: 5   20-07     Day 2: 5   12-04
29. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL          10  32-10   72
  Day 1: 5   20-00     Day 2: 5   12-10
30. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC           10  32-07   71
  Day 1: 5   19-12     Day 2: 5   12-11
31. Gary Clouse            Winchester, TN          10  32-07   70
  Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   14-04
32. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             10  32-05   69
  Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   19-05
33. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC          10  32-03   68
  Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   17-12
34. Quentin Cappo          Prairieville, LA        10  31-13   67
  Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   13-09
35. Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI              10  31-10   66
  Day 1: 5   19-15     Day 2: 5   11-11
36. Frank Talley           Temple, TX              10  31-07   65   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   12-11     Day 2: 5   18-12
37. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN           10  31-03   64   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   18-11
38. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ              10  30-10   63   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   16-10     Day 2: 5   14-00
39. Skylar Hamilton        Dandridge, TN           10  30-08   62   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   13-09     Day 2: 5   16-15
40. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX              10  30-07   61   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 5   14-13
41. Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC             10  30-06   60   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   15-15
42. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               10  29-15   59   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 5   17-09
43. Rick Morris            Lake Gaston, VA         10  29-13   58   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   16-06     Day 2: 5   13-07
44. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO        10  29-10   57   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   15-00     Day 2: 5   14-10
45. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX          10  29-08   56   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   13-08
46. Chris Groh             Spring Grove, IL         8  29-06   55   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 4   16-10     Day 2: 4   12-12
47. Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK            10  29-03   54   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 5   15-14
48. Derek Hudnall          Baton Rouge, LA         10  29-02   53   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-05     Day 2: 5   16-13
49. Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC             10  28-14   52   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   17-09     Day 2: 5   11-05
50. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR              10  28-07   51   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   14-14     Day 2: 5   13-09
51. Kyle Monti             Okeechobee, FL          10  28-04   50   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 5   12-10
52. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL              10  28-02   49   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   18-01     Day 2: 5   10-01
53. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             10  27-13   48   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   18-12     Day 2: 5   09-01
54. David Fritts           Lexington, NC           10  27-02   47   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   14-00
55. Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC          10  26-12   46   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   15-11     Day 2: 5   11-01
56. Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX              10  26-12   45   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 5   14-08
57. Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC         10  26-04   44   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 5   16-14
58. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                10  26-04   43   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   11-09     Day 2: 5   14-11
59. Brett Preuett          Monroe, LA               9  25-10   42   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 4   10-07     Day 2: 5   15-03
60. Hunter Shryock         Newcomerstown, OH       10  25-10   41   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   12-03
61. Jake Whitaker          Fairview, NC            10  24-14   40   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 5   14-04
62. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA              10  24-12   39   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 5   12-08
63. Chad Morgenthaler      Reeds Spring, MO        10  24-09   38   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   09-10     Day 2: 5   14-15
64. Brandon Card           Knoxville, TN           10  24-09   37   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   11-03     Day 2: 5   13-06
65. Rob Digh               Denver, NC              10  24-00   36   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   13-03
66. Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA            10  23-02   35   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 5   09-07
67. Jeff Gustafson         Keewatin Ontario CANADA 10  23-01   34   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 5   11-03
68. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT            5  22-14   33   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   22-14     Day 2: 0   00-00
69. Jay Yelas              Lincoln City, OR         7  20-03   32   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   15-05     Day 2: 2   04-14
70. Mike Huff              Corbin, KY               8  17-10   31   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 3   07-12     Day 2: 5   09-14
71. Harvey Horne           Bella Vista, AR          7  15-13   30   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 2   01-14     Day 2: 5   13-15
72. Randy Sullivan         Breckenridge, TX         6  15-02   29   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 1   02-06     Day 2: 5   12-12
73. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  6  13-06   28   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 3   05-12     Day 2: 3   07-10
74. Tyler Carriere         Youngsville, LA          6  12-13   27   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 2   03-11     Day 2: 4   09-02

WADDINGTON, N.Y. — Sam Houston State University anglers Jackson Carrell and Bryton Kurtz traveled more than 1,700 miles to compete in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at St. Lawrence River presented by Bass Pro Shops.

They made it a trip to remember.

Carrell and Kurtz caught 15 bass over three days that weighed a whopping 72 pounds, 13 ounces. That output, which averaged an equally impressive 24-4 limit per day, was enough to top the 149-team field and clinch victory in the fourth and final Bassmaster College Series regular-season tournament of 2019.

The victors also secured a berth in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. That tournament, which will feature more than 100 of the top college duos from across the U.S., will be held Aug. 1-3 on Chickamauga Lake in Tennessee.

Carrell and Kurtz entered the final day on the St. Lawrence third among the 12 teams that survived Thursday’s cut. They briefly held the Day 1 lead, but quickly relinquished it on a record-breaking day that saw 85 teams catch at least 20 pounds of bass.

The anglers from Sam Houston, which is located in Huntsville, Texas, stayed near the top of the leaderboard, however, holding second place on Wednesday with a 25-13 limit and then third place on Thursday when they followed with a 22-5 limit.

The key, however, was the 24-11 bag Carrell and Kurtz produced Friday. It was nearly 2 pounds heavier than any other team in the final round — and with first place and 12th place separated by just more than 4 pounds, that bump was significant.

The St. Lawrence smallmouth were spawning this week, and Carrell and Kurtz were among the many teams that caught fish off beds. The water was extremely clear, as well, which made spotting the bass possible in as much as 10 feet of water.

“We started sight fishing on Wednesday morning and by 9:30, we had 25 1/2 pounds,” Carrell said. “That allowed us to go pre-fish for the next day.”

The ability to scout new areas benefited the winners, as foul weather moved into upstate New York on Thursday. With sight-fishing not possible that day, communication was crucial as one angler manned the electronics and the other laid belly down on the deck of the boat waiting for word to set the hook.

“It was absolute teamwork,” Kurtz said. “You’re working a bait with no clue what the fish are doing beneath you.” He said one angler lay on the deck of the boat, looking through a “flogger,” a device for peering underwater, while his partner maneuvered his lure. The spotter would tell his partner where to move the lure and when to pop or jig it, and then a bass would bite.

“It was blind trust,” Carrell said. “We just had to believe in one another.”

Carrell and Kurtz worked riverbanks looking for differences in color, which typically signified an attractive area for bedding bass. They caught most of their fish on Ned Rigs in the PB&J color — which they said resembled the crawfish they spotted in the area — as well as a Z Man Real Deal in green pumpkin and white, which they said matched the gobies in the river.

On Friday, they threw 3.75 Keitech swimbaits toward a bridge that had current moving underneath.
“The smallmouth were sitting in a grass patch, and as soon as bait would come by, they’d snatch it up,” Kurtz said. “So we just slow-rolled those swimbaits and it was what they wanted today.”

The Texas tandem doesn’t have much experience fishing for smallmouth, and with such a long distance between home and upstate New York, they actually considered skipping the trip, despite not yet qualifying for Nationals.

“The weights were so tight, we had to catch every fish we could,” Carrell said. “We were catching 20 pounds a day in practice, and I knew everyone else had to be catching them just as good. They were, but when we had almost 26 pounds, everything kept working for us from there.”

The tournament will go down in the Bassmaster College Series record books.

The Day 1 cumulative weight of 3,031-3 was nearly 600 pounds heavier than the previous one-day record of 2,439-1 set at Arkansas’ Bull Shoals Lake in April. The 149 boats competing this week combined to catch 5687-4, more than 1,000 pounds better than the previous record of 4,631-10, also at Bull Shoals. There were 50 fewer boats entered in the St. Lawrence event, as well, which underscores the week’s bounty.

Logan Parks and Lucas Lindsay had the Day 2 lead, but caught only 11-9 on Friday and slipped to 12th place. They did win the Carhartt Big Bass Award for the 6-7 smallmouth Lindsay caught Wednesday. Minor and Lanier won the Nitro Big Bag Award after posting a 26-6 limit, also on Wednesday.

WADDINGTON, N.Y. — West Virginia University’s Nolan Minor and Casey Lanier outfished nearly 300 other college anglers today in what was a slugfest day of fishing at the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at St. Lawrence River presented by Bass Pro Shops.

The 149-boat field produced a total weight of 3,031 pounds, 3 ounces to begin this tournament in upstate New York. All but three of the teams caught limits of five bass and of that number, 85 teams weighed more than 20 pounds on Day 1.

The tremendous catches came courtesy of ideal conditions on the St. Lawrence River, including water temperatures right at 60 degrees, a fishing season that began only five days ago and local bass in the throes of a full spawn.

Minor and Lanier took advantage of the bounty. The West Virginia duo caught five smallmouth bass on Wednesday that weighed 26-6 — a one-day total that normally would blow most competitors out of the water, but was good for only a 9-ounce cushion on the bountiful St. Lawrence River.

The Mountaineer duo had a limit within an hour of launching from Whittaker Park on Wednesday and culled four or five times later in the morning. Among their early catches was a 6-2 smallmouth Minor got off a bed. It was a personal best for him and the highlight of a day that saw the leaders scouting new water by 10 a.m.

Minor and Lanier are no strangers to success. They finished fourth in last year’s Bassmaster College Series Team of the Year standings and they were in third place in the race entering this event — the fourth and final regular-season stop for college anglers of 2019.

While a win here would be a thrill, Minor and Lanier previously secured a spot in August’s Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops on Tennessee’s Chickamauga Lake.

“There was no pressure on us today,” Minor said. “This is a great place to fish and just have fun. We’ve already qualified for Nationals, and, although we’re in third place in the Team of the Year points, we’re pretty far behind the top two teams. We weren’t worried about finishing in a certain place in the standings here. We just wanted to catch big ones.”

The St. Lawrence River was a perfect stage for doing that. The question now is whether Minor and Lanier can replicate today’s success on Thursday?

“Nothing we came across after 10 o’clock was as big as the 6-2 that Nolan caught today, but we saw some really great fish out there. We can get 20 or 21 pounds Thursday and maybe cull up to 23 or 24. But anything more than that is going to be tough.”

With a target to shoot at, the rest of the 149-boat field will do its best to pressure the leaders the next two days.

Jackson Carrell and Bryton Kurtz of Sam Houston State University in Texas are in second place after catching a limit of smallmouth bass weighing 25-13. While limits of largemouth weighing in the 25-pound range are not uncommon on Texas fisheries, the team didn’t expect anything like the smallmouth bite they encountered on the St. Lawrence.

“To catch a 25-pound bag of only smallmouth just blows my mind,” Kurtz said. “It’s one of the best places I’ve ever been.”

Carrell stopped short of saying that catching bass was easy on Wednesday, but he admitted the Sam Houston State team didn’t have to work hard to figure out the bite.

“We had one rod on deck the whole day and had the trolling motor high, running banks just like everyone else,” he said. “The water is so clean, you can see the fish at depths anywhere from 4 to 15 feet.”

Perry Marvin and Cantley Krafft of Virginia Tech University are third with 25-10. Brian Linder and Nathan Thompson of Bemidji (Minn.) State University are fourth with 25-9, and Logan Parks and Lucas Lindsay of Auburn (Ala.) University are fifth with 25-5.

The college event on the St. Lawrence follows similar derbies held earlier this year on North Carolina’s Lake Norman in February, Alabama’s Smith Lake in March and Arkansas’ Bull Shoals Lake in April.

The Top 10 percent of teams from each of those tournaments, as well as the ongoing event at the St. Lawrence, qualify for the national tournament on Chickamauga on Aug. 1-3. Duos can also qualify for the championship through their individual state tournaments or by finishing in the Top 25 of the Team of the Year standings.

Parks and Lindsay boated a monster 6-7 smallmouth that leads competition for the Carhartt Big Bass Award, which earns winners a $500 gift certificate. Minor and Lanier are in the lead for the Nitro Big Bag Award and the $250 gift certificate that will accompany it.

The full field of 149 teams will take off from Whittaker Park Thursday at 5:30 a.m. ET with weigh-in scheduled for 1:30 p.m. The Top 12 duos will fish on Friday for cash and prizes.

Follow all the action on Bassmaster.com.