NATCHITOCHES, La. — Seth Elkins and Dale Hansard burned an estimated 80 gallons of gas over two days of the Bassmaster College Series tournament at Red River. It was worth every last drop. The tandem from Jacksonville (Ala.) State University finished with a total of 10 bass that weighed 29 pounds, 9 ounces, which was enough to win the derby in northwest Louisiana.
Elkins and Hansard claimed their spot in the College Series National Championship with authority, but they had to work for the win. They made a 2 1/2-hour, one-way run from Grand ECORE Recreational Area to Pool 5 of the Red River, where they fished a creek in the Caspiana area. That left them with only three hours of fishing time each day, but they made the most of it. They fished in about 9 feet of water on Thursday but went a bit deeper on Friday.
“It was about 12 feet today,” Elkins said. “We noticed the fish had pulled off the tree stumps and some were closer to the bank. We were throwing a black Whopper Plopper 110 yesterday and a lighter-colored model today.
“But the main lure for us was an Ima Skimmer walking bait in a pearl or bone color. That was drawing the bigger bites. And really, those are the only two lures that were working for us at all.”
Hansard caught a 6-5 largemouth on Day 1 which anchored their bag of 13-12 and also was the big bass of the tournament. They didn’t have one as big on Day 2, but the catch was consistent.
“The heaviest today was a 4-pounder, but we had more quality bites,” Elkins said. “We had to fish slow. You really had to make the bait look appetizing or make them mad enough to eat it.”
Hansard said winning a tournament was a special way to qualify for the College National Championship.
“It’s the first time either of us have made it,” Hansard said. “It feels good like a weight is off our shoulders. And I’d like to think the win is for our past teammates ... We had (eight people on our team) last year and now we’re the only ones here.”
Day 1 leaders Cole Holloway and Brandon Martin of Georgia’s Emmanuel College slipped to second overall with 10 bass weighing 28-9. Rounding out the Top 5 tandems were Brayden Nichols and William Tew of LSU-Shreveport, third, 23-11; Tripp Bowman and Matthew Nesbit, also of LSU-Shreveport, fourth, 23-2; and fifth, Nicholas Holtgrave and Colsyn Head, of McKendree University in Illinois, 23-0.
B.A.S.S. officials will verify Team of the Year standings in the coming days, which will earn one duo a spot in the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket later this year. The Top 3 teams (six anglers in all) from the Bassmaster College Series National Championship will earn the other three spots in the head-to-head competition. Those eight anglers then will compete for a spot in the Bassmaster Classic when it’s held next March in Tulsa, Okla., with fishing on Grand Lake O' the Cherokees.
A total of 135 teams competed, and 14 of them punched their tickets to the College National Championship, which will be held later this year on a fishery yet to be announced.
The fishing action isn’t complete just yet here on the Red River, though. Following a day off on Saturday, the Bassmaster High School Series will hit the water Sunday, as will the Junior Series anglers.
2023 Bassmaster College Series tournament at Red River 5/4-5/5
Red River, Natchitoches LA.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Seth Elkins - Dale Hansard Jacksonville State University 250
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 15-13 Total: 10 29-09
2. Cole Holloway - Brandon Martin Emmanuel College 249
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 12-11 Total: 10 28-09
3. Brayden Nichols - William Tew LSU - Shreveport 248
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 11-15 Total: 10 23-11
4. Tripp Bowman - Matthew Nesbit LSU - Shreveport 247
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 12-04 Total: 10 23-02
5. Nicholas Holtgrave - Colsyn Head McKendree University 246
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 12-07 Total: 10 23-00
6. Caleb Dachenhaus - Sam Shoemaker Adrian College 245
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 12-00 Total: 10 22-01
7. Kyle Zainitzer - Avery Whitwell University of North Alabama 244
Day 1: 5 07-04 Day 2: 5 14-08 Total: 10 21-12
8. Blake Bullock - John Mark Berry Blue Mountain College 243
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 10-09 Total: 10 21-10
9. Cal Culpepper - Ryan Thomas University of Montevallo 242
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 5 10-02 Total: 10 20-14
10. Trey Schroeder - Lane Stephens McKendree University 241
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 09-13 Total: 10 20-01
11. Kaden Proffitt - Cason Ragsdale East Texas Baptist University 240
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 09-10 Total: 10 20-00
12. Tyler Cory - Scott Sledge University of Montevallo 239
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 10-07 Total: 10 19-15
13. Levi Mullins - Matthew Cummings Bethel University 238
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 09-12 Total: 10 19-15
14. Bryson O'steen - Ty Jackson Florida Gateway College 237
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 09-10 Total: 10 19-10
15. Hunter McClaskey - Landon Lawson King University 236
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 09-04 Total: 10 19-07
16. Corey Morris - Brayden Mercer East Texas Baptist University 235
Day 1: 5 07-10 Day 2: 5 11-06 Total: 10 19-00
17. Gus McLarry - Jared West Texas A & M Commerce 234
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 07-07 Total: 10 18-14
18. Turner Hart - Summer Dees Bryan College 233
Day 1: 5 08-10 Day 2: 5 10-04 Total: 10 18-14
19. Morgan Miracle - Jake Thornbury Campbellsville University 232
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 08-11 Total: 10 18-11
20. William Travis - Victor Alford Bryan College 231
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 09-04 Total: 10 18-11
21. Zach Pocos - Trey Budach McKendree University 230
Day 1: 5 07-10 Day 2: 5 10-14 Total: 10 18-08
22. Hayden Marbut - Tucker Smith Auburn University 229
Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 5 08-14 Total: 10 18-07
23. James Willoughby - Jacob Pfundt University of Montevallo 228
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 08-09 Total: 10 18-03
24. Parker O'Bryan - Miller Dowling University of Montevallo 227
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 3 06-02 Total: 8 18-01
25. Tommy Dunaway - Seth Jones Florida Gateway College 226
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 07-13 Total: 10 17-05
26. Jeremy Dellinger - Garrett Smith Lander University 225
Day 1: 5 09-06 Day 2: 5 07-09 Total: 10 16-15
27. Carter Koza - Drew Pitts Carson-Newman University 224
Day 1: 5 08-01 Day 2: 5 08-13 Total: 10 16-14
28. Cole Rankin - Riley Faulkner Carson-Newman University 223
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 4 05-15 Total: 9 16-10
29. Easton Fothergill - Nick Dumke University of Montevallo 222
Day 1: 5 07-00 Day 2: 5 09-09 Total: 10 16-09
30. Ben Brockwell - Justice Gayhart Kentucky Christian University 221
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 5 07-09 Total: 10 16-07
31. Cy Lambert - University of North Alabama 220
Day 1: 5 06-07 Day 2: 5 09-15 Total: 10 16-06
32. Levi Thibodaux - Chance Shelby LSU - Shreveport 219
Day 1: 5 09-00 Day 2: 4 07-00 Total: 9 16-00
33. Connor Jacob - Sam Smith Auburn University 218
Day 1: 5 08-02 Day 2: 5 07-10 Total: 10 15-12
34. Christian Turner - John Gray Coastal Carolina University 217
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 5 06-13 Total: 10 15-08
35. Harmon Marien - Jack Stephens McKendree University 216
Day 1: 5 07-15 Day 2: 5 07-08 Total: 10 15-07
36. Reid Farris - Colton Swize Texas A&M University 215
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 3 03-12 Total: 8 15-06
37. Zach Bushey - Brandon Traw Tarleton State University 214
Day 1: 5 06-08 Day 2: 5 08-13 Total: 10 15-05
38. Matthew Dettling - Austin Wadzinski University of Tennessee 213
Day 1: 4 05-06 Day 2: 5 09-13 Total: 9 15-03
39. Jaxson Freeman - Maxwell Trotter McKendree University 212
Day 1: 5 05-07 Day 2: 5 09-12 Total: 10 15-03
40. Cody Domingos - Luka Strepacki University of Tennessee 211
Day 1: 5 06-15 Day 2: 5 08-02 Total: 10 15-01
41. Drake Sturgill - Beau Browning University of Montevallo 210
Day 1: 5 07-01 Day 2: 5 07-14 Total: 10 14-15
42. Seth Slanker - Jackson Swisher Florida Gateway College 209
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 06-01 Total: 10 14-14
43. Trevor Easter - Clayton Easter Tarleton State University 208
Day 1: 5 05-11 Day 2: 5 09-02 Total: 10 14-13
44. Tyler Cain - Cole Dodson University of Montevallo 207
Day 1: 3 05-14 Day 2: 5 08-11 Total: 8 14-09
45. Zach McNary - Mason Phillpotts Grand Valley State University 206
Day 1: 5 08-02 Day 2: 5 06-06 Total: 10 14-08
46. Cade Lipham - Caleb Coleman Drury University 205
Day 1: 5 05-11 Day 2: 5 08-12 Total: 10 14-07
47. Wade Roberts - LSU - Shreveport 204
Day 1: 5 09-00 Day 2: 4 05-06 Total: 9 14-06
48. Brendan Vinton - Dalton Eury Catawba Valley Community College 203
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 05-11 Total: 10 14-02
49. Kaden Buchmann - Jared Hubbard Lander University 202
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 3 03-04 Total: 8 14-01
50. Ridge Rutledge - Ryan Daugherty Campbellsville University 201
Day 1: 5 07-01 Day 2: 5 07-00 Total: 10 14-01
51. Carson Kamien - Tyson Verkaik University of Florida 200
Day 1: 5 06-01 Day 2: 5 07-07 Total: 10 13-08
52. Ryan Park - Sam Niemeyer Murray State University 199
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 3 04-03 Total: 8 13-07
53. Noah Trant - Evan Howe Northwestern State University (8 198
Day 1: 5 05-00 Day 2: 5 08-07 Total: 10 13-07
54. Cody Monlezun - Atlan Pfluger Texas A&M University 197
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 3 04-06 Total: 8 13-03
55. Wyatt Pearman - Dustin Bauer Campbellsville University 196
Day 1: 4 05-12 Day 2: 5 07-07 Total: 9 13-03
56. Matt Short - Pruitt Lansdale Eastern Kentucky University 195
Day 1: 5 07-00 Day 2: 4 06-03 Total: 9 13-03
57. Evan Sutton - Grant Olsen McKendree University 194
Day 1: 5 07-02 Day 2: 5 06-00 Total: 10 13-02
58. Hunter Fillmore - Dylan Fogarty Bethel University 193
Day 1: 5 06-00 Day 2: 3 07-01 Total: 8 13-01
59. Tucker Siminak - Kyle Hopping McKendree University 192
Day 1: 5 06-09 Day 2: 4 06-06 Total: 9 12-15
60. Brantley Anders - Cameron Dials Kentucky Christian University 191
Day 1: 5 07-00 Day 2: 4 05-14 Total: 9 12-14
61. Trent Buchholz - Dakota Posey Lamar State College Orange 190
Day 1: 5 06-05 Day 2: 5 06-09 Total: 10 12-14
62. Parker Brown - Layton Brown Dallas Baptist University 189
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 4 04-08 Total: 9 12-12
63. Chris Baker - Elijah Kelley Kentucky Christian University 188
Day 1: 4 06-03 Day 2: 5 06-08 Total: 9 12-11
64. Solomon Glenn - Briggs Alavezos University of Montevallo 187
Day 1: 5 06-14 Day 2: 5 05-12 Total: 10 12-10
65. Brock Blazier - Benjamin Blank Wabash Valley College 186
Day 1: 5 05-14 Day 2: 5 06-11 Total: 10 12-09
66. Bryant Martin - Luke Batts LSU - Shreveport 185
Day 1: 5 05-15 Day 2: 5 06-10 Total: 10 12-09
67. Drake Hemby - Szymon Piton Carson-Newman University 184
Day 1: 4 06-02 Day 2: 5 06-07 Total: 9 12-09
68. Giancarlo Russo - Remington Potter Florida Gateway College 183
Day 1: 5 06-11 Day 2: 5 05-12 Total: 10 12-07
69. Carson Hickman - Jacob Dobbs Tarleton State University 182
Day 1: 5 07-09 Day 2: 5 04-12 Total: 10 12-05
70. William Vega - Will Emmert Sam Houston State University 181
Day 1: 5 06-14 Day 2: 5 05-03 Total: 10 12-01
71. Hunter Keller - Grant Harris Catawba Valley Community College 180
Day 1: 5 05-13 Day 2: 5 06-04 Total: 10 12-01
72. Clay Osteen - John Mizell Tarleton State University 179
Day 1: 5 07-08 Day 2: 4 04-06 Total: 9 11-14
73. Max Heaton - Brooks Anderson Emmanuel College 178
Day 1: 5 07-05 Day 2: 3 04-05 Total: 8 11-10
74. Derek Rodriguez Jr. - Mathias Dahline Adrian College 177
Day 1: 4 04-07 Day 2: 5 07-00 Total: 9 11-07
75. Justin Botts - Tim Herrmann Bryan College 176
Day 1: 4 06-07 Day 2: 4 04-14 Total: 8 11-05
76. Ashton Hehr - Trevor Johnston Texas A&M University 175
Day 1: 5 07-04 Day 2: 2 03-14 Total: 7 11-02
77. Dustin Weinberg - Sawyer Brady Blue Mountain Christian Universi 174
Day 1: 5 06-14 Day 2: 3 04-04 Total: 8 11-02
78. Sawyer McCullough - Hunter Bettner Troy University 173
Day 1: 2 02-05 Day 2: 5 08-07 Total: 7 10-12
79. Jadon Spencer - Chase Martin Catawba Valley Community College 172
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 2 02-08 Total: 7 10-12
80. Russel Buffa - Dalton Mollenkopf Adrian College 171
Day 1: 5 07-00 Day 2: 3 03-09 Total: 8 10-09
81. Cross Campbell - Ethan Thurston East Texas Baptist University 170
Day 1: 4 06-00 Day 2: 3 04-08 Total: 7 10-08
82. Carter Ball - Austin Tapley Adrian College 169
Day 1: 5 05-10 Day 2: 5 04-14 Total: 10 10-08
83. Chase Hubble - Brent May University of Florida 168
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 2 02-01 Total: 7 10-05
84. Taylor McMullen - Emmanuel College 167
Day 1: 4 06-05 Day 2: 2 04-00 Total: 6 10-05
85. Carter Smith - Gannon Stork Wabash Valley College 166
Day 1: 1 03-01 Day 2: 4 07-03 Total: 5 10-04
86. Caleb Bridges - Matthew Dopp Bryan College 165
Day 1: 5 07-01 Day 2: 3 03-03 Total: 8 10-04
87. John Karisny - Brodie Paige Louisiana Tech University 164
Day 1: 5 05-07 Day 2: 3 04-13 Total: 8 10-04
88. Matthew Zdrazil - Easton Lindus Emmanuel College 163
Day 1: 5 07-06 Day 2: 2 02-09 Total: 7 09-15
89. Miles Smith - Zach Henderson Georgia College 162
Day 1: 5 06-12 Day 2: 1 03-00 Total: 6 09-12
90. Dylan Breaux - Joel Richard Nicholls State University 161
Day 1: 5 07-01 Day 2: 2 02-04 Total: 7 09-05
91. Colton Hill - Tomas Matual McKendree University 160
Day 1: 3 04-10 Day 2: 3 04-09 Total: 6 09-03
92. Jordan Pennington - Andrew Oswalt University of Montevallo 159
Day 1: 5 07-04 Day 2: 2 01-14 Total: 7 09-02
93. Justin James - Keegan Trahan Lamar State College Orange 158
Day 1: 3 02-14 Day 2: 4 06-04 Total: 7 09-02
94. Reece Keeney - Colby Kerr Kentucky Christian University 157
Day 1: 4 06-09 Day 2: 1 02-07 Total: 5 09-00
95. Cooper Arthur - Luke Frankowicz Louisiana Tech University 156
Day 1: 3 04-13 Day 2: 4 04-00 Total: 7 08-13
96. Gavin Schmitz - Addison Sikes University of Montevallo 155
Day 1: 5 06-05 Day 2: 2 02-05 Total: 7 08-10
97. Roy Crush - Hunter Hernandez Texas A&M University 154
Day 1: 1 00-15 Day 2: 5 07-05 Total: 6 08-04
98. Brody Robison - Jack Alexander University of Montevallo 153
Day 1: 5 06-14 Day 2: 3 01-02 Total: 8 08-00
99. Max Gosdin - Andrew Howell University of Montevallo 152
Day 1: 5 06-13 Day 2: 1 01-02 Total: 6 07-15
100. Stephen Bovia - Preston Madere Louisiana Tech University 151
Day 1: 2 03-09 Day 2: 4 04-06 Total: 6 07-15
101. Wesley Smith II - Jacob Oliver Catawba Valley Community College 150
Day 1: 4 06-13 Day 2: 1 00-14 Total: 5 07-11
102. Nathan Coffman - Garrett Mawalls LSU - Shreveport 149
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 07-09 Total: 5 07-09
103. Brett Jolley Jr. - Cade Nettles East Texas Baptist University 148
Day 1: 5 04-15 Day 2: 2 02-10 Total: 7 07-09
104. Brenton Godwin - Hunter Odom University of Montevallo 147
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 2 02-09 Total: 5 07-08
105. Spencer Brister - Roeh Burton Lamar State College Orange 146
Day 1: 4 04-12 Day 2: 3 02-11 Total: 7 07-07
106. Gunner Whitaker - Mitch Johnson Kentucky Christian University 145
Day 1: 5 07-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 07-00
107. Hank Sturm - Mitch Straffon Adrian College 144
Day 1: 5 06-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 06-14
108. Conner Giles - Christian Wright Bryan College 143
Day 1: 2 02-11 Day 2: 4 04-01 Total: 6 06-12
109. Dylan Benson - Austin Rose East Texas Baptist University 142
Day 1: 5 06-04 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 06-04
110. Cole Thompson - Rees Williams University of North Alabama 141
Day 1: 5 06-01 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 06-01
111. Jacob Autry - Will Niebrugge Murray State University 140
Day 1: 4 04-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 4 04-13
112. Luke Iles - Northwestern State University 139
Day 1: 1 00-13 Day 2: 2 03-14 Total: 3 04-11
113. Zeb Roberts - Cabe Mackey Catawba Valley Community College 138
Day 1: 1 01-00 Day 2: 2 03-08 Total: 3 04-08
114. Kreed Averhoff - Jordan Kalsbeek Tarleton State University 137
Day 1: 2 03-02 Day 2: 1 01-05 Total: 3 04-07
115. Thomas Mingle - Braxton Simmons University of Tennessee 136
Day 1: 3 04-06 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 04-06
116. Lane Bailey - Justin Eggers Catawba Valley Community College 135
Day 1: 2 03-02 Day 2: 1 01-04 Total: 3 04-06
117. Hampton Shull - Landon Surrett Lander University 134
Day 1: 1 01-03 Day 2: 2 02-14 Total: 3 04-01
118. Seth Jenkins - TJ McKenzie Emmanuel College 133
Day 1: 3 03-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 03-13
119. Fischer Barber - Tucker Jordan Troy University 132
Day 1: 1 01-01 Day 2: 3 02-12 Total: 4 03-13
120. Riley Lawson - Dawson Burton Kentucky Christian University 131
Day 1: 3 03-04 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 03-04
121. Caleb Hart - Connor Vanderploeg Grand Valley State University 130
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-03 Total: 2 03-03
122. Hunter Palmer - Eli Stevenson Bryan College 129
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 1 01-05 Total: 2 03-00
123. Kyle Knoll - Luke Morgan Southern Union State Community C 128
Day 1: 2 02-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 02-13
124. Sid Wallace - Broxson Daigle Texas A&M University 127
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 02-02
125. Caleb Jacob - Illinois State University 126
Day 1: 2 01-15 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 01-15
126. Kaden Liles - Kolby Clark University of North Alabama 125
Day 1: 1 01-01 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-01
127. Hunter Starling - William Vickery Georgia Southern University 124
Day 1: 1 00-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 00-14
128. Jacob Butts - Mark Kershaw-Klara USC Union 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
128. Carson Calvert - Austin Thomas University of North Alabama 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
128. Marlee Churchman - Ty Gentry LSU - Shreveport 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
128. Cody Clifton - Robert Hunt Missouri State University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
128. Logan East - Rob Lindsey Bryan College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
128. Connor Lynch - Domenic Bartel Grand Valley State University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
128. Chandler Pruett - Wes Bailey Blue Mountain College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
128. Rudy Worley - Fisher Overton Blue Mountain College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 88 536 853-13
2 63 454 732-10
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151 990 1586-07