DOVER, Tenn. — Joshua Butts and Justin Rivers of Wallace State Community College-Hanceville pulled a come-from-behind win on the final day of the Bassmaster College Series Wild Card tournament on Lake Barkley. Butts and Rivers caught a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds to end the tournament with 42 pounds, 5 ounces. Teams from McKendree University held down the top spots on the first two days, making them favorites to win the title until unseated by Wallace State. Phillip Germagliotti and Shane Campbell took second with 40-2, while classmates Jordan Ledbetter and Trent Robinson finished third with 37-7. On Lake Barkley, the winning team focused on fishing a dropoff tapering from 5 feet into the main-river channel.
“The key was a shell and rock bottom,” said Rivers, 27, who is majoring in industrial maintenance. “It’s the hardest bottom around and really held the fish for us all three days.”
Butts and Rivers slowly worked 1/4- and 3/8-ounce lead-head jigs in the shallow shellbeds to trigger strikes. Jig trailers included the Gene Larew Biffle Bug and NetBait Paca Craw soft plastic lures. Strikes occurred as the lure dropped into deeper water where the bass were staging to feed. The area produced consistently each day and gave the anglers no reason to search for new water.
“Current didn’t even matter that much,” said Butts, 22, who is majoring in welding. “That was huge since the current moved fish deeper in a lot of similar areas.”
Wallace State entered the final round in third place, behind the two teams from McKendree University. Day 2 on Thursday proved a challenge after a two-hour fog delay postponed the start of the competition.
“We were making a long run, and the delay really cut into our fishing time,” Rivers said.
The Top 13 teams in the final standings are invited to the 2015 Bassmaster College Series National Championship. The championship is July 9-11 at Lake DuBay on the Wisconsin River.
The Livingston Lures Day 2 Leader Award goes to McKendree University’s Jordan Ledbetter and Trent Robinson, who led the tournament on Day 2 with 28-11 to share the $500 award. The Bass Pro Shops/Nitro Big Bag is awarded to Justin Singleton and Zac Bennett of Georgia State for a five-bass limit weighing 17-11, the heaviest single-day catch. The anglers received Bass Pro Shops gift cards worth $250. The Carhartt Big Bass award of $500 goes to Lance Freeman of Murray State University and Justin Singleton of Georgia College, who with a largemouth bass weighing 5 pounds, 14 ounces.
Bassmaster College Series - Wild Card
6/3/2015 - 6/5/2015
Lake Barkley - Lick Creek Recreational Area - Paris, TN
STANDINGS BOATER DAY 3
Today's Activity
# Fish Lbs - Oz
Accumulative
Name # Live # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz
1 Joshua Butts - Justin Rivers Wallace State CC Hanceville 5 5 15- 0 15 15 42- 5
2 Phillip Germagliotti - Shane Campbell McKendree University 5 5 12- 1 15 15 40- 2
3 Jordan Ledbetter - Trent Robinson McKendree University 4 4 8-12 14 14 37- 7
4 Lance Freeman - Seth Brock Murray State University 5 4 15-12 13 12 37- 3
5 Justin Singleton - Zac Bennett Georgia College & State University 5 5 17-11 12 12 36-11
6 Alec Castonguay - Garret Whitley Stephen F Austin State University 4 4 8-14 14 14 35- 6
7 JP Kimbrough - Jared Rascoe LSU Shreveport 5 5 14- 9 13 13 34- 9
8 Shelby Hutchens - Brian Blades Stephen F Austin State University 5 5 12- 7 14 14 33- 8
9 Darrell Henson Jr. - Brent Rome LSU 4 4 8- 4 14 14 31- 5
10 Dawson Lenz - Evan Horne University of North Alabama 3 3 6- 4 13 13 30-12
11 Ethan Snyder - Shaw Owens Eastern Kentucky University 5 5 10- 3 12 11 30- 3
12 Brian Eaton - Slade Daniel U. of Louisiana Monroe 5 5 9-11 15 15 29-11
13 Tyler Rivet - Allyson Marcel Nicholls State University 4 4 7- 3 13 13 26- 0
14 Bentley Manning - John Berry Tennessee Tech University 3 3 5-13 13 13 25- 9
15 Adam Neill - Mitch Naler University of Alabama 4 4 7- 5 11 11 25- 1
16 John Davis - Payton McGinnis University of Alabama 2 2 5-11 10 10 25- 0
17 Taylor Thompson - Hunter Coppolino Abraham Baldwin Ag College 3 3 5-15 10 10 22-13
18 Shawn Combs - Bronson Jones Georgetown College 2 2 4- 1 9 8 20-15
19 Dakota Cantrell - Mason Sapp Campbellsville University 2 2 2- 7 9 8 20-12
20 Ty Dyer - Joseph Huggins Bethel University 0 0 0- 0 8 8 20- 2
21 Isaac Payne - Connor Mannina Savannah College of Art & Design 7 7 16-13
22 Dustin Nash - Gregory Green Northwestern State University 8 8 16-10
23 Ethan Wages - Luis McMurphy U. of South Alabama 7 7 16- 8
24 John Maner - Colt Kelso U. of North Alabama 8 8 16- 4
25 Zachary Pickle - Drew Porto U. of Arkansas 6 6 15- 2
26 Logan Thomas - Ryan Kirkpatrick Murray State University 6 6 15- 1
27 Reed Foster - Zackery Hines Dallas Baptist University 6 6 14-15
28 Trent Newman - Jacob Sepeda Dallas Baptist University 6 6 14-15
29 Trent Palmer - Layton Jones Georgia Southern 6 6 14- 0
30 Cody Metzger - Micheal King Northeastern State University 7 7 13-10
31 Ethan Ingle - Will Miller University of South Carolina 5 5 13- 7
32 Caleb Baker - Mack Hicks Alice Lloyd College 6 6 13- 7
33 Ryan Suhy - Skye Riggleman Liberty University 5 5 13- 5
34 Hunter McKamey - Kyle Oliver U. of Central Florida 6 6 13- 3
35 Blake Welch - Ricky Harris Bethel University 5 5 13- 2
36 Cody Hahner - Mark Hugus University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point 5 5 12- 8
37 Jordan Wise - Chris Phinney East Carolina University 5 5 12- 7
38 Brad Vice - Austin Mize U. of North Alabama 7 7 10-14
39 Andrew Tate - Nathan Martin U. of North Alabama 4 4 10-11
40 Zachary Edmunds - Nelson Madruga U. of Central Florida 4 4 10-10
41 Alex Schieman - Ryan Stewart Georgia College & State University 3 3 9- 7
42 Jeremiah Duvall - Jeffry Endly University of Louisville 2 2 9- 4
43 Sam Stone - Evan Coleman Texas State University 4 4 9- 0
44 Brent Werts - Spencer Waldrop Clemson University 3 3 8- 8
45 Nick Uebelhor - University of Evansville 4 4 7-13
46 Ronnie Moore - East Carolina University 3 3 7-12
47 Brett Webster - Makenzie Henson University of North Alabama 4 4 7-11
48 Wesley Griner - Dalton Dedge Darton State College 4 4 7- 7
49 Cale Mathis - Jonathan McLendon Abraham Baldwin Ag College 3 3 7- 6
50 Dalton Wilson - Randall Morris Bethel University 4 4 7- 4
51 Ryan Williams - Ryan Hayse U. of North Alabama 4 4 7- 2
52 Patrick Williford - Briggs Kennington Clemson University 3 3 6- 8
53 Cameron Brooks - Austin Moore Campbellsville University 3 3 6- 8
54 Ryan Darracott - Zachary Darracott U. of North Alabama 4 4 6- 8
55 Landon Tucker - Grant Colson Valdosta State University 2 2 5-15
56 Blake Schroeder - Easton Heigley Stephen F Austin State University 2 2 5-14
57 Brock Wilke - Austin Chapman McKendree University 2 2 5-14
58 Kenneth Parks - Brian Cox UT Martin 2 2 5- 8
59 Alexander Murray - Alex Felder Southeastern Louisiana University 2 2 5- 2
60 Jay Robertson - Oaklin Spier Southeastern Louisiana University 2 2 4-14
61 Jackson Blackett - Austin Joiner La Monroe 2 2 3-11
62 Justin Lynch - Michael Gullette U. of North Alabama 2 2 3- 4
63 Nathan Woodruff - Kyle Alford Mississippi State University 1 1 2- 8
64 Brett Graves - Tri-County Community College 1 1 2- 6
64 Hunter Louden - Mekiah Jack Bethel University 1 1 2- 6
66 Aaron Creech - Dakota Adams Alice Lloyd College 1 1 2- 5
66 Elliot Lee - Trevor Bates Tennessee Tech University 1 1 2- 5
68 Kolby Bowers - Alex Oliver Abraham Baldwin Ag College 1 1 2- 4
69 Bradley Fleming - Luke Domas Texas A&M University 1 1 1-15
70 Ryan Collins - Hunter Fulcher U. of Kentucky 1 1 1-14
71 Sam Carris - Brandon Bryant Tennessee Tech University 1 1 1-11
72 John-Michael Brattlof - Zac Thames Stephen F Austin State University 0 0 0- 0
72 Ethan Flack - University of Alabama 0 0 0- 0
72 Adam Hall - Gadsden State Community College 0 0 0- 0
72 Colby Harville - Hunter Haney U. of North Alabama 0 0 0- 0
72 Ben Kroeger - Zach Kroeger University of Nebraska - Omaha 0 0 0- 0
Name City,State Lbs-Oz
BIG BASS
Day
1 Jeremiah Duvall - Jeffry EndlLyouisville, KY 5- 2
2 Lance Freeman - Seth BrockEddyville, KY 5-14
2 Justin Singleton - Zac BenneRttutledge, GA 5-14
3 Justin Singleton - Zac BenneRttutledge, GA 4- 5
Day # Live Lbs-Oz # Limits
TOTALS
# Fish
1 214 214 508-13 22
2 150 147 364- 0 13
3 75 74 177-15 8