Tim Dube of Nashua, N. H., is leading after Day 1 of the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Lake Hartwell with 16 pounds, 3 ounces.

Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.

October 18, 2023

ANDERSON, S.C. — Tim Dube had never fished a competitive round on Lake Hartwell prior to Wednesday’s start of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.

But he went out and treated the place like home water.

Dube, a 29-year-old New Hampshire resident, caught a limit of five spotted bass for a total of 16 pounds, 3 ounces. That was enough to give him a 2-ounce lead over defending B.A.S.S. Nation Champion and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Will Davis Jr., who finished Day 1 with 16-1.

“It was tough to even get fish to bite in practice,” Dube said. “But I got a tip from my co-angler from New Hampshire, and I ran some stuff I found in pre-practices. I just got the right ones to bite today. And I had room to grow, too. I had a 5-pounder break off at the boat.”

Dube was tightlipped when it came to the lures he used to hook Day 1’s big bag, but he indicated he’s covering a lot of water and power fishing.

“I’m doing something different, and I don’t have any boats around me,” he said. “(The key) has been finding the right brushpiles and the canepiles. The fish need to be set up on them right and to be unpressured, if there is such a thing here.”

Dube said he’ll continue with the tactics that helped him climb into the pole position on Day 1.

“I could get 8 pounds and I could get 18 pounds,” he said. “The good thing is the fish seem to reload every day. There are so many fish in this lake. It’s just a matter of getting them to bite.”

Davis, 31, already knows what it takes to win a B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, having won the 2022 title on Pickwick Lake. That got the Sylacauga, Ala., resident into the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville (he finished 40th of 55 anglers). It also earned him a spot on the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series, and he impressed there, winning a derby on Lay Lake back in May and finishing fifth in the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings.

Davis said those experiences have given him plenty of confidence.

“It got my mind right to compete at another level,” he said. “Fishing is all about confidence. If you don’t have it, you might as well not even put a boat in the water.

“And Hartwell fits my style pretty well. I know the way the spotted bass behave some days. But they’ll change up on you. I must’ve fished 50 spots today and I only caught fish on four of them.”

Davis said three of his keepers came on a Davis Bait Company Wood Jig, and one each on a Davis 1/2-ounce spinnerbait (peacock color) and a Davis Shaky Head.

“That Wood Jig is a bad dude,” he said. “It’s a phenomenal bait when you power fish and want to cover a lot of water.”

Maryland’s Andrew Sams is third in the boater division with 14-8. South Africa’s Andrew Nienaber is fourth with 14-7 and Michigan’s Nic Rand is fifth with 14-5. Georgia’s Chris Moody, who’s in sixth place with 14-3, caught the heaviest bass in the boater field (4-4).

Cole Buser, who’s representing New Mexico, leads the nonboater field with a limit that weighed 13 pounds. Virginia’s Larry Witt is second with 11-11 and Kansas’ Kyle Klein is third with 10-15. Klein’s 4-8 spot was the heavy on Wednesday.

A total of 113 B.A.S.S. Nation anglers from 48 states and eight foreign countries are competing at Hartwell — the storied 56,000-acre reservoir straddling the South Carolina-Georgia border. Fifty-eight competitors are in the boater field and another 55 are nonboaters. Each finished atop their state standings at one of five B.A.S.S. Nation regionals this year to qualify for the championship.

Davis is fishing alone, as is customary for the defending champion. So are Jurgen Geiger of Namibia and Texas’ Jack Barber, who is representing the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Besides the U.S. and Namibia, other countries represented this week include Canada, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Japan, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The field will be cut after the Day 2 weigh-in, with the Top 10 boaters advancing to the third and final day of competition. Anglers from each of the five B.A.S.S Nation regions that don’t have a Top 10 weight after Day 2 also will advance to the final round, as will any nonboater whose weight is equal to or greater than any boater in the Top 10.

The Top 10 in each field will split a cash purse of $96,500, including Big Bass awards ($1,000 to the boater and $500 to the nonboater), as well as a $500 award to the angler using Garmin Electronics who finishes highest in the boater field.

The top three boaters will earn a spot in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees near Tulsa, Okla., scheduled for March 22-24. The winner will qualify for the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series.

Day 2 of the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship will begin with a 7:30 a.m. ET takeoff from Green Pond Landing. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. Follow all the action on Bassmaster.com.

Visit Anderson is hosting the event.

2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Timothy Dube           Nashua, NH               5  16-03    0
Day 1: 5   16-03
2.  Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL            5  16-01    0
Day 1: 5   16-01
3.  Andrew Sams            Easton, MD               5  14-08    0
Day 1: 5   14-08
4.  Andrew Nienaber        Cape Town Western Cape   5  14-07    0
Day 1: 5   14-07
5.  Nic Rand               Kalamazoo, MI            5  14-05    0
Day 1: 5   14-05
6.  Chris Moody            Brooks, GA               5  14-03    0
Day 1: 5   14-03
7.  Zach Taylor            Kimberly, ID             5  14-00    0
Day 1: 5   14-00
8.  Tyler Darling          Rapid City, SD           5  13-12    0
Day 1: 5   13-12
9.  Josh Wiesner           Fon du Lac, WI           5  13-08    0
Day 1: 5   13-08
10. Taylor Umland          Carlock, IL              5  12-13    0
Day 1: 5   12-13
11. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME             5  12-08    0
Day 1: 5   12-08
12. Nate Caldwell          Fort Collins, CO         5  12-04    0
Day 1: 5   12-04
13. Blake Wilson           Benton, AR               5  12-00    0
Day 1: 5   12-00
14. Cole Findley           Forsyth, MO              5  11-15    0
Day 1: 5   11-15
15. Riley Nielsen          Murray, UT               5  11-13    0
Day 1: 5   11-13
16. Tyler Ramsey           Sand Springs, OK         5  11-10    0
Day 1: 5   11-10
17. Aaron Green            Everett, PA              5  11-07    0
Day 1: 5   11-07
18. Zeke Gossett           Pell City, AL            5  11-04    0
Day 1: 5   11-04
19. BJ Baxter              Willshire, OH            5  11-01    0
Day 1: 5   11-01
19. Jordan Card            Knoxville, TN            5  11-01    0
Day 1: 5   11-01
19. Cody Steckel           Las Vegas, NV            5  11-01    0
Day 1: 5   11-01
22. Kevin Walton           Norfolk, VA              5  10-15    0
Day 1: 5   10-15
23. Jess Pottenger         Harrison, ID             5  10-13    0
Day 1: 5   10-13
24. Austin Bonjour         Templeton, CA            5  10-10    0
Day 1: 5   10-10
25. Brian La Clair         Denton, MD               5  10-09    0
Day 1: 5   10-09
26. Cody Hollen            Beaverton, OR            5  10-02    0
Day 1: 5   10-02
27. Dave Frost             Mount Dora, FL           5  10-00    0
Day 1: 5   10-00
28. Troy Diede             Sioux Falls, SD          5  09-14    0
Day 1: 5   09-14
29. Gary Pope              Georgetown, SC           5  09-07    0
Day 1: 5   09-07
30. Andrej Chowaniec       Beeton Ontario CANADA    5  09-06    0
Day 1: 5   09-06
31. Matthew Abeyta         Albuquerque, NM          5  09-04    0
Day 1: 5   09-04
32. Adam Hamann            Prairie Du Chien, IA     5  09-03    0
Day 1: 5   09-03
33. Michael Mello Jr       Manville, RI             5  09-00    0
Day 1: 5   09-00
34. Byron Albrecht         Waco, TX                 5  08-12    0
Day 1: 5   08-12
34. Manuel Cruz            Clifton, NJ              5  08-12    0
Day 1: 5   08-12
36. Jay Swanson            Lakeville, MN            5  08-10    0
Day 1: 5   08-10
37. Jurgen Geiger          Luxury Hill Windoek  NA  5  08-05    0
Day 1: 5   08-05
37. Brian Hensley          Edwardsburg, MI          5  08-05    0
Day 1: 5   08-05
39. Frankie Mueller        Kingman, AZ              5  08-00    0
Day 1: 5   08-00
39. Matthew Nobile         Sorrento, LA             5  08-00    0
Day 1: 5   08-00
41. Marc Leech             Kings Mountian , NC      5  07-15    0
Day 1: 5   07-15
42. Ken Day                Kennewick, WA            5  07-00    0
Day 1: 5   07-00
43. Dustin Hollen          Buckhannon, WV           5  06-13    0
Day 1: 5   06-13
44. Luis Tavares Mendes    Cernache Do Bonjardim P  5  06-11    0
Day 1: 5   06-11
45. Andre Kondonis         Harare ZIMBABWE          4  06-10    0
Day 1: 4   06-10
46. Jacob Marcantonio      Moosup, CT               5  05-11    0
Day 1: 5   05-11
47. Jerry  Pape            Bella Vista, AR          5  05-10    0
Day 1: 5   05-10
48. Sean Andrachick        Marion, MT               4  05-10    0
Day 1: 4   05-10
49. Lukas Matt             Syracuse, NY             5  05-02    0
Day 1: 5   05-02
50. Andy Gill              Wellsville, KS           3  04-00    0
Day 1: 3   04-00
51. Richard Young Jr       Melbourne, KY            4  03-15    0
Day 1: 4   03-15
52. Mickey Soler           Newington, CT            3  03-11    0
Day 1: 3   03-11
53. Chad Warnol            Moss Point, MS           2  03-06    0
Day 1: 2   03-06
54. Oscar Gonzalez         Barcelona SPAIN          2  02-11    0
Day 1: 2   02-11
54. Jorge Trapero Barraza  Culiac n Rosales TX MEX  2  02-11    0
Day 1: 2   02-11
56. Jackie Barber          West , TX                2  02-09    0
Day 1: 2   02-09
57. Thomas Waltz           St. Albans, VT           1  01-05    0
Day 1: 1   01-05
58. Yoshi Komada           Nishinomiya JAPAN        1  01-01    0
Day 1: 1   01-01
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        47       263       532-02
———————————-
47       263       532-02
2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Cole Buser             Moscow, ID               5  13-00    0
Day 1: 5   13-00
2.  Larry Witt             Evington, VA             5  11-11    0
Day 1: 5   11-11
3.  Kyle Klein             Hutchinson, KS           5  10-15    0
Day 1: 5   10-15
4.  Grant Aumiller         Danville, KY             5  10-05    0
Day 1: 5   10-05
5.  Richard White          Alexander City, AL       5  10-04    0
Day 1: 5   10-04
6.  Hayden Spradling       Gilbert, AZ              5  09-07    0
Day 1: 5   09-07
7.  Zachary Queeney        Atco, NJ                 5  08-13    0
Day 1: 5   08-13
8.  Dave Roberts           Sisters, OR              5  08-06    0
Day 1: 5   08-06
9.  Marshal Allen          Greeley, CO              4  07-15    0
Day 1: 4   07-15
9.  Ron Stierstorfer       Middle River, MD         4  07-15    0
Day 1: 4   07-15
11. James D’Ambra          Hanover, MA              5  07-11    0
Day 1: 5   07-11
12. Cooper Haase           Duncannon, PA            5  07-00    0
Day 1: 5   07-00
13. Keisuke Sakamoto       Shiga JAPAN              4  07-00    0
Day 1: 4   07-00
14. Tristan Garriga        Lucedale, MS             5  06-15    0
Day 1: 5   06-15
15. Hunter Frederickson    Redford, MI              5  06-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-10
15. Andrew Sayles          Middleton, ID            5  06-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-10
15. Joe Whelan             Ozark, MO                5  06-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-10
18. Bryan Schumacher       Sparta, WI               4  06-10    0
Day 1: 4   06-10
19. Matt Luken             Independence, KY         4  06-09    0
Day 1: 4   06-09
20. Tristen Boyd           Monteagle, TN            4  06-08    0
Day 1: 4   06-08
21. Colten Hutson          Edmond, OK               5  06-07    0
Day 1: 5   06-07
22. Gary Belanger          Plainville, CT           5  06-02    0
Day 1: 5   06-02
23. Edward Owens           Hemingway, SC            3  05-10    0
Day 1: 3   05-10
24. Kin Pui Wong           Bakersfield, CA          4  05-07    0
Day 1: 4   05-07
25. Jesus Morales          Apodaca Nuevo Leon  MEX  3  04-11    0
Day 1: 3   04-11
26. Agustin  Pintado Salas El Burgo Del Ebro, Zara  3  04-07    0
Day 1: 3   04-07
27. James Seymour          Oglesby, TX              3  04-05    0
Day 1: 3   04-05
28. Matt Summers           Gassaway, WV             3  03-13    0
Day 1: 3   03-13
29. Jason Campbell         Berwick, LA              3  03-08    0
Day 1: 3   03-08
30. Dean Yamagata          Las Vegas, NV            2  03-00    0
Day 1: 2   03-00
31. Eric Moulton           Enfield, NH              2  02-10    0
Day 1: 2   02-10
32. Alex Ellerbrock        Sugar Grove, IL          2  02-06    0
Day 1: 2   02-06
33. Will Presley Jr        Grove City, OH           2  02-02    0
Day 1: 2   02-02
34. Neels Beneke           Amanzimtoti SOUTH AFRIC  1  01-14    0
Day 1: 1   01-14
35. Dez Ruffin             Tukwila, WA              2  01-13    0
Day 1: 2   01-13
35. Robert Rull Jr         Coventry, RI             2  01-13    0
Day 1: 2   01-13
37. Roger Foraker          Magnolia, DE             1  01-12    0
Day 1: 1   01-12
38. Jeremiah Proulx        Cherokee Village, AR     1  01-11    0
Day 1: 1   01-11
39. Brad Gandee            Mcdonough, GA            2  01-10    0
Day 1: 2   01-10
39. Miles Lausch           Lakeville, MN            2  01-10    0
Day 1: 2   01-10
41. Garrett Sicely         Albany, VT               1  01-09    0
Day 1: 1   01-09
42. Carl Bowser            Indianapolis, IN         1  01-06    0
Day 1: 1   01-06
43. David Pfeiffer         Milton Mills, NH         1  01-05    0
Day 1: 1   01-05
44. Grant Harris           Maiden, NC               1  01-00    0
Day 1: 1   01-00
45. Fernando Henriques Henriques Cernache Do Bonjardim P  1  00-15    0
Day 1: 1   00-15
46. Gavin Fraser           Bulawayo ZIMBABWE        1  00-14    0
Day 1: 1   00-14
47. Leray Anderson  II     Crofton, NE              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Mike Bell              Ogdensburg, NY           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Jerry Duncklee         Fayette, IA              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Tyler Guthmiller       Yankton, SD              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Christian Hanson       Rathdrum, ID             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Andrew Krauss          Seabright CANADA         0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Claude Loftin          Jacksonville, FL         0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Blake Macumber         Elkhorn, NE              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Greg Pink              Montrose, CO             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        16       151       240-10
———————————-
16       151       240-10