Carden Still Leads Nation Championship Tournament Ouachita River

November 4, 2021
B.A.S.S. News - Archived

MONROE, La. — Coby Carden had a dismal Day 2 on the Ouachita River, but an especially heavy Day 1 haul allowed him to maintain the lead in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship tournament on the Ouachita River. And that means his hopes of reaching his third Bassmaster Classic remain intact.

The 47-year-old Shelby, Ala., resident caught only two bass Thursday that weighed 4 pounds, 7 ounces. The 19-5 limit he caught a day earlier, however, was strong enough to give him 23-12 overall and a spot atop the leaderboard.

Carden's been in this position before. He finished second in the Nation Championship tournament on the Ouachita River in 2014 to qualify for the 2015 Classic on Hartwell, where he finished 15th overall. He also fished in the 2014 Classic on Alabama’s Lake Guntersville, placing 24th. Carden knows he’ll have to improve on Thursday’s weight to make a personal trifecta of Classics. He’s prepared to make changes to get there, too.

“I’m not going back to the spot I’ve been fishing,” Carden said. “The area takes a lot of commitment. It takes an hour and 20 minutes to get there. It’s dangerous to get there. Tomorrow, I’m going to play it more conservative and go in places where I can run a bunch of different water.”

The spot was obviously fizzling out anyway.

“I only had five bites today, and I caught all five,” he said. “But there were three shorts in there. It’s all about decision-making. I’m going to really try to get my primary area out of mind and go fish a bunch of different things ... maybe I can figure something out.”

So, too, will the 13 other anglers who survived Thursday’s cut. They include, second, California’s Matty Wong, 23-4; third, Wisconsin’s Jim Barczak, 22-3; fourth, Arkansas’ Chris Johnson, 21-14; fifth, Kansas’ Ray Cates, 21-12; sixth, Rhode Island’s Mike Wolfenden, 20-8; seventh, Oklahoma’s Jared Miller, 20-3; eighth, Utah’s Ben Byrd, 18-14; ninth, Arizona’s Zack Holwerda, 18-6; 10th, South Africa’s Justin Karan, 18-5; 11th, Wisconsin’s Dustin Drath, 17-15; 12th, Washington’s Taylor Smith, 17-7; 13th, Pennsylvania’s Aaron Green, 16-2; and 14th, Minnesota’s Richard Lindgren, 14-13.

The Top 10 boaters made Friday’s final cut. In addition, Cates advanced by winning the nonboater division and Drath by having a nonboater weight that ranked among the Top 10 boater weights. The Top 2 anglers from each of the five Nation regions (and not in the Top 10 overall) also advanced — Green from the Northeastern Region and Lindgren from the Northern Region.

Wong briefly held the overall lead on Day 2 after catching limits of 12-2 on Wednesday and 11-2 on Thursday.

“It was nice to go into today with the bag I had because it helped me keep an open mind and keep the pressure off,” he said.

Wong said he’s dreamed of reaching the Classic since he was a boy growing up in Hawaii.

“I’m speechless just knowing it’s within reach,” he said. “But I’m not going to think about it. I just have to go fish my brains out.”

Barczak said he’s slow rolling a white/chartreuse spinnerbait around cypress laydowns to catch his best bass. He’s fished near other top competitors on both days of the tournament, but none close enough to compete for bites.

“I’ll spend all day there again tomorrow and hopefully I’ll be alone,” he said.

This week’s winner will collect a $20,000 Nation’s Best first prize. The champ also will earn a spot in the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2022, including the use of a fully-rigged Nation’s Best tournament boat for the season. If he declines the invite to the Elites, he’ll instead have all entry fees paid into each of the 2022 Bassmaster Opens. The second- and third-place anglers also will have their entry fees paid into the Opens in all divisions. 

Cates was awarded the Louis “Pee Wee” Powers Memorial Trophy that goes to the top nonboater.  He also collected $10,000 courtesy of Nitro/Mercury for finishing atop the co-angler division and another $500 for having the big bass in the nonboater division (4-15).

“I’m going to stay on the main river tomorrow and try to find some fish,” the 59-year-old Overland Park, Kansas, resident said. “It’s a challenge fishing from the back of the boat, especially behind these really good fishermen. I’m looking forward to having some clean water in front of me.”

Drath won $7,500 for placing second among nonboaters. Rounding out the Top 5 in the division are third, Jake Morrison of Scottsdale, Ariz., 15-14; fourth, Joe Sodora of Garfield, N.J., 13-11; and fifth, Mark Pierce of Kadiz, Ky., 11-4. The Top 12 nonboaters split $31,500 of the total prize money.

The third and final day of the event will begin Friday with a 7:15 a.m. CT takeoff from Forsythe Park. Weigh-in will be held back at the park at 3:15 p.m.

2021 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship Tournament Ouachita River 11/3-11/5
Ouachita River, Monroe  LA.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Coby Carden            Shelby, AL               7  23-12    0
  Day 1: 5   19-05     Day 2: 2   04-07   
2.  Matty Wong             Culver City, CA         10  23-04    0
  Day 1: 5   12-02     Day 2: 5   11-02   
3.  Jim Barczak            Osceola, WI             10  22-03    0
  Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   08-15   
4.  Chris Johnson          Farmington, AR          10  21-14    0
  Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   09-02   
5.  Mike Wolfenden         Warwick, RI             10  20-08    0
  Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 5   08-04   
6.  Jared Miller           Norman, OK              10  20-03    0
  Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 5   09-08   
7.  Ben Byrd               Moab, UT                10  18-14    0
  Day 1: 5   07-13     Day 2: 5   11-01   
8.  Zack Holwerda          Maricopa, AZ            10  18-06    0
  Day 1: 5   09-09     Day 2: 5   08-13   
9.  Justin Karan           Heidelberg Gauteng SOUT 10  18-05    0
  Day 1: 5   10-06     Day 2: 5   07-15   
10. Taylor Smith           Valleyford, WA          10  17-07    0
  Day 1: 5   08-14     Day 2: 5   08-09   
11. Nick Luna              Grain Valley, MO        10  17-05    0
  Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   06-08   
12. Bryant Copley          Altavista, VA            9  17-04    0
  Day 1: 5   08-08     Day 2: 4   08-12   
13. Aaron Green            Everett, PA              6  16-12    0
  Day 1: 5   15-06     Day 2: 1   01-06   
14. Fabian Rodriguez       Ocean City, MD           9  16-12    0
  Day 1: 4   06-15     Day 2: 5   09-13   
15. Jason Pittman          Covington, MS           10  16-00    0
  Day 1: 5   09-02     Day 2: 5   06-14   
16. Brandon Moss           Blanchard, OK            9  15-14    0
  Day 1: 4   05-08     Day 2: 5   10-06   
17. Rick Svoboda           Cockeysville , MD        8  15-07    0
  Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 3   05-03   
18. Richard Lindgren       Lakeville, MN            6  14-13    0
  Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 1   02-10   
19. Michael Belter         Reidsville, NC          10  14-13    0
  Day 1: 5   07-08     Day 2: 5   07-05   
20. Nick Leonard           Amelia, OH              10  14-12    0
  Day 1: 5   06-03     Day 2: 5   08-09   
21. Willie Adkins Jr       Wayne, WV               10  14-07    0
  Day 1: 5   07-13     Day 2: 5   06-10   
22. Jay Evans              Missoula, MT             7  14-04    0
  Day 1: 5   08-15     Day 2: 2   05-05   
23. Jason Virgil           Hermiston, OR            6  13-11    0
  Day 1: 4   11-02     Day 2: 2   02-09   
24. Pat Schlapper          Eleva, WI               10  12-11    0
  Day 1: 5   07-09     Day 2: 5   05-02   
25. Eric Low               Buxton, ME               6  12-08    0
  Day 1: 3   04-08     Day 2: 3   08-00   
26. Devin Knoblauch        La Vista, NE             6  12-07    0
  Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 1   02-07   
27. Zack Smith             Starke, FL               7  12-02    0
  Day 1: 5   07-01     Day 2: 2   05-01   
28. Brock Belik            Orchard, NE              9  11-13    0
  Day 1: 4   05-08     Day 2: 5   06-05   
29. Chad Petrie            Scroggins, TX            9  11-10    0
  Day 1: 5   05-10     Day 2: 4   06-00   
30. Patrick Brown          Swainsboro, GA           7  11-09    0
  Day 1: 3   05-04     Day 2: 4   06-05   
31. Kris Bosley            Amarillo, TX             6  11-08    0
  Day 1: 5   10-05     Day 2: 1   01-03   
32. Earl Wells             Payette, ID              5  10-14    0
  Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   
33. Bill Kanwisher         Ramsey, NJ               7  10-12    0
  Day 1: 5   06-14     Day 2: 2   03-14   
34. Kevin Rose Jr          Anniston, CT             5  10-02    0
  Day 1: 4   07-10     Day 2: 1   02-08   
35. Josh Cotier            Clinton, MA              7  10-02    0
  Day 1: 5   07-01     Day 2: 2   03-01   
36. Andrew Bowen           Greendale  Harare ZIMBA  8  09-15    0
  Day 1: 5   06-02     Day 2: 3   03-13   
37. Adam Hamann            Prairie Du Chien, IA     7  09-14    0
  Day 1: 5   04-11     Day 2: 2   05-03   
38. Ken Carter             Enterprise, FL           7  09-10    0
  Day 1: 4   06-12     Day 2: 3   02-14   
39. Tyler Williams         Belgrade, ME             9  09-10    0
  Day 1: 5   05-09     Day 2: 4   04-01   
40. Richard Smith          Cecilia, KY              7  09-08    0
  Day 1: 5   07-14     Day 2: 2   01-10   
41. David Cavell           Prairieville, LA         6  09-02    0
  Day 1: 5   08-09     Day 2: 1   00-09   
42. Bryan Gunter           Ninety Six, SC           7  08-04    0
  Day 1: 3   03-14     Day 2: 4   04-06   
43. Nobuyuki Terajima      Hermitage, TN            7  08-02    0
  Day 1: 5   06-07     Day 2: 2   01-11   
44. Harrison Bertsch       Rathdrum, ID             4  07-06    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 4   07-06   
45. Casey Smith            Macedon, NY              5  06-12    0
  Day 1: 3   03-02     Day 2: 2   03-10   
46. Austin Kunz            Celestine, IN            6  06-04    0
  Day 1: 3   03-11     Day 2: 3   02-09   
47. Danny McGarry          Newcastle CANADA         4  05-05    0
  Day 1: 4   05-05     Day 2: 0   00-00   
48. Jacob Stauthammer      Lafayette, IL            3  04-04    0
  Day 1: 2   03-00     Day 2: 1   01-04   
49. William Naugle         Lake Havasu City, AZ     3  03-00    0
  Day 1: 2   02-02     Day 2: 1   00-14   
50. Michael Comeau         Alburgh, VT              3  02-03    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   02-03   
51. Mike Wheaton           Ottumwa, IA              2  01-14    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   01-14   
52. Greg Sochocki          Bridgeport , MI          1  01-07    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-07   
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        34       217       392-10
 2        18       163       264-14
----------------------------------
          52       380       657-08

 


2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship - Ouachita River 11/3-11/5
Ouachita River, Monroe  LA.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Ray Cates              Overland Park, KS        8  21-12    0  $10,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 3   08-00   
2.  Dustin Drath           Coon Valley, WI          7  17-15    0   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-09     Day 2: 2   04-06   
3.  Jake Morrison          Scottsdale, AZ           8  15-14    0   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 3   04-03   
4.  Joe Sodora             Garfield, NJ             7  13-11    0   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 4   07-13     Day 2: 3   05-14   
5.  Mark Pierce            Cadiz, KY                6  11-04    0   $2,000.00
  Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 1   01-04   
6.  Nathan Towes           Bakersfield, CA          6  10-02    0   $1,500.00
  Day 1: 4   06-06     Day 2: 2   03-12   
7.  Michael Schelling      Sioux Falls, SD          5  09-13    0   $1,000.00
  Day 1: 4   06-14     Day 2: 1   02-15   
8.  Morgan Fitzgerald      Durango, CO              7  09-05    0     $500.00
  Day 1: 2   02-13     Day 2: 5   06-08   
9.  Russell Vines          El Dorado, AR            6  09-00    0     $500.00
  Day 1: 5   07-13     Day 2: 1   01-03   
10. Mason Gunter           Newnan, GA               6  08-15    0     $500.00
  Day 1: 2   03-14     Day 2: 4   05-01   
11. Reggie Guffey Jr       Bessemer City, NC        7  08-14    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 2   02-13     Day 2: 5   06-01   
12. Travis Lugar           McGaheysville, VA        7  08-12    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 4   03-07     Day 2: 3   05-05   
13. Scooter Wright         Chickasha, OK            6  08-12    0
  Day 1: 4   04-05     Day 2: 2   04-07   
14. Michael O'Rourke       Curtice, OH              5  08-07    0
  Day 1: 4   07-01     Day 2: 1   01-06   
15. Jon Pollock            Lakewood, CO             5  07-07    0
  Day 1: 3   04-06     Day 2: 2   03-01   
16. Ronald Bestwick        Grisword, CT             6  07-07    0
  Day 1: 3   03-15     Day 2: 3   03-08   
17. Tyler Rush             Clearville, PA           5  07-05    0
  Day 1: 3   05-08     Day 2: 2   01-13   
18. Matt Luken             Independence, KY         5  06-10    0
  Day 1: 4   05-13     Day 2: 1   00-13   
19. Josh Mohn              Lansing, IA              5  06-07    0
  Day 1: 1   00-13     Day 2: 4   05-10   
20. TJ Dobs                Verona, NY               4  06-06    0
  Day 1: 2   02-10     Day 2: 2   03-12   
21. Hunter Loveless        American Fork, UT        6  06-02    0
  Day 1: 3   02-09     Day 2: 3   03-09   
22. Brad Hauf              Las Cruces, NM           4  05-09    0
  Day 1: 3   05-00     Day 2: 1   00-09   
23. Mark Edmonds           Eldridge, AL             4  05-04    0
  Day 1: 3   03-09     Day 2: 1   01-11   
24. Josh Cole              Columbus, IN             3  05-01    0
  Day 1: 2   04-09     Day 2: 1   00-08   
25. Greg Hadden            Pendleton, OR            4  04-14    0
  Day 1: 2   01-09     Day 2: 2   03-05   
26. Brian Vogelsang        Zanesfield, OH           4  04-12    0
  Day 1: 1   00-11     Day 2: 3   04-01   
27. Ron Christiansen       Las Vegas, NV            3  04-10    0
  Day 1: 1   00-07     Day 2: 2   04-03   
28. Jody Belcher           Naoma, WV                3  04-09    0
  Day 1: 2   03-07     Day 2: 1   01-02   
29. Casey Baroffio         Northfield, VT           4  04-04    0
  Day 1: 4   04-04     Day 2: 0   00-00   
30. Rob Tipton III         Pitman, NJ               4  04-01    0
  Day 1: 1   01-01     Day 2: 3   03-00   
31. Timothy Garrison       Jefferson, SC            4  03-14    0
  Day 1: 1   01-07     Day 2: 3   02-07   
32. Cody Champion          Sabattus, ME             2  03-07    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   03-07   
33. Chizta Xiong           Saint Cloud, MN          3  03-03    0
  Day 1: 2   01-12     Day 2: 1   01-07   
34. Allen Severance        Lake Villa, IL           2  02-14    0
  Day 1: 1   02-00     Day 2: 1   00-14   
35. Liam MacDonald         Glen Lorne  Harare ZIMB  3  02-13    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   02-13   
36. Justin Jensen          Laurel, MS               2  02-04    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   02-04   
37. Glenn Hahn             San Antonio, TX          2  02-00    0
  Day 1: 2   02-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
38. Jake Hansen            Bozeman, MT              3  01-15    0
  Day 1: 1   00-07     Day 2: 2   01-08   
39. Dave Turner            Crystal River, FL        2  01-12    0
  Day 1: 2   01-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   
40. Richard Heflin         Topeka, KS               2  01-11    0
  Day 1: 1   01-01     Day 2: 1   00-10   
41. Dustin Frank           Rathdrum, ID             2  01-10    0
  Day 1: 2   01-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   
42. AJ Mende               Bellevue, NE             2  01-07    0
  Day 1: 1   00-15     Day 2: 1   00-08   
43. Hunter Neuville        New Iberia, LA           2  01-06    0
  Day 1: 1   00-13     Day 2: 1   00-09   
44. Mark Pryal             Silver Springs, MD       2  01-06    0
  Day 1: 1   00-12     Day 2: 1   00-10   
45. Chris Adams            Bow, NH                  1  01-01    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-01   
46. Guiseppe Andreoli      Harrisville, RI          1  00-12    0
  Day 1: 1   00-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   
47. Corey Kennington       Eden, MD                 0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
47. Frank Liu              Manotick Ontario CANADA  0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
47. Florian Olivier        Carbonne FRANCE          0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
47. Tate Webb              Richland, WA             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1         5       109       167-11
 2         2        86       119-00
----------------------------------
           7       195       286-11