AnglersChannel

Rookie sensation Fujita wins Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Champlain

Kyoya Fujita of Minamitsuru, Japan, has won the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a four-day total of 86 pounds, 12 ounces.  

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

August 21, 2023

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — The big bites mostly eluded Kyoya Fujita, but the Elite rookie’s diligence delivered the coveted blue trophy, as the Japanese superstar amassed the winning total of 86 pounds, 12 ounces in the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain.

“This feels great!” Fujita said. “My dream (has been) to win an Elite Series tournament. My dream came true.”

After placing 10th on Day 1 with 21-5, Fujita added 23-14 — the VMC Monster Bag of the event — and took over the Day 2 lead. Fujita held onto the top spot with a Semifinal Sunday limit of 22-9 and closed the deal with his Championship Monday bag that weighed 19 pounds.

The week brought a diverse meteorological mix, which included a storm system that postponed Day 2 from Friday to Saturday. Days 1 and 3 brought mostly sunny conditions, while the even number days saw dimmer, cloudy skies. Wind was a constant challenge.

Heavily geared toward sight feeding, smallmouth like sunshine, so Championship Monday’s dreary conditions, plus a week’s worth of heavy fishing pressure, seemed to be curbing the fish’s aggression. After three days with multiple 4-pounders, Fujita had only one fish over 4 Monday and fell short of the 20-pound mark for the first time.

“It was a struggle today,” Fujita said. “I got on a school of fish (later in the day) and they wouldn’t bite. I kept dropping on them and finally a big one bit my bait on the way down."

A multiple-event winner and four-time Angler of the Year on the Japanese professional bass scene, Fujita edged third-year pro Justin Atkins by 1-6. For his efforts, Fujita won the $100,000 top prize plus a $2,000 bonus for catching the VMC Monster Bag.

Making his fourth Top 10 for the 2023 Elite season, Fujita spent his entire event in the Inland Sea, where he used Garmin LiveScope to target smallmouth bass that were following schools of baitfish. Mostly targeting the east side of Dameas and Knight islands, Fujita worked in depths of 12 to 30 feet.

“I found a big-fish area in practice,” Fujita said. “I found the bass first, then I found the bait.”

Fujita caught his fish on a drop shot with a 4.5-inch Jackall Yammy stickworm cut down to approximately 3 inches and a Damiki-style rig with a 5.2-inch Jackall Revoltage RV-Drift Fry on a 1/8-ounce ball-head jig.

Notably, Fujita’s tournament got off to a rocky start, as a mechanical issue limited his fishing time. He made up ground on Day 2 and continued expanding on his area for the next three days.

Day 4 saw Fujita briefly departing his main waters, as he visited the west side of the Inland Sea and fished the City Reef area. Fujita caught fish there, but none of them contributed to his final weight.

After summarizing his day, Fujita closed with a crowd-charming farewell: “Thank you Daiwa and Jackall and the many Japanese and the American (sponsors) and the Bassmaster crew.”

Finishing second with 85-6, Atkins kept himself near the top all week. He placed fourth on Day 1 with 22-6, then slipped to sixth after weighing 21-6. Atkins' Day 3 bag of 21-3 lifted him to third. His final-round limit weighed 20-7.

Hailing from Florence, Ala., Atkins caught all of his fish on a 1/4-ounce underspin with a Berkley MaxScent Flatworm. He fished a dark-colored bait during dim conditions, while a white bait excelled during sunny times. His darker bait carried a gold willow-leaf blade, while the white version had a silver blade.

“I caught a few on the dark color this morning when it was cloudy and when the sun came out, I caught them on the light color again,” Atkins said. “I didn’t catch quite enough weight on it, but it was a good program.”

Atkins fished the Inland Sea and focused on an area where deep water swung close to a water cabbage edge. This, he said, was the zone where he found his biggest bass chasing bait in practice.

Cody Huff of Ava, Mo., finished third with 85-5. His daily limits weighed 23-3, 20-10, 21-2 and 20-6.

Fishing the Inland Sea, Huff committed to a straightforward game plan based on his dual prowess with forward-facing sonar and the Damiki rig. His rig comprised a 1/8- to 1/2-ounce VMC Sleek Jighead with a 5-inch Strike King 3X Z-Too. The larger profile seemed to trigger the bigger fish.

“The key was just to keep moving, throw at as many fish as you could throw at and the aggressive ones would get it,” Huff said. “Normally, if you get a calm day, you cast to them out there at 60 to 80 feet and you catch a lot more of them.

“When it was windy, there was a lot of noise from waves slapping the boat, so a lot of them were coming really close.”

Jacob Foutz of Charleston, Tenn., took home the Day 4 Phoenix Boats Big Bass and an additional $1,000 for his 4-13. Jay Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., and Mark Menendez of Paducah, Ky., shared the $2,000 prize for the overall Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the tournament. Each angler weighed a 5-4. Jason Christie still has a firm grip on the $10,000 check for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the year with his 9-4 Lay Lake largemouth.

Huff took home an additional $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program while Ohio angler Alex Redwine, who made his first Top 10 this week, earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Atkins earned an additional $2,500 as the highest-placing entrant and Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., claimed an additional $1,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

Austin Felix of Eden Prairie, Minn., won the $1,000 BassTrakk Contingency award for the most accurate weight reporting.

Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 652 points. Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C., is in second with 646, followed by Drew Cook of Cairo, Ga., with 622, Przekurat with 616 and Walters with 613.

Joey Cifuentes III of Clinton, Ark., leads the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 610 points. Fujita is in second with 595.

2023 Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain 8/17-8/21
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

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

1.  Kyoya Fujita           Minamitsuru, Yamanashi  20  86-12  104 $102,000.00
Day 1: 5   21-05     Day 2: 5   23-14     Day 3: 5   22-09     Day 4: 5   19-00
2.  Justin Atkins          Florence, AL            20  85-06  103  $35,000.00
Day 1: 5   22-06     Day 2: 5   21-06     Day 3: 5   21-03     Day 4: 5   20-07
3.  Cody Huff              Ava, MO                 20  85-05  102  $30,000.00
Day 1: 5   23-03     Day 2: 5   20-10     Day 3: 5   21-02     Day 4: 5   20-06
4.  Bryant Smith           Roseville, CA           20  83-01  101  $25,000.00
Day 1: 5   22-01     Day 2: 5   22-00     Day 3: 5   19-13     Day 4: 5   19-03
5.  Jay Przekurat          Stevens Point, WI       20  83-00  100  $22,000.00
Day 1: 5   22-11     Day 2: 5   21-01     Day 3: 5   20-11     Day 4: 5   18-09
6.  Alex Redwine           Blue Ash, OH            20  82-02   99  $19,000.00
Day 1: 5   22-14     Day 2: 5   21-14     Day 3: 5   19-14     Day 4: 5   17-08
7.  Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC         20  81-12   98  $18,000.00
Day 1: 5   21-08     Day 2: 5   21-01     Day 3: 5   19-06     Day 4: 5   19-13
8.  Jacob Foutz            Charleston, TN          20  81-07   97  $18,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-12     Day 2: 5   21-07     Day 3: 5   19-10     Day 4: 5   20-10
9.  Austin Felix           Eden Prairie, MN        20  80-06   96  $17,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-10     Day 2: 5   19-14     Day 3: 5   21-10     Day 4: 5   18-04
10. Matt Robertson         Kuttawa, KY             20  80-02   95  $15,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-03     Day 2: 5   21-03     Day 3: 5   20-00     Day 4: 5   18-12
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PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1   Jay Przekurat            Stevens Point, WI   05-04      $1,000.00
2   Mark Menendez            Paducah, KY         05-04      $1,000.00
3   Bryan Schmitt            Deale, MD           05-01      $1,000.00
4   Jacob Foutz              Charleston, TN      04-13      $1,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Mark Menendez            Paducah, KY         05-04      $1,000.00
Jay Przekurat            Stevens Point, WI   05-04      $1,000.00
VMC MONSTER BAG
Kyoya Fujita             Minamitsuru, Yamanashi, 23-14  $2,000.00

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Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        95       493      1702-12
2        98       502      1798-10
3        49       245       898-15
4        10        50       192-08
----------------------------------
252      1290      4592-13

by AnglersChannel

Fujita extends lead at Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Champlain

Kyoya Fujita of Minamitsuru, Japan, is leading after Day 3 of the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a three-day total of 67 pounds, 12 ounces.  

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

August 20, 2023

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Matching the day’s bright complexion, Japanese superstar Kyoya Fujita again outshined the field and maintained his lead at the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a three-day total of 67 pounds, 12 ounces.

Following a dim and drizzly Day 2, Semifinal Sunday’s morning clouds quickly yielded to mostly sunny conditions, which clearly cracked the whip on Champlain’s smallmouth bass. Capitalizing on the favorable conditions, the rookie Elite from Minamitsuru, Yamanashi, Japan, who led Day 2, complemented his first two limits of 21-5 and 23-14 with a Day 3 bag that weighed 22-9.

Fujita started the day with a 7-ounce lead over Alex Redwine of Blue Ash, Ohio. After Sunday’s performance, he heads into Championship Monday leading Missouri pro Cody Huff by 2-13.

“Today was very tough,” Fujita admitted. “Short bite, short bite, short bite — miss, miss, miss. I had no big fish in the morning. But in the afternoon, I had two big fish.”

Making his fourth Top 10 for the 2023 Elite season, Fujita has camped in one main area of the Inland Sea, at Champlain’s upper end. He’s basically hunting down active smallmouth that are following schools of baitfish.

Fujita said his main baits are a drop shot with a 4.5-inch Jackall Yammy stick worm cut down to 3 inches and a Damiki-style rig with a 5.2-inch Jackall Revoltage RV-Drift Fry on a 1/8-ounce ball-head jig.

The vast Inland Sea has hosted several of the event’s top performers, but Fujita seems to have dialed in the sweetest spot.

“In practice, I looked through a lot of places, but the area I’m fishing has the most big fish,” Fujita said with the help of an interpreter.

Forward-facing sonar has dramatically improved the way anglers search broad areas and, with three graphs on his bow, Fujita has kept a keen eye on his targets. Although he declined to share specifics, he noted the distance at which he sets his Garmin LiveScope has played a key role in his success.

“I’m looking at fish on the bottom and suspended fish,” Fujita said. “Both were non-active today. I was really struggling.”

Fujita said he responded to this challenge with mobility.

“I moved around more today,” he said. “I caught fish in five different spots. I was able to go back to some of these spots multiple times and catch fish.”

After catching approximately 50 bass on Day 2, Fujita boated 15 today. Noting that he’s sticking with that same game plan, Fujita said he knows he has to step on the gas in the final round.

“Nothing has changed from the beginning of the tournament; it’s just getting tougher and tougher every day,” Fujita said. “I need a big fish tomorrow.

“I know it’s going to be tough, but there will be fewer people. I’m going to keep doing the same thing and catch every fish I see.”

Huff, who led Day 1, holds the second-place spot with 64-15. His daily limits went 23-3, 20-10 and 21-2.

Also fishing the Inland Sea, Huff spent his day hunting bass on forward-facing sonar. He threw a Damiki rig with a Strike King 3X Z-Too and a Baby Z-Too.

“I would like to tell you a really cool story on how you go and find ‘em, but it’s just covering a ton of water until you see them,” Huff said. “They’re not everywhere, but when you get into an area that’s got them, it’s like there’s a big school.

“Sometimes, that school’s together; sometimes, it’s spread out. Sometimes, I’m picking off singles, doubles and triples. Other times, they’re in groups of 20 to 30 fish.”

Huff said the sun helped him find more fish and the ones he found seemed more aggressive.

Justin Atkins of Florence, Ala., is in third place with 64-15. Turning in a consistent performance, Atkins has weighed bags of 22-6, 21-6 and 21-3.

Bucking the trend of Damiki rigs and drop shots, Atkins has been catching his bass on a 1/4-ounce underspin with a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm. In the dim conditions of Day 2, he found that going to an all-black bait/trailer package worked best, but Day 3 required an adjustment.

“I had to go back to the (white) bait I caught them on when it was sunny the first day,” Atkins said. “Yesterday, I couldn’t get them to bite the lighter-colored bait. Today, they started eating it right off the bat.”

Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Md., who won the 2021 Elite at Champlain, earned the $1,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award for the day with his 5-1.

Jay Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., and Mark Menendez of Paducah, Ky., share the overall lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Week honors, each with a 5-4.

Fujita is currently in the lead for the VMC Monster Bag award with his Day 2 limit of 23-14.

Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 652 points. Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C., is in second with 646, followed by Drew Cook of Cairo, Ga., with 622, Przekurat with 616 and Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., with 612.

Joey Cifuentes III of Clinton, Ark., leads the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 610 points. Fujita is in second with 595.

Monday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at Plattsburgh City Marina. The weigh-in will be held at the marina at 3 p.m. Bassmaster LIVE will stream beginning at 8 a.m. on Bassmaster.com.

2023 Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain 8/17-8/21
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

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

1.  Kyoya Fujita           Minamitsuru, Yamanashi  15  67-12  104
Day 1: 5   21-05     Day 2: 5   23-14     Day 3: 5   22-09
2.  Cody Huff              Ava, MO                 15  64-15  103
Day 1: 5   23-03     Day 2: 5   20-10     Day 3: 5   21-02
3.  Justin Atkins          Florence, AL            15  64-15  102
Day 1: 5   22-06     Day 2: 5   21-06     Day 3: 5   21-03
4.  Alex Redwine           Blue Ash, OH            15  64-10  101
Day 1: 5   22-14     Day 2: 5   21-14     Day 3: 5   19-14
5.  Jay Przekurat          Stevens Point, WI       15  64-07  100   $1,000.00
Day 1: 5   22-11     Day 2: 5   21-01     Day 3: 5   20-11
6.  Bryant Smith           Roseville, CA           15  63-14   99
Day 1: 5   22-01     Day 2: 5   22-00     Day 3: 5   19-13
7.  Austin Felix           Eden Prairie, MN        15  62-02   98
Day 1: 5   20-10     Day 2: 5   19-14     Day 3: 5   21-10
8.  Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC         15  61-15   97
Day 1: 5   21-08     Day 2: 5   21-01     Day 3: 5   19-06
9.  Matt Robertson         Kuttawa, KY             15  61-06   96
Day 1: 5   20-03     Day 2: 5   21-03     Day 3: 5   20-00
10. Jacob Foutz            Charleston, TN          15  60-13   95
Day 1: 5   19-12     Day 2: 5   21-07     Day 3: 5   19-10
11. Joey Cifuentes III     Clinton, AR             15  60-09   94  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-06     Day 2: 5   18-09     Day 3: 5   21-10
12. Drew Cook              Cairo, GA               15  59-13   93  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-06     Day 2: 5   20-07     Day 3: 5   20-00
13. Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK            15  59-13   92  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-10     Day 2: 5   20-06     Day 3: 5   19-13
14. Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA            15  59-04   91  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-14     Day 2: 5   19-03     Day 3: 5   20-03
15. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT           15  59-02   90  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-09     Day 2: 5   18-14     Day 3: 5   20-11
16. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN           15  59-00   89  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-13     Day 2: 5   19-09     Day 3: 5   18-10
17. Bryan Schmitt          Deale, MD               15  59-00   88  $11,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-04     Day 2: 5   19-01     Day 3: 5   19-11
18. Cooper Gallant         Bowmanville Ontario CAN 15  58-13   87  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   21-04     Day 3: 5   20-06
19. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA          15  58-09   86  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-12     Day 2: 5   20-11     Day 3: 5   19-02
20. Pat Schlapper          Eleva, WI               15  58-02   85  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   20-14     Day 3: 5   19-01
21. Justin Hamner          Northport, AL           15  58-02   84  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   20-00     Day 3: 5   19-07
22. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR              15  58-00   83  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-09     Day 2: 5   20-04     Day 3: 5   18-03
23. Chris Johnston         Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15  57-14   82  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   19-10     Day 3: 5   18-13
24. Gregory DiPalma        Millville, NJ           15  57-13   81  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   21-08     Day 2: 5   19-04     Day 3: 5   17-01
25. Kyle Welcher           Opelika, AL             15  57-11   80  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   16-09     Day 2: 5   21-00     Day 3: 5   20-02
26. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        15  57-08   79  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   19-04     Day 3: 5   19-05
27. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland AUSTRALIA    15  57-03   78  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   19-14     Day 3: 5   18-13
28. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX          15  57-01   77  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-05     Day 2: 5   17-11     Day 3: 5   20-01
29. Wes Logan              Springville, AL         15  56-08   76  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-11     Day 2: 5   17-15     Day 3: 5   18-14
30. Taku Ito               Chiba JAPAN             15  56-06   75  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-01     Day 2: 5   17-14     Day 3: 5   19-07
31. Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL           15  56-01   74  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-13     Day 2: 5   18-04     Day 3: 5   19-00
32. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC           15  55-14   73  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   20-07     Day 3: 5   16-08
33. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC          15  55-14   72  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-00     Day 2: 5   19-15     Day 3: 5   17-15
34. Jason Christie         Dry Creek, OK           15  55-06   71  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   21-07     Day 2: 5   15-12     Day 3: 5   18-03
35. Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA            15  55-00   70  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-03     Day 2: 5   18-04     Day 3: 5   17-09
36. Bryan New              Saluda, SC              15  54-10   69  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-07     Day 2: 5   18-08     Day 3: 5   18-11
37. Gary Clouse            Winchester, TN          15  54-02   68  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-09     Day 2: 5   17-13     Day 3: 5   15-12
38. Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC             15  54-01   67  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-09     Day 2: 5   18-01     Day 3: 5   16-07
39. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         15  53-13   66  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-09     Day 2: 5   18-07     Day 3: 5   16-13
40. Gerald Swindle         Guntersville, AL        15  53-13   65  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-01     Day 2: 5   18-07     Day 3: 5   17-05
41. Jacob Powroznik        North Prince George, VA 15  53-04   64  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   20-00     Day 3: 5   15-12
42. Matty Wong             Honolulu, HI            15  53-02   63  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   21-10     Day 2: 5   18-12     Day 3: 5   12-12
43. Bradley Hallman        Edmond, OK              15  52-13   62  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-05     Day 2: 5   17-02     Day 3: 5   15-06
44. Logan Latuso           Gonzales, LA            15  52-05   61  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   19-07     Day 3: 5   14-07
45. Lee Livesay            Longview, TX            15  51-08   60  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   18-03     Day 3: 5   14-13
46. Marc Frazier           Newnan, GA              15  51-08   59  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   17-10     Day 3: 5   15-07
47. Cole Sands             Calhoun, TN             15  51-04   58  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   17-15     Day 3: 5   14-06
48. Matt Arey              Shelby, NC              15  51-02   57  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-02     Day 2: 5   16-14     Day 3: 5   15-02
49. Scott Martin           Clewiston, FL           15  47-14   56  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-00     Day 2: 5   18-06     Day 3: 5   11-08
50. Bob Downey             Detroit Lakes, MN       10  36-05   55  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   20-02     Day 3: 0   00-00
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PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1   Jay Przekurat            Stevens Point, WI   05-04      $1,000.00
2   Mark Menendez            Paducah, KY         05-04      $1,000.00
3   Bryan Schmitt            Deale, MD           05-01      $1,000.00

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Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        95       493      1702-12
2        98       502      1798-10
3        49       245       898-15
----------------------------------
242      1240      4400-05

by AnglersChannel

Rookie Fujita moves into lead at Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Champlain

Kyoya Fujita of Minamitsuru, Japan, is leading after Day 2 of the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a two-day total of 45 pounds, 3 ounces.  

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

August 19, 2023

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Everyone is allowed the same amount of fishing time, but after an opening round disappointment, Kyoya Fujita was particularly motivated to make the most of a full Day 2.

Returning to the same area of the Inland Sea where he fished on Day 1, the rookie from Minamitsuru, Yamanashi, Japan, tallied a two-day total of 45 pounds, 3 ounces to lead the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain.

After placing 10th on Day 1 with 21-5, Fujita added 23-14 — the event’s heaviest bag and leader for VMC Monster Bag honors. He heads into Semifinal Sunday with a 7-ounce lead over Alex Redwine of Blue Ash, Ohio.

“I had a boat problem on Day 1, so I couldn’t fish everything I wanted to fish,” Fujita said through a translator. “Today, I had more time to fish, so I did better.”

Fujita said he caught his fish on a drop shot and a minnow-style bait on a light ball-head jig. Keeping his distance, watching his fish on Garmin LiveScope and making precise presentations with a medium retrieve speed was the key to his success.

With cloudy skies and intermittent rain dimming the scene, Lake Champlain bore the turbid aftermath of a storm system that postponed the tournament’s second round by one day. While other competitors reported struggling to find consistency, Fujita said the Day 2 conditions did not hinder him.

“(The weather) was no problem,” he said. “I didn’t change anything from Day 1.”

Fujita’s action started early, as BassTrakk showed him with a limit of approximately 17 3/4 pounds shortly after 8 a.m. The first angler to report reaching 20 pounds, he continued to pick off quality fish and made his final cull around 12:30.

Fishing some of the same spots he visited on Day 1, Fujita expanded on his main area. He did most of his work on one particularly productive spot, but rotating through a handful of other spots allowed him to accumulate his leading weight.

“I don’t know why this one spot was better,” he said. “I located that spot in practice, and I just kept fishing it. My area had a lot of baitfish and that was important.

“I had a good day; I caught (approximately) 50 fish.”

Throughout the day, the Bassmaster LIVE cameras showed Fujita’s trademark calm, measured demeanor. Clearly, this relaxed style facilitated his flawless performance.

“The key to my success was I never lost a fish today,” Fujita said.

Redwine, who placed second on Day 1, also spent his day in the Inland Sea. He added a limit of 21-14 to his first-round bag of 22-14.

After a slow start, Redwine benefited from an afternoon day-maker, as he anchored his limit with a 5-pounder around 2:30. An hour later, he followed with a 4.

“I started on the same spot where a lot of things happened the first day early on,” Redwine said. “I caught one decent one and a few smaller ones, and I gave myself until about 11 o’clock. I left there and spent two hours elsewhere and caught one 4 1/2-pounder.

“I gave myself another two hours before going back to that starting spot and just grinding it out. Later in the day, the fish just set up better. I think the wind just slicked off and the rain stopped momentarily, so the fish were able to sit up higher in the water column and commit to my baits.”

Fishing in 20 to 40 feet, Redwine caught his fish on a Damiki rig. Sometimes, he’d vertically drop on the fish, but most of his presentations were casting.

Bryant Smith of Roseville, Calif., is in third place with 44-1. After placing fifth on Day 1 with 22-1, Smith virtually mirrored his performance with a 22-pound bag.

Making the strongest showing of his rookie season, Smith said the Lake Champlain fishery is like nothing he’s encountered in any of the West Coast’s diverse fisheries. However, he noted that his comfort level is growing daily.

“I know what I’m doing now, and I have confidence in it,” Smith said. “I know what to look for; the whole thing is just running into the right groups of fish.”

Like much of the field, Smith committed to the Inland Sea and used his Lowrance Active Target forward-facing sonar to hunt fish that were relating to bait schools. Referencing his contour map for likely areas, he caught his fish on a Damiki rig and a drop shot.

Mark Menendez of Paducah, Ky., took the day's Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 5-4 and shares the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the tournament with Jay Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis.

Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C., leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 660 points. Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., is in second with 643 points, followed by Drew Cook of Cairo, Ga., with 619, Przekurat with 616, and Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., with 613.

Joey Cifuentes III of Clinton, Ark., leads the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 598. Fujita is in second with 595.

Sunday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at Plattsburgh City Marina. The weigh-in will be held at the marina at 3 p.m. FS1 will broadcast live with the leaders at 8 a.m. before coverage shifts to Bassmaster.com.

2023 Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain 8/17-8/21
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Kyoya Fujita           Minamitsuru, Yamanashi  10  45-03  104
Day 1: 5   21-05     Day 2: 5   23-14
2.  Alex Redwine           Blue Ash, OH            10  44-12  103
Day 1: 5   22-14     Day 2: 5   21-14
3.  Bryant Smith           Roseville, CA           10  44-01  102
Day 1: 5   22-01     Day 2: 5   22-00
4.  Cody Huff              Ava, MO                 10  43-13  101
Day 1: 5   23-03     Day 2: 5   20-10
5.  Jay Przekurat          Stevens Point, WI       10  43-12  100   $1,000.00
Day 1: 5   22-11     Day 2: 5   21-01
6.  Justin Atkins          Florence, AL            10  43-12   99
Day 1: 5   22-06     Day 2: 5   21-06
7.  Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC         10  42-09   98
Day 1: 5   21-08     Day 2: 5   21-01
8.  Matt Robertson         Kuttawa, KY             10  41-06   97
Day 1: 5   20-03     Day 2: 5   21-03
9.  Jacob Foutz            Charleston, TN          10  41-03   96
Day 1: 5   19-12     Day 2: 5   21-07
10. Gregory DiPalma        Millville, NJ           10  40-12   95
Day 1: 5   21-08     Day 2: 5   19-04
11. Austin Felix           Eden Prairie, MN        10  40-08   94
Day 1: 5   20-10     Day 2: 5   19-14
12. Matty Wong             Honolulu, HI            10  40-06   93
Day 1: 5   21-10     Day 2: 5   18-12
13. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN           10  40-06   92
Day 1: 5   20-13     Day 2: 5   19-09
14. Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK            10  40-00   91
Day 1: 5   19-10     Day 2: 5   20-06
15. Drew Cook              Cairo, GA               10  39-13   90
Day 1: 5   19-06     Day 2: 5   20-07
16. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR              10  39-13   89
Day 1: 5   19-09     Day 2: 5   20-04
17. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA          10  39-07   88
Day 1: 5   18-12     Day 2: 5   20-11
18. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC           10  39-06   87
Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   20-07
19. Bryan Schmitt          Deale, MD               10  39-05   86
Day 1: 5   20-04     Day 2: 5   19-01
20. Pat Schlapper          Eleva, WI               10  39-01   85
Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   20-14
21. Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA            10  39-01   84
Day 1: 5   19-14     Day 2: 5   19-03
22. Chris Johnston         Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10  39-01   83
Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   19-10
23. Joey Cifuentes III     Clinton, AR             10  38-15   82
Day 1: 5   20-06     Day 2: 5   18-09
24. Justin Hamner          Northport, AL           10  38-11   81
Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   20-00
25. Cooper Gallant         Bowmanville Ontario CAN 10  38-07   80
Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   21-04
26. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT           10  38-07   79
Day 1: 5   19-09     Day 2: 5   18-14
27. Gary Clouse            Winchester, TN          10  38-06   78
Day 1: 5   20-09     Day 2: 5   17-13
28. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland AUSTRALIA    10  38-06   77
Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   19-14
29. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        10  38-03   76
Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   19-04
30. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC          10  37-15   75
Day 1: 5   18-00     Day 2: 5   19-15
31. Logan Latuso           Gonzales, LA            10  37-14   74
Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   19-07
32. Wes Logan              Springville, AL         10  37-10   73
Day 1: 5   19-11     Day 2: 5   17-15
33. Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC             10  37-10   72
Day 1: 5   19-09     Day 2: 5   18-01
34. Kyle Welcher           Opelika, AL             10  37-09   71
Day 1: 5   16-09     Day 2: 5   21-00
35. Jacob Powroznik        North Prince George, VA 10  37-08   70
Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   20-00
36. Bradley Hallman        Edmond, OK              10  37-07   69
Day 1: 5   20-05     Day 2: 5   17-02
37. Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA            10  37-07   68
Day 1: 5   19-03     Day 2: 5   18-04
38. Jason Christie         Dry Creek, OK           10  37-03   67
Day 1: 5   21-07     Day 2: 5   15-12
39. Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL           10  37-01   66
Day 1: 5   18-13     Day 2: 5   18-04
40. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX          10  37-00   65
Day 1: 5   19-05     Day 2: 5   17-11
41. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         10  37-00   64
Day 1: 5   18-09     Day 2: 5   18-07
42. Taku Ito               Chiba JAPAN             10  36-15   63
Day 1: 5   19-01     Day 2: 5   17-14
43. Cole Sands             Calhoun, TN             10  36-14   62
Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   17-15
44. Lee Livesay            Longview, TX            10  36-11   61
Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   18-03
45. Gerald Swindle         Guntersville, AL        10  36-08   60
Day 1: 5   18-01     Day 2: 5   18-07
46. Scott Martin           Clewiston, FL           10  36-06   59
Day 1: 5   18-00     Day 2: 5   18-06
47. Bob Downey             Detroit Lakes, MN       10  36-05   58
Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   20-02
48. Marc Frazier           Newnan, GA              10  36-01   57
Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   17-10
49. Matt Arey              Shelby, NC              10  36-00   56
Day 1: 5   19-02     Day 2: 5   16-14
50. Bryan New              Saluda, SC              10  35-15   55
Day 1: 5   17-07     Day 2: 5   18-08
51. Jonathan Kelley        Old Forge, PA           10  35-14   54   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   17-03
52. Hunter Shryock         Ooltewah, TN            10  35-11   53   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   19-14     Day 2: 5   15-13
53. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX          10  35-11   52   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   16-06     Day 2: 5   19-05
54. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          10  35-04   51   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 5   16-04
55. Skylar Hamilton        Jefferson, TN           10  35-03   50   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   19-03
56. Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, ID            10  34-12   49   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   21-10
57. Mike Huff              London, KY              10  34-11   48   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   16-07     Day 2: 5   18-04
58. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        10  34-11   47   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   16-08
59. Caleb Kuphall          Mukwonago, WI           10  34-09   46   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   18-02     Day 2: 5   16-07
60. John Cox               Debary, FL              10  34-04   45   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   16-10     Day 2: 5   17-10
61. Alex Wetherell         Middletown, CT          10  34-04   44   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   17-07     Day 2: 5   16-13
62. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA            10  34-03   43   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   15-12
63. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             10  34-01   42   $3,500.00
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   19-04
64. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY             10  34-00   41   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   17-13
65. Frank Talley           Temple, TX              10  33-11   40   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   19-10
66. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL            10  33-11   39   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   16-03
67. Seth Feider            New Market, MN          10  33-09   38   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 5   17-07
68. Jeff Gustafson         Kenora, Ontario CANADA  10  33-08   37   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   15-13     Day 2: 5   17-11
69. Kenta Kimura           Osaka JAPAN             10  33-03   36   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   16-01     Day 2: 5   17-02
70. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA            10  32-13   35   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   20-05
71. Darold Gleason         Many, LA                10  32-09   34   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 5   17-08
72. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX             10  32-03   33   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 5   18-07
73. David Williams         Newton, NC              10  32-01   32   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   16-13     Day 2: 5   15-04
74. KJ Queen               Conover, NC             10  31-12   31
Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   20-08
75. Brandon Card           Salisbury, NC           10  31-11   30
Day 1: 5   15-03     Day 2: 5   16-08
76. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ              10  31-02   29
Day 1: 5   15-05     Day 2: 5   15-13
77. Keith Poche            Cecil, AL               10  31-01   28
Day 1: 5   14-03     Day 2: 5   16-14
78. Chad Pipkens           DeWitt, MI              10  30-05   27
Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   16-01
79. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             10  30-04   26
Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   16-00
80. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                10  30-00   25
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   15-03
81. Jake Whitaker          Hendersonville, NC       9  29-14   24
Day 1: 4   11-14     Day 2: 5   18-00
82. Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL           10  29-14   23
Day 1: 5   12-05     Day 2: 5   17-09
83. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL          10  29-02   22
Day 1: 5   16-12     Day 2: 5   12-06
84. David Gaston           Sylacauga, AL           10  29-01   21
Day 1: 5   15-03     Day 2: 5   13-14
85. Jason Williamson       Aiken, SC               10  28-08   20
Day 1: 5   12-11     Day 2: 5   15-13
86. Michael Iaconelli      Pittsgrove, NJ          10  28-02   19
Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   16-13
87. Buddy Gross            Chattanooga, TN         10  28-02   18
Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 5   12-08
88. Derek Hudnall          Zachary, LA             10  27-13   17
Day 1: 5   14-15     Day 2: 5   12-14
89. Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC          10  27-10   16
Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   14-02
90. David Fritts           Lexington, NC           10  27-07   15
Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   11-07
91. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL              10  26-14   14
Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 5   17-01
92. John Soukup            Sapulpa, OK             10  25-15   13
Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   14-05
93. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  8  25-11   12
Day 1: 5   16-08     Day 2: 3   09-03
94. Masayuki Matsushita    Tokoname-Aichi, JAPAN    9  25-10   11
Day 1: 4   07-15     Day 2: 5   17-11
95. Larry Nixon            Bee Branch, AR          10  25-07   10
Day 1: 5   09-04     Day 2: 5   16-03
96. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA                8  24-05    9
Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 3   09-13
97. Joseph Webster         Hamilton, AL             8  24-02    8
Day 1: 3   06-02     Day 2: 5   18-00
98. Kyle Norsetter         Cottage Grove, WI       10  23-14    7
Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   10-07
99. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX              8  18-12    6
Day 1: 3   04-15     Day 2: 5   13-13
100. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA               5  14-09    5
Day 1: 2   06-01     Day 2: 3   08-08
101. Josh Douglas           Isle, MN                 5  14-08    4
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   14-08
102. Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX               5  11-13    3
Day 1: 2   06-11     Day 2: 3   05-02
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1   Jay Przekurat            Stevens Point, WI   05-04      $1,000.00
2   Mark Menendez            Paducah, KY         05-04      $1,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        95       493      1702-12
2        98       502      1798-10
----------------------------------
193       995      3501-06

by AnglersChannel

Auburn claims wire-to-wire victory in Bassmaster College Championship at Pickwick

Hayden Marbut and Tucker Smith of Auburn University have won the Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship at Pickwick Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops with a three-day total of 53 pounds, 12 ounces. 

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.

August 12, 2023

COUNCE, Tenn. — Thanks to an afternoon rally that produced several largemouth over 3 1/2 pounds, Auburn University’s Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut caught 18 pounds on Saturday to win the Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship at Pickwick Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops with a three-day total of 53 pounds, 12 ounces.

Smith and Marbut never trailed in the event, claiming the lead on Day 1 with a 20-8 bag before landing 15-4 on the second day.

Together, it is the duo’s second victory in a Bassmaster Championship event. Their first win was also in wire-to-wire fashion at the 2020 Bassmaster High School National Championship at Kentucky Lake.

After winning that tournament, Smith and Marbut had conversations about what it would be like to win the College Championship when they teamed back up at Auburn. They made that hope a reality in their first season reunited as partners.

“The last couple of years we have joked about winning both National Championships. For it to actually happen and our dreams to come true this week, it is unbelievable,” Marbut said.

This victory only adds to Smith’s already impressive resume. Along with his three High School Championship titles, he won the 2021 Bassmaster College Team of the Year title with partner Logan Parks as well as the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open on Table Rock Lake.

The College Series Championship was an event Smith and Parks struggled with in their two attempts together, but Smith felt like this year at Pickwick would be different.

“We fished hard and, in the previous years I fished with Logan, we fished hard too but we didn’t get close,” Smith said. “This one felt different. This one felt special.”

With the victory, the Auburn anglers earned a spot in the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s. Smith finished second to Tristan McCormick at the 2021 Bracket on the Alabama River by 3 ounces and he has been anxious to get back ever since.

“The last time I was there, it really hurt my feelings,” Smith said. “It will be good to be back and get another chance at it.”

History pays off for Auburn on final day

Entering Championship Saturday, Smith and Marbut had a feeling their best two spots were drying up. After catching around 12 pounds between the two areas before midday, they made the decision to scrap their game plan and move to a ledge that has historically produced for them.

“At 12 o’clock we had 12 pounds,” Marbut said. “For it to happen in the last hour and a half, it is crazy.”

In practice, they scanned this particular spot and found only a couple of bass occupying it, but when they needed it the most, the spot was loaded and Smith and Marbut were able to quickly upgrade their final total.

“We threw the trolling motor down and there were a ton of fish there. It was magical,” Smith said. “It was a place that got hit by the current really well. It was near the main channel and once the clouds came over, it seemed like the bass grouped up really well and started feeding.”

While the current was almost too strong on Day 2, Marbut and Smith noticed it slowed down on the final day, which helped the bite as well.

A sneaky, offshore game plan

Smith and Marbut stayed offshore all week, hoping to find less-obvious places other competitors would overlook. They had two areas that produced best, one deep and one shallow. Both were relatively close to takeoff at Pickwick Landing State Park.

“We had never fished those spots until this tournament,” Smith said.

The majority of their weight the first two days came from the deeper school of bass, which was located in about 20 feet of water with shells on the bottom.

“We caught almost all of our weight on the first day and a good bit of our weight the second day off of it,” Marbut said. “It was kind of up on a flat, away from where most people would scan. I think only one other boat found it.”

Their secondary, shallow school was in about 12 feet of water.

“It was way off the river,” Marbut said. “And that’s what we looked for. We focused on looking for sneakier stuff that not everyone would find.”

To catch their fish, they used a rotation of baits which included an unnamed 5-inch swimbait, a 3/4-ounce Picasso tungsten football jig with a Yamamoto Yama Craw trailer, a 3/8-ounce drop shot with a morning dawn colored Roboworm FAT straight-tail worm and a Damiki rig.

Mullins, Cummings fish magic docks to finish second

With a three-day total of 50-13, Levi Mullins and Matthew Cummings from Bethel University finished second. It was the duo’s second straight Top 12 in the College Championship — and while they came up just a little short of the win, they earned a spot in the Classic Bracket.

“I’ve watched three of my teammates go and start their careers there. Now we are going to have that opportunity. It is crazy to think about that.” Mullins said.

“Losing the National Championship is a rough feeling, but knowing you are going to the Bracket makes that a little easier,” Cummings added.

As hard as they tried, Mullins and Cummings could not find a consistent offshore bite during practice. So, on the first day, the Bethel duo ran down to a set of magical docks they have fished in the past and milked the area for three days, catching 18-5, 14-14 and 17-10.

The final day was tough, but they filled their limit two minutes before running back to weigh in.

Brush was a key piece of cover underneath several of the docks, and bream and shad were plentiful in the area. Mullins skipped a 3/8-ounce Missile Baits Ike's Mini Flip Out jig in Bamer craw with a Missile Baits Mini D Chunk trailer most of the week while Cummings threw a Texas-rigged Senko in green pumpkin with a 3/16-ounce weight.

On the final two days, a ChatterBait also produced important keeper bites.

“Those docks have saved our tails three times now in tournaments,” Cummings said.

One area carries Montevallo to third

With bags of 17-8, 15-4 and 16-7, Brody Robison and Jack Alexander from the University of Montevallo finished third with a total of 49-3. Robison and Alexander spent most of practice scanning offshore areas of Pickwick Lake and found one spot that produced the majority of their bag.

“It was a straight river ledge, but there was a hard spot that stuck out into the current,” Robison said. “It was a great place for shells to group up and it also made a good feeding area for white bass and bass. We hung out there and tried to get five bass and we did it somehow.”

A drop shot, Damiki rig and Strike King 10XD were their three best baits.

Bracket details

The Top 3 teams punched their ticket to the College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s, details of which will be announced at a later date. Nick Dumke and Easton Fothergill from the University of Montevallo already claimed their spot by winning the Team of the Year title. Full coverage of the event will be available on Bassmaster.com.

The winner of the Bracket will compete in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota in Tulsa. Okla., and receive paid entry into the 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens with the use of a fully loaded Nitro Boat and Toyota Tundra.

2023 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship at Pickwick Lake
presented by Bass Pro Shops 8/10-8/12
Pickwick Lake, Counce  TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Hayden Marbut - Tucker Smith                 Auburn University                   250
Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   15-04     Day 3: 5   18-00   Total:  15  53-12
2.  Matthew Cummings - Levi Mullins              Bethel University                   249
Day 1: 5   18-05     Day 2: 5   14-14     Day 3: 5   17-10   Total:  15  50-13
3.  Brody Robison - Jack Alexander               University of Montevallo            248
Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   15-04     Day 3: 5   16-07   Total:  15  49-03
4.  Tyler Campbell - Parker Guy                  Emmanuel University                 247
Day 1: 5   17-13     Day 2: 5   16-06     Day 3: 4   14-06   Total:  14  48-09
5.  Easton Fothergill - Nick Dumke               University of Montevallo            246
Day 1: 5   18-05     Day 2: 5   15-12     Day 3: 5   14-00   Total:  15  48-01
6.  Joey Bissing - Jackson Paden                 University of Tennessee             245
Day 1: 5   17-12     Day 2: 5   13-15     Day 3: 5   16-00   Total:  15  47-11
7.  Adrian Urso - Cole Hadlock                   Murray State University             244
Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   17-11     Day 3: 5   15-07   Total:  15  47-08
8.  Blake Bullock - John Mark Berry              Blue Mountain Christian Universi    243
Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   18-03     Day 3: 5   14-12   Total:  15  47-00
9.  Evan Sutton - Grant Olsen                    McKendree University                242
Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 5   19-02     Day 3: 5   15-12   Total:  15  46-09
10. Hunter Suchsland - Cade Ludwig               University of Nebraska-Lincoln      241
Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 5   14-04     Day 3: 5   15-13   Total:  15  46-06
11. Tallis Morrison - Jonathan Hanna             Erskine College                     240
Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 5   18-05     Day 3: 5   13-04   Total:  15  44-03
12. Kyle Zainitzer - Avery Whitwell              University of North Alabama         239
Day 1: 5   19-08     Day 2: 5   12-15     Day 3: 3   09-01   Total:  13  41-08
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        60       459      1290-14
2        33       352       974-04
3        10        57       180-08
----------------------------------
103       868      2445-10

by AnglersChannel

Auburn's Smith, Marbut maintain lead on Day 2 of Bassmaster College Championship at Pickwick Lake

Hayden Marbut and Tucker Smith of Auburn University are leading after Day 2 of the Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship at Pickwick Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops with a two-day total of 35 pounds, 12 ounces. 

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.

August 11, 2023

COUNCE, Tenn. — Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut find themselves in familiar territory after Day 2 of the Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship at Pickwick Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops.

The Auburn University duo leads the 131-boat field with a two-day total of 35 pounds, 12 ounces, and have a chance to pull off the wire-to-wire win, similar to their 2020 Bassmaster High School Championship victory at Kentucky Lake.

“This tournament is huge,” Smith said. “The High School National Championships were the biggest deal to me ever at the time. This one now is an even bigger deal to me. We want to make the Classic Bracket, and we are going to put our heads down and try.”

It was a much tougher Day 2 for Smith, Marbut and the rest of the teams on the water Friday. After catching 20-8 the first day, the Auburn anglers caught just 15-4. But they still lead Emmanuel University’s Tyler Campbell and Parker Guy by 1-9.

“It was a lot tougher today,” Marbut said. “We had a handful of places we thought we could get bites on, but we only ended up getting bites on one or two places. We expected it to be a lot tougher, but it really was a grind today.”

While many anglers were hoping for more current after practice, they may have received too much as the TVA pulled over 70,000 cubic feet per second out of Pickwick Lake.

“We could tell that it was stronger today,” Smith said. “Hopefully they turn it down a little bit so we can catch some fish.”

Using their forward-facing sonar, Marbut said they found the bass more scattered and suspended than they were on Day 1, where they noticed bass more on the bottom.

But Smith and Marbut still filled their limit by 10 a.m. Instead of the “fun” baits, like big crankbaits, Smith said they had to slow down and finesse fish on Day 2 with a drop shot, football jig and a small swimbait.

“It was nice that we caught some early,” Smith said. “We thought we could run a bunch of places and catch a couple more and upgrade, but that did not happen. The fish are diminishing every day it seems like.”

During the first two days, Smith and Marbut bounced around between several areas, but on Championship Saturday, Smith said they will likely be staying in their best areas most of the day.

“Tomorrow we are going to run a couple places we know have fish and pray to God we catch five good ones,” Smith said.

Coming into the day in ninth with 17-13, Guy and Campbell added 16-6 to jump into second with a total of 34-3. This is Guy’s second-straight Top 12 finish in the National Championship after placing fourth last year at Winyah Bay with teammate Brooks Anderson.

The Emmanuel team has also fished primarily offshore this week, mixing in some other patterns when the time is right.

“Today was crazy,” Guy said. “We made a big long run yesterday and today. We caught a big one yesterday but today it didn’t work. We came back here and we pulled in on one place, a typical ledge school, and caught a couple and caught a limit.”

After catching a big one on that spot, they went and fished a couple other areas to add a couple more key fish. On their best ledge, bass are sitting on top in 20 feet of water and then all the way down the drop into 28 feet of water.

The key for Guy and Campbell has been slowing down their presentations.

“Fishing slow is a big, big deal right now. I see a lot of people fishing really fast and throwing big moving baits. We tried to slow way down and get some of those bites that other people aren’t getting,” Guy said.

“We were able to pull in behind people and get bites,” Campbell added. “We were counting rocks.”

The University of Montevallo duo of Nick Dumke and Easton Fothergill moved into third with a two-day total of 34-1. After landing 18-5 on Day 1, the 2023 Bassmaster College Team of the Year added 15-12 on Day 2 to become the first Team of the Year to reach the final day of the National Championship since the award’s inception in 2018.

“We have yet to be in a position to win a big event like this and to be here and have a shot is something we have been dreaming about for a long time,” Dumke said. “It means the world to be here.”

So far this week, Dumke and Fothergill have focused most of their time offshore, hoping to save the shallow bass they found until the final day. The majority of their bass have come on one offshore area where they have a group of around 100 bass located. It isn’t a typical school, however, as these bass are spread out.

They also aren’t easy to catch, and Dumke and Fothergill threw six or seven different baits to land their final limit.

Braydon Kelley and Trey McMeen of East Texas Baptist University landed the Big Bass of the Day, a 7-0 largemouth. Cole and Clay Taylor of Lander University still hold Big Bass of the Tournament honors with a 7-12 largemouth they caught on Day 1.

The Top 12 remaining teams will launch from Pickwick Landing State Park at 6 a.m. CT Saturday and return for weigh-in at 2 p.m. The Top 3 teams will punch their ticket to the College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s, details of which will be announced at a later date. Dumke and Fothergill have already claimed their spot by winning Team of the Year. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.

The winner of the Bracket will compete in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota in Tulsa. Okla., and receive paid entry into the 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens with the use of a fully loaded Nitro Boat and Toyota Tundra.

2023 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship at Pickwick Lake
presented by Bass Pro Shops 8/10-8/12
Pickwick Lake, Counce  TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Hayden Marbut - Tucker Smith                 Auburn University                   250
Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   15-04   Total:  10  35-12
2.  Tyler Campbell - Parker Guy                  Emmanuel University                 249
Day 1: 5   17-13     Day 2: 5   16-06   Total:  10  34-03
3.  Easton Fothergill - Nick Dumke               University of Montevallo            248
Day 1: 5   18-05     Day 2: 5   15-12   Total:  10  34-01
4.  Matthew Cummings - Levi Mullins              Bethel University                   247
Day 1: 5   18-05     Day 2: 5   14-14   Total:  10  33-03
5.  Brody Robison - Jack Alexander               University of Montevallo            246
Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   15-04   Total:  10  32-12
6.  Kyle Zainitzer - Avery Whitwell              University of North Alabama         245
Day 1: 5   19-08     Day 2: 5   12-15   Total:  10  32-07
7.  Blake Bullock - John Mark Berry              Blue Mountain Christian Universi    244
Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   18-03   Total:  10  32-04
8.  Adrian Urso - Cole Hadlock                   Murray State University             243
Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   17-11   Total:  10  32-01
9.  Joey Bissing - Jackson Paden                 University of Tennessee             242
Day 1: 5   17-12     Day 2: 5   13-15   Total:  10  31-11
10. Tallis Morrison - Jonathan Hanna             Erskine College                     241
Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 5   18-05   Total:  10  30-15
11. Evan Sutton - Grant Olsen                    McKendree University                240
Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 5   19-02   Total:  10  30-13
12. Hunter Suchsland - Cade Ludwig               University of Nebraska-Lincoln      239
Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 5   14-04   Total:  10  30-09
13. Mike Pierlott - Max Pierlott                 UNC Charlotte                       238
Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 5   14-15   Total:  10  30-09
14. Kaleb Brown - Cole Moulton                   Lander University                   237
Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 5   15-03   Total:  10  30-07
15. Austin Parr - Hunter White                   Erskine College                     236
Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 5   18-01   Total:  10  30-02
16. Dylan May - Carson Palmer                    Carson-Newman University            235
Day 1: 5   16-15     Day 2: 5   12-10   Total:  10  29-09
17. Henry Mcpherson - Matthew German             University of Alabama               234
Day 1: 4   11-05     Day 2: 5   17-03   Total:   9  28-08
18. Tim Herrmann - Justin Botts                  Bryan College                       233
Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 5   13-04   Total:  10  28-06
19. Hudson Choquette -                           University of Montevallo            232
Day 1: 5   14-10     Day 2: 5   13-07   Total:  10  28-01
20. Mason Hoke - Jayce Garrison                  Sam Houston State University        231
Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   14-08   Total:  10  28-00
21. Dalton DeFelice - Connor Tonkel              Southwestern Michigan College       230
Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 5   11-07   Total:  10  27-09
22. Dalton Eury - Zeb Roberts                    Catawba Valley Community College    229
Day 1: 5   15-03     Day 2: 5   12-02   Total:  10  27-05
23. Aric Szambelan - Tyler Flacke                Missouri State University           228
Day 1: 5   19-15     Day 2: 3   07-00   Total:   8  26-15
24. Ben Brockwell -                              Kentucky Christian University       227
Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 4   13-11   Total:   9  26-09
25. Beau Browning - Drake Sturgill               University of Montevallo            226
Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   11-06   Total:  10  25-10
26. Nathan Reynolds - Banks Shaw                 University of North Alabama         225
Day 1: 5   14-12     Day 2: 4   10-09   Total:   9  25-05
27. Cole Taylor - Clay Taylor                    Lander University                   224
Day 1: 4   18-12     Day 2: 2   06-02   Total:   6  24-14
28. Kyle Workman - Evan Barker                   Campbellsville University           223
Day 1: 4   10-08     Day 2: 5   14-06   Total:   9  24-14
29. James Willoughby - Jacob Pfundt              University of Montevallo            222
Day 1: 5   15-09     Day 2: 3   09-01   Total:   8  24-10
30. Merrick Diaz - Cade Hayford                  Campbellsville University           221
Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 4   10-12   Total:   9  24-10
31. Szymon Piton - Gavin Clevenger               Carson-Newman University            220
Day 1: 5   14-00     Day 2: 4   10-09   Total:   9  24-09
32. Hayden Pirman - Luke Chaddock                West Virginia University            219
Day 1: 5   19-09     Day 2: 2   04-14   Total:   7  24-07
33. Nate Triplett - Cy Lambert                   University of North Alabama         218
Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 4   13-00   Total:   9  24-04
34. Dylan Fogarty - Hunter Fillmore              Bethel University                   217
Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   12-10   Total:  10  24-04
35. Dylan Nutt - Carter Nutt                     University of North Alabama         216
Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 4   11-12   Total:   9  23-13
36. Will Oberman - Wil Rigdon                    Campbellsville University           215
Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 3   07-05   Total:   8  23-05
37. Anderson Jones - Max Muzones                 Lander University                   214
Day 1: 4   10-06     Day 2: 4   12-15   Total:   8  23-05
38. William Tew - Brayden Nichols                LSU - Shreveport                    213
Day 1: 5   10-08     Day 2: 5   12-10   Total:  10  23-02
39. Drake Hemby - Ewing Minor                    Carson-Newman University            212
Day 1: 5   14-09     Day 2: 4   08-07   Total:   9  23-00
40. Tripp Bowman - Matthew Nesbit                LSU - Shreveport                    211
Day 1: 5   14-09     Day 2: 3   08-03   Total:   8  22-12
41. Jared Hubbard - Riley Hendricks              Lander University                   210
Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 4   08-05   Total:   9  22-09
42. TJ McKenzie - Seth Jenkins                   Emmanuel University                 209
Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 2   04-11   Total:   7  21-00
43. Connor Cartmell - Andrew Vereen              Coastal Carolina University         208
Day 1: 2   07-02     Day 2: 4   13-10   Total:   6  20-12
44. Tyler Hudson - Evan Mcnaughton               Western Kentucky University         207
Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 3   05-07   Total:   8  20-08
45. Bryant Martin - Luke Batts                   LSU - Shreveport                    206
Day 1: 4   09-02     Day 2: 3   11-00   Total:   7  20-02
46. Hunter Townsend - Jonathan Wehner Jr         James Madison University            205
Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 3   09-06   Total:   8  20-00
47. Chris Baker - Elijah Kelley                  Kentucky Christian University       204
Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  19-07
48. Gus McLarry - Jared West                     Texas A&M Commerce                  203
Day 1: 2   05-11     Day 2: 5   13-10   Total:   7  19-05
49. Zachary Ward - Easton Bouma                  Drury University                    202
Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 2   04-09   Total:   7  19-04
50. Corey Morris - Brayden Mercer                East Texas Baptist University       201
Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 5   17-05   Total:   6  19-03
51. Sam Smith - Connor Jacob                     Auburn University                   200
Day 1: 4   09-14     Day 2: 3   09-05   Total:   7  19-03
52. Nate Kimberling - Matt Kavanaugh             University of Idaho                 199
Day 1: 3   05-13     Day 2: 5   13-03   Total:   8  19-00
53. Jeremy Monda - Bryson O'steen                Florida Gateway College             198
Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 3   08-11   Total:   8  18-15
54. Ryan Lachniet - Clay Oberman                 Campbellsville University           197
Day 1: 2   05-00     Day 2: 5   13-14   Total:   7  18-14
55. Hayden Gaddis - Ben Cully                    Carson-Newman University            196
Day 1: 4   09-01     Day 2: 4   09-13   Total:   8  18-14
56. Lane Clark - Adam Seagle                     Erskine College                     195
Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 2   05-00   Total:   7  18-12
57. Jonah Potts - Drew Fromm                     Wabash Valley College               194
Day 1: 3   06-01     Day 2: 5   12-10   Total:   8  18-11
58. Turner Hart - Summer Dees                    Bryan College                       193
Day 1: 4   10-02     Day 2: 3   08-09   Total:   7  18-11
59. Jaxson Freeman - Maxwell Trotter             McKendree University                192
Day 1: 5   11-03     Day 2: 2   07-02   Total:   7  18-05
60. Dylan Akins - Chase Carey                    Emmanuel University                 191
Day 1: 4   09-00     Day 2: 4   09-05   Total:   8  18-05
61. Brandon Martin - Cole Holloway               Emmanuel University                 190
Day 1: 5   16-07     Day 2: 1   01-13   Total:   6  18-04
62. Braylon Eggerding -                          Adrian College                      189
Day 1: 4   15-00     Day 2: 1   03-00   Total:   5  18-00
63. Trey Schroeder - Lane Stephens               McKendree University                188
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 1   03-08   Total:   6  17-15
64. Evan Fields -                                Campbellsville University           187
Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 3   10-05   Total:   6  17-15
65. Riley Faulkner - Cole Rankin                 Carson-Newman University            186
Day 1: 3   09-11     Day 2: 4   08-03   Total:   7  17-14
66. Jacob Butts - Mark Kershaw-Klara             USC Union                           185
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 1   03-04   Total:   6  17-11
67. Seth Slanker - Jackson Swisher               Florida Gateway College             184
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 1   03-00   Total:   6  17-07
68. Noah Vanderwall - Daniel Borrousch           Purdue University                   183
Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 3   05-15   Total:   8  16-13
69. Noah Trant - Evan Howe                       Northwestern State University       182
Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 1   02-14   Total:   6  16-10
70. TJ Edwards Jr -                              Blue Mountain Christian Universi    181
Day 1: 2   09-05     Day 2: 2   07-05   Total:   4  16-10
71. Will Ahnen - Caleb Knoll                     University of Wisconsin-La Cross    180
Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 2   04-15   Total:   7  16-09
72. Tyson Verkaik - Carson Kamien                University of Florida               179
Day 1: 1   02-01     Day 2: 5   14-07   Total:   6  16-08
73. Aaron Jagdfeld - Elliot Wielgopolski         Adrian College                      178
Day 1: 4   12-08     Day 2: 2   03-14   Total:   6  16-06
74. Andrew Ready - Harley Collins                Webber International University     177
Day 1: 5   13-09     Day 2: 1   02-09   Total:   6  16-02
75. Colby Carrier - Justin Frey                  Bethel University                   176
Day 1: 3   06-15     Day 2: 4   09-02   Total:   7  16-01
76. Sam Hanggi - Sam Hoesley                     Auburn University                   175
Day 1: 5   12-15     Day 2: 1   02-13   Total:   6  15-12
77. Nicholas Holtgrave - Colsyn Head             McKendree University                174
Day 1: 2   06-13     Day 2: 4   08-15   Total:   6  15-12
78. Grant Williams - Nathan MacDonald            Mississippi State University        173
Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 1   01-12   Total:   6  15-10
79. Jake Thornbury - Morgan Miracle              Campbellsville University           172
Day 1: 2   06-06     Day 2: 4   09-00   Total:   6  15-06
80. Tommy Dunaway - Seth Jones                   Florida Gateway College             171
Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 2   05-11   Total:   7  15-00
81. Chase Hubble - Brent May                     University of Florida               170
Day 1: 3   07-11     Day 2: 2   07-02   Total:   5  14-13
82. Ryan Park - Sam Niemeyer                     Murray State University             169
Day 1: 4   09-06     Day 2: 2   05-00   Total:   6  14-06
83. Hayden Scott - Jerry Brumbaugh Jr.           Adrian College                      168
Day 1: 1   03-01     Day 2: 5   11-03   Total:   6  14-04
84. Brenton Godwin - Hunter Odom                 University of Montevallo            167
Day 1: 2   05-11     Day 2: 3   08-08   Total:   5  14-03
85. Kaden Proffitt - Cason Ragsdale              East Texas Baptist University       166
Day 1: 4   10-05     Day 2: 2   03-11   Total:   6  14-00
86. Owen Januszewski - Matt Mosby                Adrian College                      165
Day 1: 2   04-12     Day 2: 3   08-09   Total:   5  13-05
87. Tyler Cory - Scott Sledge                    University of Montevallo            164
Day 1: 4   07-05     Day 2: 3   05-14   Total:   7  13-03
88. Smith McGregor - Ben Ivey                    University of North Alabama         163
Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  13-01
89. Jordan Brewer - Sam Harvey                   Auburn University                   162
Day 1: 5   12-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  12-15
90. Reese Walters - Garrett Walters              University of Alabama               161
Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  12-14
91. James Gillis - Blake Richards                Clarkson University                 160
Day 1: 4   09-01     Day 2: 2   03-08   Total:   6  12-09
92. Hunter McClaskey - Landon Lawson             King University                     159
Day 1: 2   05-13     Day 2: 3   06-10   Total:   5  12-07
93. Caleb Dachenhaus - Sam Shoemaker             Adrian College                      158
Day 1: 3   06-10     Day 2: 2   05-10   Total:   5  12-04
94. Landon Surrett - Hampton Shull               Lander University                   157
Day 1: 2   04-09     Day 2: 2   07-06   Total:   4  11-15
95. Braden Cox - Joel Berelsman                  Ohio State University               156
Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  10-13
96. Merritt Arnold - Chance Schwartz             University of Montevallo            155
Day 1: 3   10-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  10-10
97. Cole Dodson - Tyler Cain                     University of Montevallo            154
Day 1: 2   04-01     Day 2: 3   06-04   Total:   5  10-05
98. Levi Thibodaux - Chance Shelby               LSU - Shreveport                    153
Day 1: 2   05-05     Day 2: 2   04-10   Total:   4  09-15
99. Corey Yaden - Caleb Barrow                   Brewton-Parker College              152
Day 1: 3   09-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  09-12
100. Stevie Mills - Brady Duncan                  Carson-Newman University            151
Day 1: 4   09-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  09-08
100. Jackson Smith - Sawyer Williams              Bethel University                   151
Day 1: 4   09-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  09-08
102. Andrew Blanton - Jamison Bagwell             Lander University                   149
Day 1: 4   09-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  09-07
103. Kyle Simmons - Brett Halstead                Kansas State University             148
Day 1: 1   02-10     Day 2: 3   06-12   Total:   4  09-06
104. Bennett Slinkard - Carty Shoen               Auburn University                   147
Day 1: 2   05-12     Day 2: 2   03-08   Total:   4  09-04
105. Cal Culpepper - Ryan Thomas                  University of Montevallo            146
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   09-02   Total:   3  09-02
106. Brooks Anderson - Max Heaton                 Emmanuel University                 145
Day 1: 1   03-09     Day 2: 3   05-09   Total:   4  09-02
107. Jordan Pennington - Andrew Oswalt            University of Montevallo            144
Day 1: 1   02-00     Day 2: 2   06-11   Total:   3  08-11
108. Cabe Mackey - William Hammond                Catawba Valley Community College    143
Day 1: 2   05-11     Day 2: 1   02-01   Total:   3  07-12
109. Luke Glasgow - Logan Barrett                 Mississippi State University        142
Day 1: 2   05-04     Day 2: 1   02-06   Total:   3  07-10
110. Peyton Harris - Dalton Head                  University of Montevallo            141
Day 1: 3   07-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  07-08
111. Eric Wawrzyniak - Dylan Crystaloski          Penn State University               140
Day 1: 1   02-06     Day 2: 2   04-15   Total:   3  07-05
112. Clayton Easter - Trevor Easter               Tarleton State University           139
Day 1: 1   02-02     Day 2: 3   05-02   Total:   4  07-04
113. Colton Hill - Tomas Matual                   McKendree University                138
Day 1: 2   02-15     Day 2: 2   04-04   Total:   4  07-03
114. Myles Steward - Trey Zagrzebski              University of Wisconsin-Stevens     137
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   07-02   Total:   2  07-02
115. Nick Redlin - Benjamin Redlin                University of Wisonsin-Plattevil    136
Day 1: 2   04-15     Day 2: 1   02-02   Total:   3  07-01
116. Braydon Kelley - Trey McMeen                 East Texas Baptist University       135
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   07-00   Total:   1  07-00
117. Braden Fairbanks -                           Kentucky Christian University       134
Day 1: 2   06-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  06-03
118. Seth Elkins - Dale Hansard                   Jacksonville State University       133
Day 1: 2   04-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  04-15
119. Garrett Warren - Jake Peck                   Auburn University                   132
Day 1: 1   02-05     Day 2: 1   02-04   Total:   2  04-09
120. Nathan Lee - Chase Bolden                    University of Wisconsin-Plattevi    131
Day 1: 2   04-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  04-02
121. Jake Monti - Samuel Dunson                   UNC Charlotte                       130
Day 1: 1   04-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  04-00
122. Wes Bailey - Lake Norsworthy                 Blue Mountain Christian Universi    129
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   03-12   Total:   2  03-12
122. Blake Milligan - Matthew Parrish             Auburn University                   129
Day 1: 2   03-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  03-12
124. Garrett Thompson - Ethan Perry               West Virginia University            127
Day 1: 1   03-09     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  03-09
125. Christian Turner - John Gray                 Coastal Carolina University         126
Day 1: 1   03-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  03-03
126. Fisher Hill - Paris Mccullers                Murray State College                125
Day 1: 1   02-04     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-04
127. Jacob Silver -                               Western Carolina University         124
Day 1: 1   02-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-03
128. Logan Plueger - Charlie Wright               University of Montevallo            123
Day 1: 1   01-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  01-11
129. Mitch Johnson - Gunner Whitaker              Kentucky Christian University         0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
129. Giancarlo Russo -                            Florida Gateway College               0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
129. Zachary Verbrugge -                          Mohave Community College              0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        60       459      1290-14
2        33       352       974-04
----------------------------------
93       811      2265-02

by AnglersChannel

Auburn duo maximizes offshore bites to take Day 1 lead at Bassmaster College Series Championship on Pickwick Lake

Hayden Marbut and Tucker Smith of Auburn University are leading after Day 1 of the Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship at Pickwick Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops with 20 pounds, 8 ounces. 

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.

August 10, 2023

COUNCE, Tenn. — Taking advantage of the increase in current generation, the Auburn University duo of Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut claimed the Day 1 lead at the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship at Pickwick Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops by catching a limit of largemouth weighing 20 pounds, 8 ounces.

They hold a 9-ounce lead over Missouri State’s Aric Szambelan and Tyler Flacke, who fell just an ounce shy of breaking the 20-pound mark. Hayden Pirman and Luke Chaddock of West Virginia University are third with 19-9.

In 2020, Smith and Marbut were crowned Bassmaster High School National Champions on Kentucky Lake, leading that event from start to finish. Now, they have teamed up again at Auburn and continue to show they are a winning combination.

“It would be really cool to win both,” Marbut said. “We still have a lot of fishing left to do. We have two more days.”

So far, Pickwick has fished better than many teams had expected. Five bags over 19 pounds hit the scales on the opening day, and if the Top 12 cut was made today, Carson-Newman’s Dylan May and Carson Palmer would be the final team in with 16-15.

The improved numbers likely have a lot to do with the influx of rain from heavy thunderstorms that have moved through the area the last few days.

“(The Tennessee Valley Authority) was pulling about 30,000 (cubic feet per second) all week and they are pulling 50,000 today and are supposed to pull 55,000 tomorrow,” Marbut commented.

While it looked good on paper, there were plenty of lulls throughout the day for the Auburn team. Of the 30 areas they fished, only three produced bites. Still, Smith said the duo landed the majority of their weight by 9 a.m.

“We bounced around and hit a bunch of places, but it was tough during the midday,” Smith said. “We made one stop at the end of the day and caught a big one.”

Fishing mainly offshore ledges, the duo has found schools in about 12 feet of water all the way out to 20 feet of water. Of those schools, they said three are better than the rest, one in shallow water and the other two deep.

To catch their bass, they have been rotating through the standard ledge-fishing arsenal, baits like deeper-diving crankbaits, swimbaits and jigs.

“We have some that not everyone found,” Marbut said. “We scanned the whole practice and looked for some sneakier stuff that not everyone would be on.”

Using forward-facing sonar, Marbut and Smith have noticed most of their bass have been relating to the bottom of the ledge. Many of their spots don’t have baitfish around — and when a ball of shad does show up, it scatters the bass.

“We’ll see some bait come over the top of them and the bass will start chasing them. It kind of pulls them off the place, so it’s not really the best,” Smith said.

It was a slow start for Szambelan and Flacke. But when showers moved out of the area around midday, the bass began to bite and the Missouri State duo was able to take advantage.

“We stayed calm, kept our heads up and kept fishing,” Flacke said. “We had our final bag around 1.”

Similar to Smith and Marbut, Szambelan and Flacke are focusing on offshore ledges, finding more bass in the 12- to 15-foot range. A couple of baits, including a drop shot and small swimbait, produced most of their weight.

“We have a handful of spots, but they are all getting pressured by a bunch of different guys,” Szambelan said. “We found seven schools in practice. They were pretty good when we found them, but we were only able to hit one or two today.”

Forward-facing sonar has helped them pick off some of the bass that are suspended or roaming. Szambelan said it has been about 50/50 as to whether the bass were set up on the bottom or suspended.

While it didn’t go exactly as they planned, Pirman and Chaddock caught their 19-9 Day 1 limit in areas where they found success during practice.

After a lull, the West Virginia duo discovered a new pattern and was able to make a couple of key culls. They switched between deep and shallow areas and power fished with a couple of baits.

With more sun in the forecast Friday, they hope the secondary pattern will hold up.

Cole and Clay Taylor from Lander University in South Carolina caught a 7-12 largemouth to take Big Bass of the Day honors.

The full field will take off from Pickwick Landing State Park at 6 a.m. CT and return at 2 p.m. for weigh-in. The field will be cut to the Top 12 after the Day 2 weigh-in. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.

2023 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship at Pickwick Lake
presented by Bass Pro Shops 8/10-8/12
Pickwick Lake, Counce  TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Hayden Marbut - Tucker Smith                 Auburn University                   250
Day 1: 5   20-08   Total:   5  20-08
2.  Aric Szambelan - Tyler Flacke                Missouri State University           249
Day 1: 5   19-15   Total:   5  19-15
3.  Hayden Pirman - Luke Chaddock                West Virginia University            248
Day 1: 5   19-09   Total:   5  19-09
4.  Kyle Zainitzer - Avery Whitwell              University of North Alabama         247
Day 1: 5   19-08   Total:   5  19-08
5.  Chris Baker - Elijah Kelley                  Kentucky Christian University       246
Day 1: 5   19-07   Total:   5  19-07
6.  Cole Taylor - Clay Taylor                    Lander University                   245
Day 1: 4   18-12   Total:   4  18-12
7.  Matthew Cummings - Levi Mullins              Bethel University                   244
Day 1: 5   18-05   Total:   5  18-05
7.  Easton Fothergill - Nick Dumke               University of Montevallo            244
Day 1: 5   18-05   Total:   5  18-05
9.  Tyler Campbell - Parker Guy                  Emmanuel University                 242
Day 1: 5   17-13   Total:   5  17-13
10. Joey Bissing - Jackson Paden                 University of Tennessee             241
Day 1: 5   17-12   Total:   5  17-12
11. Brody Robison - Jack Alexander               University of Montevallo            240
Day 1: 5   17-08   Total:   5  17-08
12. Dylan May - Carson Palmer                    Carson-Newman University            239
Day 1: 5   16-15   Total:   5  16-15
13. Brandon Martin - Cole Holloway               Emmanuel University                 238
Day 1: 5   16-07   Total:   5  16-07
14. TJ McKenzie - Seth Jenkins                   Emmanuel University                 237
Day 1: 5   16-05   Total:   5  16-05
14. Hunter Suchsland - Cade Ludwig               University of Nebraska-Lincoln      237
Day 1: 5   16-05   Total:   5  16-05
16. Dalton DeFelice - Connor Tonkel              Southwestern Michigan College       235
Day 1: 5   16-02   Total:   5  16-02
17. Will Oberman - Wil Rigdon                    Campbellsville University           234
Day 1: 5   16-00   Total:   5  16-00
18. Mike Pierlott - Max Pierlott                 UNC Charlotte                       233
Day 1: 5   15-10   Total:   5  15-10
19. James Willoughby - Jacob Pfundt              University of Montevallo            232
Day 1: 5   15-09   Total:   5  15-09
20. Kaleb Brown - Cole Moulton                   Lander University                   231
Day 1: 5   15-04   Total:   5  15-04
21. Dalton Eury - Zeb Roberts                    Catawba Valley Community College    230
Day 1: 5   15-03   Total:   5  15-03
22. Tim Herrmann - Justin Botts                  Bryan College                       229
Day 1: 5   15-02   Total:   5  15-02
23. Tyler Hudson - Evan Mcnaughton               Western Kentucky University         228
Day 1: 5   15-01   Total:   5  15-01
24. Braylon Eggerding -                          Adrian College                      227
Day 1: 4   15-00   Total:   4  15-00
25. Nathan Reynolds - Banks Shaw                 University of North Alabama         226
Day 1: 5   14-12   Total:   5  14-12
26. Zachary Ward - Easton Bouma                  Drury University                    225
Day 1: 5   14-11   Total:   5  14-11
27. Hudson Choquette -                           University of Montevallo            224
Day 1: 5   14-10   Total:   5  14-10
28. Tripp Bowman - Matthew Nesbit                LSU - Shreveport                    223
Day 1: 5   14-09   Total:   5  14-09
29. Drake Hemby - Ewing Minor                    Carson-Newman University            222
Day 1: 5   14-09   Total:   5  14-09
30. Jacob Butts - Mark Kershaw-Klara             USC Union                           221
Day 1: 5   14-07   Total:   5  14-07
30. Trey Schroeder - Lane Stephens               McKendree University                221
Day 1: 5   14-07   Total:   5  14-07
32. Seth Slanker - Jackson Swisher               Florida Gateway College             219
Day 1: 5   14-07   Total:   5  14-07
33. Adrian Urso - Cole Hadlock                   Murray State University             218
Day 1: 5   14-06   Total:   5  14-06
34. Beau Browning - Drake Sturgill               University of Montevallo            217
Day 1: 5   14-04   Total:   5  14-04
35. Jared Hubbard - Riley Hendricks              Lander University                   216
Day 1: 5   14-04   Total:   5  14-04
36. Blake Bullock - John Mark Berry              Blue Mountain Christian Universi    215
Day 1: 5   14-01   Total:   5  14-01
37. Szymon Piton - Gavin Clevenger               Carson-Newman University            214
Day 1: 5   14-00   Total:   5  14-00
38. Merrick Diaz - Cade Hayford                  Campbellsville University           213
Day 1: 5   13-14   Total:   5  13-14
38. Grant Williams - Nathan MacDonald            Mississippi State University        213
Day 1: 5   13-14   Total:   5  13-14
40. Lane Clark - Adam Seagle                     Erskine College                     211
Day 1: 5   13-12   Total:   5  13-12
40. Noah Trant - Evan Howe                       Northwestern State University       211
Day 1: 5   13-12   Total:   5  13-12
42. Andrew Ready - Harley Collins                Webber International University     209
Day 1: 5   13-09   Total:   5  13-09
43. Mason Hoke - Jayce Garrison                  Sam Houston State University        208
Day 1: 5   13-08   Total:   5  13-08
44. Smith McGregor - Ben Ivey                    University of North Alabama         207
Day 1: 5   13-01   Total:   5  13-01
45. Jordan Brewer - Sam Harvey                   Auburn University                   206
Day 1: 5   12-15   Total:   5  12-15
45. Sam Hanggi - Sam Hoesley                     Auburn University                   206
Day 1: 5   12-15   Total:   5  12-15
47. Ben Brockwell -                              Kentucky Christian University       204
Day 1: 5   12-14   Total:   5  12-14
47. Reese Walters - Garrett Walters              University of Alabama               204
Day 1: 5   12-14   Total:   5  12-14
49. Tallis Morrison - Jonathan Hanna             Erskine College                     202
Day 1: 5   12-10   Total:   5  12-10
50. Aaron Jagdfeld - Elliot Wielgopolski         Adrian College                      201
Day 1: 4   12-08   Total:   4  12-08
51. Dylan Nutt - Carter Nutt                     University of North Alabama         200
Day 1: 5   12-01   Total:   5  12-01
51. Austin Parr - Hunter White                   Erskine College                     200
Day 1: 5   12-01   Total:   5  12-01
53. Evan Sutton - Grant Olsen                    McKendree University                198
Day 1: 5   11-11   Total:   5  11-11
54. Will Ahnen - Caleb Knoll                     University of Wisconsin-La Cross    197
Day 1: 5   11-10   Total:   5  11-10
54. Dylan Fogarty - Hunter Fillmore              Bethel University                   197
Day 1: 5   11-10   Total:   5  11-10
56. Henry Mcpherson - Matthew German             University of Alabama               195
Day 1: 4   11-05   Total:   4  11-05
57. Nate Triplett - Cy Lambert                   University of North Alabama         194
Day 1: 5   11-04   Total:   5  11-04
58. Jaxson Freeman - Maxwell Trotter             McKendree University                193
Day 1: 5   11-03   Total:   5  11-03
59. Noah Vanderwall - Daniel Borrousch           Purdue University                   192
Day 1: 5   10-14   Total:   5  10-14
60. Braden Cox - Joel Berelsman                  Ohio State University               191
Day 1: 5   10-13   Total:   5  10-13
61. Hunter Townsend - Jonathan Wehner Jr         James Madison University            190
Day 1: 5   10-10   Total:   5  10-10
62. Merritt Arnold - Chance Schwartz             University of Montevallo            189
Day 1: 3   10-10   Total:   3  10-10
63. William Tew - Brayden Nichols                LSU - Shreveport                    188
Day 1: 5   10-08   Total:   5  10-08
64. Kyle Workman - Evan Barker                   Campbellsville University           187
Day 1: 4   10-08   Total:   4  10-08
65. Anderson Jones - Max Muzones                 Lander University                   186
Day 1: 4   10-06   Total:   4  10-06
66. Kaden Proffitt - Cason Ragsdale              East Texas Baptist University       185
Day 1: 4   10-05   Total:   4  10-05
67. Jeremy Monda - Bryson O'steen                Florida Gateway College             184
Day 1: 5   10-04   Total:   5  10-04
68. Turner Hart - Summer Dees                    Bryan College                       183
Day 1: 4   10-02   Total:   4  10-02
69. Sam Smith - Connor Jacob                     Auburn University                   182
Day 1: 4   09-14   Total:   4  09-14
70. Corey Yaden - Caleb Barrow                   Brewton-Parker College              181
Day 1: 3   09-12   Total:   3  09-12
71. Riley Faulkner - Cole Rankin                 Carson-Newman University            180
Day 1: 3   09-11   Total:   3  09-11
72. Stevie Mills - Brady Duncan                  Carson-Newman University            179
Day 1: 4   09-08   Total:   4  09-08
72. Jackson Smith - Sawyer Williams              Bethel University                   179
Day 1: 4   09-08   Total:   4  09-08
74. Andrew Blanton - Jamison Bagwell             Lander University                   177
Day 1: 4   09-07   Total:   4  09-07
75. Ryan Park - Sam Niemeyer                     Murray State University             176
Day 1: 4   09-06   Total:   4  09-06
76. Tommy Dunaway - Seth Jones                   Florida Gateway College             175
Day 1: 5   09-05   Total:   5  09-05
77. TJ Edwards Jr -                              Blue Mountain Christian Universi    174
Day 1: 2   09-05   Total:   2  09-05
78. Bryant Martin - Luke Batts                   LSU - Shreveport                    173
Day 1: 4   09-02   Total:   4  09-02
79. Hayden Gaddis - Ben Cully                    Carson-Newman University            172
Day 1: 4   09-01   Total:   4  09-01
79. James Gillis - Blake Richards                Clarkson University                 172
Day 1: 4   09-01   Total:   4  09-01
81. Dylan Akins - Chase Carey                    Emmanuel University                 170
Day 1: 4   09-00   Total:   4  09-00
82. Chase Hubble - Brent May                     University of Florida               169
Day 1: 3   07-11   Total:   3  07-11
83. Evan Fields -                                Campbellsville University           168
Day 1: 3   07-10   Total:   3  07-10
84. Peyton Harris - Dalton Head                  University of Montevallo            167
Day 1: 3   07-08   Total:   3  07-08
85. Tyler Cory - Scott Sledge                    University of Montevallo            166
Day 1: 4   07-05   Total:   4  07-05
86. Connor Cartmell - Andrew Vereen              Coastal Carolina University         165
Day 1: 2   07-02   Total:   2  07-02
87. Colby Carrier - Justin Frey                  Bethel University                   164
Day 1: 3   06-15   Total:   3  06-15
88. Nicholas Holtgrave - Colsyn Head             McKendree University                163
Day 1: 2   06-13   Total:   2  06-13
89. Caleb Dachenhaus - Sam Shoemaker             Adrian College                      162
Day 1: 3   06-10   Total:   3  06-10
90. Jake Thornbury - Morgan Miracle              Campbellsville University           161
Day 1: 2   06-06   Total:   2  06-06
91. Braden Fairbanks -                           Kentucky Christian University       160
Day 1: 2   06-03   Total:   2  06-03
92. Jonah Potts - Drew Fromm                     Wabash Valley College               159
Day 1: 3   06-01   Total:   3  06-01
93. Nate Kimberling - Matt Kavanaugh             University of Idaho                 158
Day 1: 3   05-13   Total:   3  05-13
94. Hunter McClaskey - Landon Lawson             King University                     157
Day 1: 2   05-13   Total:   2  05-13
95. Bennett Slinkard - Carty Shoen               Auburn University                   156
Day 1: 2   05-12   Total:   2  05-12
96. Brenton Godwin - Hunter Odom                 University of Montevallo            155
Day 1: 2   05-11   Total:   2  05-11
96. Cabe Mackey - William Hammond                Catawba Valley Community College    155
Day 1: 2   05-11   Total:   2  05-11
96. Gus McLarry - Jared West                     Texas A&M Commerce                  155
Day 1: 2   05-11   Total:   2  05-11
99. Levi Thibodaux - Chance Shelby               LSU - Shreveport                    152
Day 1: 2   05-05   Total:   2  05-05
100. Luke Glasgow - Logan Barrett                 Mississippi State University        151
Day 1: 2   05-04   Total:   2  05-04
101. Ryan Lachniet - Clay Oberman                 Campbellsville University           150
Day 1: 2   05-00   Total:   2  05-00
102. Seth Elkins - Dale Hansard                   Jacksonville State University       149
Day 1: 2   04-15   Total:   2  04-15
102. Nick Redlin - Benjamin Redlin                University of Wisconsin-Plattevil   149
Day 1: 2   04-15   Total:   2  04-15
104. Owen Januszewski - Matt Mosby                Adrian College                      147
Day 1: 2   04-12   Total:   2  04-12
105. Landon Surrett - Hampton Shull               Lander University                   146
Day 1: 2   04-09   Total:   2  04-09
106. Nathan Lee - Chase Bolden                    University of Wisconsin-Plattevi    145
Day 1: 2   04-02   Total:   2  04-02
107. Cole Dodson - Tyler Cain                     University of Montevallo            144
Day 1: 2   04-01   Total:   2  04-01
108. Jake Monti - Samuel Dunson                   UNC Charlotte                       143
Day 1: 1   04-00   Total:   1  04-00
109. Blake Milligan - Matthew Parrish             Auburn University                   142
Day 1: 2   03-12   Total:   2  03-12
110. Brooks Anderson - Max Heaton                 Emmanuel University                 141
Day 1: 1   03-09   Total:   1  03-09
110. Garrett Thompson - Ethan Perry               West Virginia University            141
Day 1: 1   03-09   Total:   1  03-09
112. Christian Turner - John Gray                 Coastal Carolina University         139
Day 1: 1   03-03   Total:   1  03-03
113. Hayden Scott - Jerry Brumbaugh Jr.           Adrian College                      138
Day 1: 1   03-01   Total:   1  03-01
114. Colton Hill - Tomas Matual                   McKendree University                137
Day 1: 2   02-15   Total:   2  02-15
115. Kyle Simmons - Brett Halstead                Kansas State University             136
Day 1: 1   02-10   Total:   1  02-10
116. Eric Wawrzyniak - Dylan Crystaloski          Penn State University               135
Day 1: 1   02-06   Total:   1  02-06
117. Garrett Warren - Jake Peck                   Auburn University                   134
Day 1: 1   02-05   Total:   1  02-05
118. Fisher Hill - Paris Mccullers                Murray State College                133
Day 1: 1   02-04   Total:   1  02-04
119. Jacob Silver -                               Western Carolina University         132
Day 1: 1   02-03   Total:   1  02-03
120. Clayton Easter - Trevor Easter               Tarleton State University           131
Day 1: 1   02-02   Total:   1  02-02
121. Tyson Verkaik - Carson Kamien                University of Florida               130
Day 1: 1   02-01   Total:   1  02-01
122. Jordan Pennington - Andrew Oswalt            University of Montevallo            129
Day 1: 1   02-00   Total:   1  02-00
123. Corey Morris - Brayden Mercer                East Texas Baptist University       128
Day 1: 1   01-14   Total:   1  01-14
124. Logan Plueger - Charlie Wright               University of Montevallo            127
Day 1: 1   01-11   Total:   1  01-11
125. Wes Bailey - Lake Norsworthy                 Blue Mountain Christian Universi      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
125. Cal Culpepper - Ryan Thomas                  University of Montevallo              0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
125. Mitch Johnson - Gunner Whitaker              Kentucky Christian University         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
125. Braydon Kelley - Trey McMeen                 East Texas Baptist University         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
125. Giancarlo Russo -                            Florida Gateway College               0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
125. Myles Steward - Trey Zagrzebski              University of Wisconsin-Stevens       0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
125. Zachary Verbrugge -                          Mohave Community College              0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        60       459      1290-14
----------------------------------
60       459      1290-14

by AnglersChannel