CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Lake Norman showed out for the 2015 Bassmaster College Eastern Regional tournament, and University of North Carolina-Charlotte shined brightest Thursday with 16 pounds, 12 ounces. Cole Blythe and John Auten lead after Day 1 but are well aware of change in the air as a nasty front looks to shut down the spawn.
“This lake this time of year is changing so much so fast,” Blythe said. “Most of our fish didn’t change that much from practice, but we did have to do things slightly different from practice.”
As the fish move up to spawn on Norman, there’s enough variation in mood, location and presentation from day to day as it is. Add to that a cold front forecasted to drop the air temperature from the low 80s to the upper 20s, and game plans will have to be modified.
“We probably live 10 to 15 minutes from here,” Auten said. “But it’s still hard to stay on fish out here because they move so much.”
Just knowing that the fish are on the move will help UNCC use their local knowledge to adjust on Friday and attempt to maintain their lead.
“Today was the day to have a big bag,” said Blythe, who brought in the Carhartt Big Bass weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces Thursday. “With the wind, rain and front coming, we’re just looking for a solid limit tomorrow to go with what we had today.”
Edward Rude III and Matthew Combs of West Virginia University pull in close behind UNCC on Day 1 with 16 pounds, 8 ounces to sit in second by a mere quarter of a pound.
“Of all the lakes we’ve fished, this one was my worst finish two years ago,” Rude said. Looks like the tide is turning on Norman for the Mountaineer and his teammate.
Jay Emmert and Christian Peake of the University of Tennessee sit in third with 15 pounds, 13 ounces after Day 1. Lake Norman fished well on Thursday, with 87 of the 109 teams catching a limit. In addition, it took 8 pounds to place in the Top 80 and 11 pounds, 9 ounces to put teams in position for Saturday’s Top 20 cut. All of Friday’s Lake Norman action can be found online at Bassmaster.com, or join us at Blythe Landing for the Day 2 launch at 7:30 a.m. ET and weigh-in at 3:45 p.m. ET.
3/26/2015 - 3/28/2015 Lake Norman - Blythe Landing - Charlotte, NC
STANDINGS BOATER DAY 1
Name # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz
1 Cole Blythe - John Auten UNC Charlotte 5 5 16-12 5 5 16-12
2 Edward Rude III - Matthew Combs West Virginia University 5 5 16- 8 5 5 16- 8
3 Jay Emmert - Christian Peake U. of Tennessee 5 5 15-13 5 5 15-13
4 Zachary Blalock - Mike Corbishley East Carolina University 5 5 14- 9 5 5 14- 9
4 Benjamin Freeman - Dillon McGee Bethel University 5 5 14- 9 5 5 14- 9
6 Chelsey Queen - Kristopher Queen Bethel University 5 5 14- 7 5 5 14- 7
7 Austin Neary - Alex Frazier Western Carolina University 5 5 14- 0 5 5 14- 0
8 Kelly Johnson - Jeremy Gilley Appalachian State University 5 5 13- 3 5 5 13- 3
9 Jacob Cooper - Cody Spears PHCC Fishing Team 5 5 13- 2 5 5 13- 2
10 John Garrett - Brian Pahl Bethel University 5 5 13- 0 5 5 13- 0
10 Hunter Hill - Ethan Howell Appalachian State University 5 5 13- 0 5 5 13- 0
10 Zander Monk - Taylor Thomas UNC Charlotte 5 5 13- 0 5 5 13- 0
13 Jake Whitaker - Andrew Helms UNC Charlotte 5 5 12-15 5 5 12-15
14 Ronnie Moore - TJ Chafatelli East Carolina University 5 5 12- 9 5 5 12- 9
15 Grayson Barber - Hiroto Kinoshita NC State University 5 5 12- 8 5 5 12- 8
16 Sam Glenn - Alan Price UNC Charlotte 5 5 12- 4 5 5 12- 4
17 Lance Freeman - Seth Brock Murray State University 5 5 12- 1 5 5 12- 1
18 Kenneth Ellington - Anderson Tran UNC Chapel Hill 5 5 11-13 5 5 11-13
19 Frank Ashley - Austin Robinson UNC Wilmington 5 5 11- 9 5 5 11- 9
19 John Little - Kaleb Jessee NC State University 5 5 11- 9 5 5 11- 9
21 Austin Moore - Ryan McLamb UNC Greensboro 5 5 11- 6 5 5 11- 6
22 Trey Joyce - Ross Adams PHCC Fishing Team 5 5 11- 5 5 5 11- 5
23 Bradley Hall - Kaleb Whitaker Eastern Kentucky University 5 5 11- 3 5 5 11- 3
24 Matt Allen - Zach Youngblood Tennessee Tech University 5 5 11- 2 5 5 11- 2
25 Carson Orellana - Strayer University 5 5 11- 1 5 5 11- 1
26 Chase Johnson - Eric Leifheit East Carolina University 5 5 11- 0 5 5 11- 0
27 Hunter Alsup - Ethan Cole Tennessee Tech University 5 5 10-15 5 5 10-15
28 Alec Lower - Mark Turner NC State University 5 5 10-14 5 5 10-14
28 Caleb Nuckolls - Adam King Western Carolina University 5 5 10-14 5 5 10-14
30 Greg Burchfield - Taylor Burke NC State University 5 5 10-12 5 5 10-12
31 Zack Bodford - Matthew Hinkle NC State University 5 5 10- 9 5 5 10- 9
32 Caleb Baker - Mack Hicks Alice Lloyd College 5 5 10- 8 5 5 10- 8
32 Christohper Cordova - Aaron Sollenberger UNC Charlotte 5 5 10- 8 5 5 10- 8
34 Ethan Snyder - Shaw Owens Eastern Kentucky University 5 5 10- 7 5 5 10- 7
35 Hunter Fulcher - Nathan Sheehan University of KY 5 5 10- 6 5 5 10- 6
35 Brandon Kersnowski - Kolton Hawks UNC Charlotte 5 5 10- 6 5 5 10- 6
37 Andrew Kiser - Charles Kelly Clemson University 5 5 10- 5 5 5 10- 5
38 Hunter Altice - Brandon McAlexander PHCC Fishing Team 5 5 10- 4 5 5 10- 4
38 Brent Werts - Spencer Waldrop Clemson University 5 5 10- 4 5 5 10- 4
40 Alex Thornton - Ryan Rainey UNC Greensboro 5 5 10- 3 5 5 10- 3
40 Dalton Wilson - Randall Morris Bethel University 5 5 10- 3 5 5 10- 3
42 Bentley Manning - John Berry Tennessee Tech University 5 5 10- 1 5 5 10- 1
43 Jonathan Kelley - John Duarte Coastal Carolina University 5 5 10- 0 5 5 10- 0
43 Brandon Smith - Bobby Thomas University of Louisville 5 5 10- 0 5 5 10- 0
45 Blake Welch - Ricky Harris Bethel University 5 5 9-14 5 5 9-14
46 Zachary Castano - Nick Schultz UNC Charlotte 5 5 9-13 5 5 9-13
47 Joseph Huggins - Tyler Dyer Bethel University 5 5 9-12 5 5 9-12
48 Hunter Louden - Mekiah Jack Bethel University 5 5 9-11 5 5 9-11
49 Trey Stewartson - Gregory Callas Virginia Tech 5 5 9-10 5 5 9-10
50 Jonathan Peck - Devin Wallis Bryan College 5 5 9- 8 5 5 9- 8
51 Wade Brown - Austin Wilson University of Louisville 5 5 9- 7 5 5 9- 7
51 Makenzie Henson - Brett Webster University of North Alabama 5 5 9- 7 5 5 9- 7
51 Chris Phinney - Bailey Abernathy East Carolina University 5 5 9- 7 5 5 9- 7
54 Jordan Wise - David Mulac East Carolina University 5 5 9- 6 5 5 9- 6
55 Brandon Bryant - Sam Carris Tennessee Tech University 5 5 9- 2 5 5 9- 2
55 Jarrett Dickens - Trevor Bates Tennessee Tech University 5 5 9- 2 5 5 9- 2
55 Austin Frazier - Jesse Cates UNC Greensboro 5 5 9- 2 5 5 9- 2
55 Charlie Sipe - Appalachian State University 5 5 9- 2 5 5 9- 2
59 Dylan Kear - Robert Gibson Bryan College 5 5 9- 1 5 5 9- 1
60 Tyler Chumley - Dylan Pritchett Bryan College 5 5 9- 0 5 5 9- 0
61 Patrick Williford - Briggs Kennington Clemson University 5 5 8-15 5 5 8-15
62 Blake Lee - Gavyn Bridges UT Chattanooga 5 5 8-14 5 5 8-14
62 Ian Seaver - Jackson David UNC - Wilmington 5 5 8-14 5 5 8-14
64 Taylor Godsey - Benjamin Haynes Christopher Newport University 5 5 8-13 5 5 8-13
64 Ethan Ingle - Will Miller University of South Carolina 5 5 8-13 5 5 8-13
66 Luke Taylor - Lynchburg College 3 3 8-13 3 3 8-13
67 Conner Fogg - Joseph Sanders Bryan College 5 5 8-12 5 5 8-12
68 Jeffry Endly - Jacob Meadows University of Louisville 5 5 8-11 5 5 8-11
68 Skye Riggleman - Shane Fetty Liberty University 5 5 8-11 5 5 8-11
70 Jacob Meade - Alex Hauser Virginia Tech 5 5 8-10 5 5 8-10
70 Tyler Thomasson - Josh Cannon Western Carolina University 5 5 8-10 5 5 8-10
72 Brandon Black - Thomas Matthews University of West Georgia 5 5 8- 9 5 5 8- 9
72 Tom Brewbaker - Gettys Brannon University of South Carolina 5 5 8- 9 5 5 8- 9
72 Shawn Callahan - Brian Sweeney University of South Carolina 5 5 8- 9 5 5 8- 9
75 David Lee - Chris Allen Tennessee Tech University 5 5 8- 7 5 5 8- 7
76 Daniel Holt - Jacob Blocker Tennessee Tech University 5 5 8- 3 5 5 8- 3
76 Elliott Roberson - Eli Roberson Virginia Tech 5 5 8- 3 5 5 8- 3
78 Ryan Collins - Andrew Day U. of Kentucky 5 5 8- 2 5 5 8- 2
79 Bryce Owen - Dustin Millwood NC State University 5 5 8- 0 5 5 8- 0
80 Cameron Baker - Zachary McGeehan UNC Charlotte 5 5 7-15 5 5 7-15
80 Kenneth VanSparrentak - Lee Blackmon UNC Greensboro 5 5 7-15 5 5 7-15
82 Kyle McHenry - Tyler Barnes West Virginia University 5 5 7-14 5 5 7-14
83 Chris Fesmire - Cody Aman NC State University 5 5 7-12 5 5 7-12
84 Stephen Cone - Rockford Wilson UNC Chapel Hill 5 5 7- 5 5 5 7- 5
85 Shawn Combs - Bronson Jones Georgetown College 5 5 7- 1 5 5 7- 1
86 Ryan Suhy - Liberty University 5 5 7- 0 5 5 7- 0
87 Aaron Creech - Dakota Adams Alice Lloyd College 5 5 6-13 5 5 6-13
88 Brian Travers - Justin Patten Liberty University 5 5 6-12 5 5 6-12
89 Logan Brewster - Daniel Lawson U. of Tennessee 4 4 5-11 4 4 5-11
90 Cain Ammons - Brett Graves Tri-County Community College 3 3 5- 8 3 3 5- 8
91 Ethan Pace - Dominick LeSerra Western Carolina University 4 4 5- 6 4 4 5- 6
92 Marty Ballard - Sean Stephenson University of Kentucky 2 2 5- 3 2 2 5- 3
93 Tucker Youngblood - Cody Thomas Bryan College 3 3 4-15 3 3 4-15
94 Ricky Kassebaum - Sean Snow Virginia Tech 3 3 4-12 3 3 4-12
95 Cody Clark - Lucas Cornwell University of South Carolina 3 3 4- 4 3 3 4- 4
96 Blaine Atkins - Kelcey Atkins PHCC Fishing Team 2 2 3-13 2 2 3-13
97 John Teare - Dylan Jackson Virginia Commonwealth University 3 3 2- 6 3 3 2- 6
98 Corey Smith - Cantley Krafft Virginia Tech 3 3 2- 2 3 3 2- 2
99 Hunter Mills - Nicholas Reschly UNC Chapel Hill 1 1 1-12 1 1 1-12
100 Joe Maciejewski - Cullen Cash Roanoke College 1 1 1-10 1 1 1-10
100 Matt Reid - Cliff Marley Appalachian State University 1 1 1-10 1 1 1-10
102 Hunter Johnson - Graham Burke UNC Chapel Hill 1 1 1- 7 1 1 1- 7
103 Weston Chandler - Derrick Nobles East Carolina University 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
103 Jeremiah Duvall - Elijah Peters University of Louisville 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
103 Dakota Hunter - Matt Magyar UNC Charlotte 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
103 Caleb Luzader - Brad Harris Bryan College 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
103 Donnie Miller - Alex Miller Virginia Commonwealth University 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
103 Tim Painter - Reid McCullough U. of Tennessee 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
103 Stephen Smith - Daniel Key UNC Chapel Hill 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
BIG BASS Day Name City,State Lbs-Oz
1 Cole Blythe - John Auten Charlotte, NC 6-10
TOTALS Day # Fish # Live Lbs-Oz # Limits
1 472 472 954- 3 87
2 0 0 0- 0 0