#WeAreCollegiateBass: Recent Episodes
Association of Collegiate Anglers
Welcome to the #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! We talk about everything in the collegiate and bass fishing worlds and love to bring insights and fun topics to you - tune in!
Last weekend, Tucker Smith & Hayden Marbut from nationally ranked Auburn University won the Bassmaster College Series National Championship at Pickwick Lake. With a three-day total of 53 pounds and 12 ounces, Smith & Marbut secured their second National Championship title of the summer. Back in May, at Lake Hartwell, the pair won the Association of Collegiate Anglers’ National Championship event, the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. As one of the first major events of the season, this victory earns Auburn University very valuable points as they enter this season in search of winning their first ever Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in to hear about it all on this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast!
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with college angler Blake Tinsley. Tinsley spent the last several seasons at Winona State and is transferring to McKendree University for this upcoming season. Tinsley and McKendree University Head Coach Jon Rinderer had met several times out on the college trail last season and that grew into an opportunity for the former Winona State angler to join the two-time Bass Pro Shops School of the Year winner McKendree University. Tune in to hear about Tinsley's decision to transfer and what he hopes to achieve this upcoming season!
At ICAST 2023, Rapala introduced its new CrushCity soft baits. Developed from America’s top professional bass anglers, anglers see how versatile and effective these baits are, they will be using them to crush other species on multiple bodies of water all over the country. With the introduction of five soft baits, Rapala aims to show how defined the soft bait category can be with attention to detail on every bait matching the innovation they have brought to hard baits over the years. Tune in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast as we talk with professional angler Bob Downey about the introduction of CrushCity.
On Episode 183 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Drake Hemby from 3rd ranked Carson-Newman University. Drake, along with his teammate Ewing Minor, finished in 2nd place at the 2023 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. The duo's 2nd place finish helped to contribute to Carson-Newman's triple points opportunity that sealed the team's highest-ever finish in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Carson-Newman finished the year in 3rd for the final National Rankings of the 2022-23 season. Tune in to hear about each of these two major accomplishments for the anglers and team!
Two weeks ago, the Association of Collegiate Anglers completed its 18th season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. With that came the culmination of the race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. The University of Montevallo achieved collegiate bass fishing history by becoming the first school to ever win the title three times. Tune in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast as host Kyle Curry talks with Head Coach William Crawford and Montevallo angler Tyler Cory about the historic victory.
On the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by Marlee Churchman and Ty Gentry from LSU-Shreveport. The two anglers won the latest MLF regional event on Lake O' The Pines in Texas with a limit weighing 19 pounds 9 ounces. This major victory earned the team valuable points in the chase for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, as well as brought the national spotlight upon the team for this major accomplishment. Tune in to hear from Ty and Marlee as they discuss the victory!
For the first time since May of 2020, McKendree University is ranked number one in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Along with the University of Montevallo, McKendree is just one of two schools in the country to ever win the prestigious title twice. This season, McKendree is chasing history as they look to become the first school to ever win the School of the Year title three times. On the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with McKendree anglers Jack Stephens and Lane Stephens. Tune in to hear about their season thus far, and learn more about this current team!
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by special guests Blake Milligan & Matthew Parrish from fifth ranked Auburn University. Milligan & Parrish recently won the MLF Southeast Regional on Pickwick Lake with a five fish limit weighing 18 pounds 7 ounces. That victory earned Auburn University valuable points towards the Bass Pro Shops school of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Auburn’s next highest-finishing team placed third. Two Top 3 finishes are huge for Auburn in their quest to claim the first ACA School of the Year title in school history. Tune in to hear about the recent victory and Auburn’s goals for the remainder of the season!
Just over one week ago, the Association of Collegiate Anglers contested its final event for the fall of 2022. The AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open was a two-day tournament held at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR. With over $20,000 in prizes & contingencies on the line, as well as double points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, 218 of the top college teams were on hand. Mat Higby & John Foster Case from Arkansas Tech University won the event with a two-day total weight of 27.09 pounds. Tune in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast to hear the duo talk about their major victory!
On the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Masen Wade from the University of Arkansas. Masen has a great track record at the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open on Lake Dardanelle, and he is registered to compete in the event this upcoming weekend! Tune in to hear Masen preview Lake Dardanelle, and talk about the University of Arkansas Bass Fishing Club.
Parker Brown from now 17th ranked Dallas Baptist University won the 2022 Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley at Kentucky Lake with a bass weighing 7.21 pounds. Parker bested the field of nearly 500 anglers to claim top honors and over $7,000 in prizes & contingencies. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by Parker Brown to discuss the latest victory. Tune in to hear about the winning pattern, all of the valuable prizes, and the importance of the win for DBU’s pursuit of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Parker Brown from now 17th ranked Dallas Baptist University won the 2022 Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley at Kentucky Lake with a bass weighing 7.21 pounds. Parker bested the field of nearly 500 anglers to claim top honors and over $7,000 in prizes & contingencies. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by Parker Brown to discuss the latest victory. Tune in to hear about the winning pattern, all of the valuable prizes, and the importance of the win for DBU’s pursuit of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
The first Association of Collegiate Anglers event is set to take place this weekend on Kentucky Lake in Henry County and Paris, TN. More than 450 anglers have registered for the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley and will be competing for over $20,000 in prizes and contingencies. The guests on today’s show are Jackson, Adrian, Ryan, and Emily from fourth ranked Murray State. Tune in to hear them talk about the event, Kentucky Lake, and strategy for fishing a big bass event.
The first Association of Collegiate Anglers event is set to take place this weekend on Kentucky Lake in Henry County and Paris, TN. More than 450 anglers have registered for the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley and will be competing for over $20,000 in prizes and contingencies. The guests on today’s show are Jackson, Adrian, Ryan, and Emily from fourth ranked Murray State. Tune in to hear them talk about the event, Kentucky Lake, and strategy for fishing a big bass event.
This week the Association of Collegiate Anglers released the first standings of the season in the race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Adrian College is in the top spot with a total of 6,620 points. On the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Adrian College anglers Caleb Dachenhaus and Hayden Scott. Tune in as the two anglers talk about being ranked number one, and their goals for this new season!
Earlier this summer, Wabash Valley College lost a member of its fishing family and 2023 recruiting class as high school angler Eli Newberry passed away in a car accident. Eli was set to be a high school senior this fall and had already signed to attend WVC and be a member of the bass fishing team starting the fall of 2023. The local community and the college fishing scene quickly rallied together to organize a memorial tournament to benefit the family. The Eli Newberry Memorial Tournament was contested on August 13th and raised a total of $10,000. Listen in to the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast as we talk with WVC Head Coach Todd Gill, and team members Hunter Capehart, Mason Gross, and Carter Smith to remember Eli and discuss the memorial tournament.
With ICAST now in the books, that means the start of a new school year is right around the corner! Following a two week break since the last episode, we are excited to bring you the latest edition of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast. Today’s guests are Logan Russell & Trevor Schleich from the University of Nebraska. The duo won the latest MLF Central Regional at the Mississippi River with a total weight of 16 pounds 9 ounces. Tune in to hear them talk about the event and provide insight about the club from Lincoln, NE.
On this week’s episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with Josh Finnerty & Callaway Robinson from Georgia College. Georgia College is ranked 22nd in the upcoming ACA pre-season poll that will be released starting next week. The team from Milledgeville, GA puts in a lot of hard work year in and year out, and it shows in their performance as it pertains to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in to hear these anglers talk about the Top 25 ranking and break down some specifics about their team!
The special guest on this episode is Bryan College angler and representative in the fishing industry Preston Kendrick. Preston is a member of the fishing team at Bryan College where he won the 2020 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops with his fellow teammate Bailey Fain. Along with being a student angler as he pursues a Masters degree, Preston works for the Outdoor Brand Team. The Association of Collegiate Anglers partners with the Outdoor Brand Team on several brands including AFTCO, Sunline, Big Bite Baits, Denali Rods, and SPRO. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, Preston talks about his time in college fishing and how that’s positively impacted his professional career as he now gets to work with the top brands in the industry!
It’s time for another new episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! On this week’s show, host Kyle Curry talks with Nathan Phillips and Ty Manterola from Simpson University. Located in Redding, CA, Simpson University has made a name for itself on the college bass fishing circuit over the last several years. The team recently made a huge statement to start the 2022-23 season of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Anglers representing Simpson University finished in 1st and 2nd overall at the MLF Western Conference Regional on June 3rd at the California Delta. Tune in to hear anglers from those two teams discuss the event and the Simpson University Bass Fishing Team!
The special guest on this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast is Bass Pro Shops and Nitro Boats pro Logan Parks. Parks fished for the Auburn University bass fishing team the past four years, and has played an integral role in Auburn’s ascension to the top of the college ranks. Parks finished 2nd overall at the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, was a part of the 2nd ranked Auburn bass team last season, and won the $1,000,000 payout as part of the winning team at the Johnny Morris Bass Pro Shops US Open National Bass Fishing Amateur Team Championship. Parks has since used a portion of his earnings to give back to the Auburn bass team and started a scholarship fund for the team. Tune in to hear about Parks’ journey and what college fishing and Auburn University mean to him!
The chase for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia is a 12 month race consisting of over 200 university college bass fishing clubs/teams competing in dozens of events across the nation. Earning valuable points along the way, these schools are vying to finish the season inside of the prestigious Top 25, or even number one! For the second straight season, the University of Montevallo has finished the season as the number one ranked team in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Montevallo anglers Grayson Morris and Adam Carroll about this amazing accomplishment.
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk to the winners of the 2022 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops! Bryar Chambers and Clent Blackwood from Wallace State weighed in a two-day total of 46.91 pounds to win the final event of the season for the Association of Collegiate Anglers and the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. Chambers and Blackwood bested the field comprised of hundreds of college fishing’s best anglers to claim first place honors and over $6,500 in prizes and contingencies. Tune in to hear from the new National Champions!
This week on the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with anglers from Top 25 ranked University of North Alabama about the upcoming BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. The 17th edition of the Association of Collegiate Anglers Championship will take place on Pickwick Lake in Florence, AL on May 26th-27th. Tune in as Avery Whitwell, Jackson Holbert, and Walker Sahagun join host Kyle Curry to talk about Pickwick Lake, the city of Florence, and much more!
It’s time for another new episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! On today’s episode, host Kyle Curry is joined by Chance Schwartz and Merritt Arnold from number one ranked University of Montevallo. Schwartz and Arnold won the 2022 Barnett Reservoir Rumble with a two-day total of 30.15 pounds. That 1st place victory earned the duo over $5,000 in prizes & contingencies, as well as 1,250 points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in now to hear everything they have to say!
On the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Ben Ford from Augustana College. The Augustana College Fishing Club is set to host the Mississippi River Rumble in Thomson, IL on May 1. This School-Run event is eligible for points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in as we talk with Ben about the event, Augustana’s Fishing Club, and much more!
The first Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series event of the spring season is almost here! On the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk to representatives from the University of Montevallo leading up to the Barnett Reservoir Rumble this weekend. Montevallo will enter the event in first place for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. With a season total of 13,105 points, Montevallo holds a more than 600 point lead over second ranked Auburn University. Tune in as we talk with Montevallo team member Adam Carroll and Head Coach William Crawford about the season thus far and this weekend’s upcoming double points event.
The next event on the schedule for the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series is the Barnett Reservoir Rumble. This Association of Collegiate Anglers double points event will take place on Barnett Reservoir in Ridgeland, MS. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by Jana Dear with Visit Ridgeland. Jana is here to tell you everything you need to know about the city of Ridgeland, Barnett Reservoir, and things to do! Tune in to find out about places to eat, shops to explore, and much more during your upcoming stay in the area.
This week on the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we begin to discuss the upcoming Barnett Reservoir Rumble set to take place in Ridgeland, MS on April 9th & 10th. On this episode, host Kyle Curry is joined by representatives from 8th ranked Blue Mountain College. BMC is located in northern Mississippi, just a few hours from Barnett Reservoir. Numerous members of the Toppers Bass Team have experience fishing on this particular body of water. Isaac Duncan, Lake Norsworthy, and Blake Bullock join the show to talk about Barnett Reservoir, as well as discuss the team’s current Top 10 ranking in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
On this week’s episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast we talk with team members from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Bass Fishing Club. Brock Lederman, Ben Rehm, Reed Kochan, and Nate Boenning join host Kyle Curry to talk about their club. UWSP has a long history of being well-respected college bass fishing team that has experienced success at lakes all across the country. Tune in to learn about the team, hear funny stories, and find out what the team hopes to accomplish with just over two months remaining in the season.
It’s time again for another new episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! On this week’s episode, we talk with members of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Fishing Team: Logan Spice, Nick Redlin, and Brady Rufenacht. Logan and Nick are registered to compete in the upcoming Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley. Throughout this roughly 20 minute interview we talk about the first ACA event of 2022 at Kentucky Lake, and learn more about the UW-Platteville fishing team.
Episode 142 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, hosted by Kyle Curry, will feature current Wabash Valley College angler Drew Gill as he recently committed and signed to join the Campbellsville University Bass Fishing Team starting in the fall of 2022. Joining Drew on today’s show is his father Todd, who is the Head Bass Fishing Coach at WVC, and Tony Miracle, the Head Bass Fishing Coach at Campbellsville University. Tune in and listen as we talk to Drew about the recruiting process and his recent commitment, as well as hear from Todd and Tony about the process from the viewpoint as college fishing team head coaches!
On the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry and Wade Middleton introduce the current Top 25 in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia and provide analysis of the nation’s top teams.
The race for the 2021-22 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia is just past the halfway mark as a winner is set to crowned at Pickwick Lake at the end of May. Hundreds of the nation’s top collegiate bass fishing teams are competing to finish the year ranked the number one team in the sport.
The latest update to the standings includes points earned at these three events:
-Bassmaster College Series – Harris Chain
-MLF Southern Regional – Toledo Bend
-Southern Collegiate – Lake Martin
View the full updated standings here: https://www.collegiatebasschampionship.com/school-year-standings/
It’s time for another new episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! This week, host Kyle Curry is joined by special guests Andrew Yazdi, Adam Troyer, and James Yuska from the Indiana University Bass Fishing Team. The IU Bass Fishing Team is one of the longest tenured collegiate bass fishing clubs in the country. For a team with such a storied tradition and history, the team from Bloomington, IN had seen a dip in participation over the past few years. However, during the 2021 season, this group of determined underclassmen set out on a mission to put their team back on the map. Tune in to hear just how they did it, and what their expectations are for the upcoming Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley on Kentucky Lake where they plan to send at least 12 anglers to compete.
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with Tyler Nicol & Bo Howland from James Madison University. The current and former club presidents of the JMU bass team join host Kyle Curry for a brief interview talking about the team. Located in Harrisonburg, VA, JMU is situated in a beautiful part of the country that presents great angling opportunities. Tune in to learn about the club and the hard work these two anglers have put in to build the team up to national prominence!
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk to Nick Dumke & Easton Fothergill from the University of Montevallo. Nick & Easton finished 4th at the MLF Southeastern Regional on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Florida, earning 970 points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. That Top 5 finish in Florida propels Montevallo into the number one spot for the first time this season. During this episode, host Kyle Curry talks to Nick & Easton about their recent Top 5 finish and the significance of being ranked number one in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Happy New Year! It’s time for the first episode of 2022 for the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! We start the year off by talking to Jackson Gill and Nicholas Ferrer from the University of Central Florida Bass Fishing Team. The team on campus there in Orlando works hard to compete on the national level and maintain a strong social media presence to support sponsors and promote each individual angler on the team. One of those current team members, Will Carpenter, was recently diagnosed with squamous cell cancer. The UCF bass fishing team has set up a GoFundMe to help support Will and his family through this battle. Hear more about this cause, and learn about the UCF Bass Fishing Team in EP. 137 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast!
On the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with college angler and and D1 men’s basketball player Luke Loewe. Luke attends the University of Minnesota where he plays for the Golden Gophers Men’s Basketball Team and is also a member of the school’s Bass Fishing Team. Along with the athletic accolades, Luke also has a strong presence on social media and YouTube where he posts content from his latest fishing adventures. You can find Luke on Instagram @bass_and_buckets, and his YouTube channel is ‘Bass and Buckets.’ During this brief interview, Luke talks about the origin of his passion for fishing, taking teammates out on the water, and his goals for representing the bass fishing team this upcoming spring. Tune in now to hear it all!
It’s time for another new episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! On this week’s show, host Kyle Curry talks with Emily Freeman, Braiden Koerber, and Ryan Park from 6th ranked Murray State University. Murray State has earned a total of 6,140 points this season, and trails top-ranked Adrian College by 1,200 points. The team from near the shores of Kentucky Lake has a rich history as being a highly competitive club on the national scene. However, one thing is still missing from the team’s trophy case…the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Each of the past four years, Murray State has finished the season ranked inside of the Top 5 but has failed to be number one come season’s end. Tune in to hear these anglers talk about this season and Murray State’s quest to win it all!
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Logan Parks and Tucker Smith from Top 5 ranked Auburn University. Parks and Smith just won the US Open National Amateur Bass Fishing Championship event put on by Johnny Morris and Bass Pro Shops. Touted as the largest bass fishing event in the history of the sport, the tournament paid out a first place prize of $1,000,000, two Toyota Tundra trucks, and two Nitro bass boats. These two Auburn University anglers topped the elite field of 350 teams with a final day weight of 16.41 pounds to take home top honors at this history making event. Tune in to hear all about the tournament, and what this major victory means to each of these young anglers moving forward!
It’s time for another new episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! The special guests for today’s show, representing third ranked Auburn University, are Carson Maddux, Rob Cruvellier, and Sam Hanggi. With a total of 6,905 points on the season, Auburn is approximately 1,400 points behind top-ranked Adrian College. This weekend, Auburn University will be hosting a school-run event to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. The Auburn University Tournament Trail event will be held this Sunday, November 21, at Lincoln Landing on Logan Martin Lake. Tune in to hear more about this event, as well as listen to these Auburn anglers talk about the team’s success so far this season.
On the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Tyler Christy and Trey Schroeder from McKendree University. McKendree is currently ranked 2nd overall in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, trailing top-ranked Adrian College by just over 200 points. If McKendree is able to win the School of the Year title this season, they would make collegiate bass fishing history. Never before, in the history of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, has a school won the prestigious title three times. The only two teams to ever win the title twice are the University of North Alabama and McKendree University. Tune in to hear Tyler and Trey talk about the chance to make college fishing history, their leadership roles on the team, and much more!
It’s time for another new episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! Today we will be talking with the coach and team members from 19th ranked LSU-Shreveport. Head Coach Charles Thompson, Tripp Bowman, and Brayden Nichols join host Kyle Curry to talk about the up and coming program from Shreveport, LA. Tune in to hear about this team, the anglers involved, and how to find out more information about the LSUS Fishing Team!
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with special guests Ben Cully & Hayden Gaddis from 13th ranked Carson-Newman University. The duo won the most recent MLF Southeastern Regional event at Lake Chickamauga. Weighing in a five-bass limit for 18 pounds, Cully & Gaddis secured 1,000 points for Carson-Newman to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in to hear them talk about their latest victory, the School of the Year race, and much more!
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Robert Gee and Luke Byerly from the 9th ranked school in the nation, the University of Tennessee. Gee and Byerly finished in 2nd place at the 2021 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open at Lake Dardanelle two weeks ago. That 2nd place finish paid out over $1,000 in prizes, including a $700 Bass Pro Shops gift card, four Abu Garcia Vendetta casting rods, and a Rapala tackle package. Tune in to hear these two anglers talk about the event and how they caught their fish!
Heath Pinell and Taylor Knowles from LSU won the first Association of Collegiate Anglers event, the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open, last weekend. The duo weighed in a two-day total of 24.89 pounds to best the elite field of 216 boats. First place at the AFTCO Open paid out thousands of dollars in prizes, as well as 1,250 points towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Pinell and Knowles join host Kyle Curry on this week’s episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast to talk about their recent victory. Tune in to hear them break down the baits and locations where they caught their fish, and we will also talk about the importance of this victory towards LSU’s push to win the School of the Year race.
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by Christie Graham, Executive Director-Russellville Tourism & Visitors Center. The town of Russellville and Lake Dardanelle will play host to the upcoming AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open. Russellville and the surrounding areas offer plenty of great activities, wonderful restaurants, shopping, and tons of great things to do! Tune in to hear Christie talk about Russellville, the importance of bass tournaments to the community, and much more!
Today’s special guests on the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast are Cole Breeden and Cameron Smith from Drury University. The duo won the 2020 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open at Lake Dardanelle. Drury University went on to place another team inside the Top 5 at that event, and jumpstarted what turned into a historic season for the team from Springfield, MO. Breeden and Smith join host Kyle Curry to talk the importance of this victory, and the exposure it provided for Drury University. Tune in to hear that and much more on the latest episode!
Check out the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! Host Kyle Curry is joined by special guests Bailey Bleser and Devon Rathbun from number three ranked McKendree University. The duo from the two-time Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia won the Wabash Valley College Invitational earlier this week. Bleser and Rathbun weighed in a five bass limit for 18.42 pounds, securing 100 points towards the 2021-22 School of the Year race. Tune in to hear about that victory, and McKendree’s team goals for the upcoming season as they look to become the first team ever to win three Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia titles.
This week on the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with 2nd ranked Auburn University about the team’s success early on during the 2021-22 race for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. The team has earned a total of 3,400 points and is approximately 2,400 points behind top-ranked Adrian College. Special guests Carson Maddux, Logan Parks, and Sam Hanggi join host Kyle Curry on this latest episode. Tune in to learn about the team, and the keys to Auburn’s success this season!
Matt Davis and Shane Nelson from number one ranked Adrian College are the special guests on this week’s episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast. Adrian is the current leader in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, building an early margin of more than 2,000 points over second-ranked Auburn. Over the course of the past week or so, Adrian has earned 2,500 points by winning two major college-level events. Tune in to hear Matt and Shane talk about the season so far, and what it would mean to win the team’s first-ever School of the Year title.
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with Hayden Scott and Griffin Fernandes. The two anglers from Adrian College teamed up to win the BASS College Series National Championship on the St. Lawrence River last weekend. Scott & Fernandes topped the elite field with a three-day total weight of 63 pounds and 10 ounces. The victory earns Adrian College a total of 1,500 points towards the 2021-22 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in as we talk about the National Championship victory and Adrian College’s goal of winning the School of the Year race at the end of the ACA season.
The special guests on this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast are Coach Hunter Sales and anglers Ben Cully & Hayden Gaddis from Carson-Newman University. Carson-Newman finished last season ranked 4th in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. This marks the highest finish in school history for the team from Tennessee. With the first rankings drop of the new season set to drop this month, Carson-Newman enters the year with high expectations. The team earned a pre-season rank of 3rd overall, proving it has gained the respect and attention of the college fishing world. Tune in to hear what today’s guests have to say about the School of the Year race, as well as their upcoming tournament trail set to kick off in a few weeks.
On the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with Pierce Knarr and Ryan Lowe from the University of Iowa. The duo won a recent MLF regional event on the Mississippi River with a three-fish total weight of 12 pounds 10 ounces. The victory earns Iowa a total of 1,000 points towards the race for 2021-22 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in to hear about their victory and learn more about the bass fishing club at the University of Iowa!
The Director of the Association of Collegiate Anglers, Wade Middleton, joins us on this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast. With a new season on the horizon, there are a lot of different topics to discuss during this episode. We start off by looking back at the 2021 race for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, where Montevallo claimed its first-ever School of the Year title at Lake Murray in South Carolina. Following that, the conversation shifts to the new season that is on the horizon. Tune in to hear about the latest ACA Top 25 Pre-Season Poll and the 2021-22 schedule for the Association of Collegiate Anglers.
The special guests on this latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast are Blake Jackson and Trevor McKinney from McKendree University. Jackson & McKinney claimed a recent victory at the BASS Wild Card event on Lay Lake just one week ago. The duo had a very interesting week as they encountered a life-threatening incident during practice, then managed to claim the tournament victory. Jackson & McKinney caught a majority of their fish on a Rapala DT-6 crankbait. Tune in to hear about it all now!
In this episode we talk to one of the newest teams in collegiate bass fishing, Wabash Valley College(WVC). The Warriors Bass Fishing Team just completed its first full season out on the college trail. The first ACA ran event the school competed in was the 2020 Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley at Kentucky Lake. Throughout the rest of the season, WVC competed in each double points event out on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. Through the points earned at these events, as well as other major college tournaments across the nation, WVC finished in the Top 20 for the 2021 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Listen to the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast as we talk with the coach and members of the Wabash Valley College fishing team about their first season in action!
The second points earning event of the new season was contested on Lake of the Pines in east Texas last weekend. Jacob Andrews & Connor Nimrod from the University of Louisiana-Monroe won the MLF Southeastern Conference event with a single day total of 26 pounds 5 ounces. Lake of the Pines kicked out a lot of good fish for the regional event last week. Close to 15 teams weighed in limits of 20 pounds or larger. Tune in and listen as we talk with Andrews & Nimrod about their latest victory, and the significance of earning 1,000 points for ULM in the race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
This episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast will conclude our coverage of the 2021 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. Today’s special guests are Noah Skolnick and Garrett Torres from Texas Christian University. Skolnick and Torres won the National Championship event at Lake Murray with a two-day total of 32.51 pounds. The duo entered Day 2 in 15th place after weighing in 13.53 pounds on the first day of competition. On Championship Day, Skolnick and Torres weighed in 18.98 pounds to surge up the rankings and take home the title of National Champions. Tune in to hear them discuss the victory and patterns they implemented to catch the winning fish!
Just over one week ago today, a winner was crowned in the 2020-21 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. The University of Montevallo capitalized on a commanding seven month reign of 1st place to earn the number one ranking at season’s end. Back-to-back defending School of the Year winners McKendree University put together a strong push at Lake Murray, but Montevallo’s commanding 1,000 plus point lead proved too large to overcome. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with Montevallo anglers Grayson Morris and Aaron Cherry to talk about this monumental victory for the program!
This week’s episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast will be the final episode until after the conclusion of the 2021 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops at Lake Murray. Our guest for this episode is Miriam Atria - President/CEO, Capital City/Lake Murray Country. Miriam joins us to discuss places to eat, areas to visit, and a variety of attractions that the area has to offer. Tune in to hear all of the great things she has to say about the “Jewel of South Carolina!”
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we continue to preview Lake Murray and the fishing conditions out on the playing field for the upcoming BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. Host Kyle Curry is joined by special guest Robert Wise from Clemson University. Robert is a local to the area and claims Lake Murray as his home lake. Tune in as Robert answers a wide range of questions about the fishing conditions out on Lake Murray!
Lake Murray in South Carolina will be the playing field for the upcoming BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. The 2021 Championship will mark the first time that the Association of Collegiate Anglers has hosted an event on this particular fishery. For a majority of the field registered to compete in this tournament, it will be their first time ever fishing Lake Murray. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we will be joined by Whit Edmonds from 30th ranked Lander University. Whit considers Lake Murray his home lake and is very knowledgeable about this storied fishery. Tune in to this episode as Whit breaks down the various cover scattered across the lake, productive baits for this time of year, and provides a weight estimate for what he thinks it will take to win the two-day event!
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we are joined by Aaron Cherry and Chandler Holt from number one ranked University of Montevallo. Cherry & Holt won the latest MLF college event at Lake Guntersville last weekend. The Montevallo anglers weighed in a five-bass limit for 18 pounds 14 ounces to best second place by nearly a full pound. This event marks just another major victory as Montevallo pushes to win its first Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia title in program history. Tune in as Cherry and Holt talk about their recent win, the School of the Year race, and provide a little insight into their game plan for the 2021 Championship on Lake Murray.
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we will conclude our post-tournament coverage of the 2021 Pickwick Slam. This week’s guest is Brock Bila from 7th ranked Drury University. Brock, along with fellow teammate Jack Rankin teamed up to finish second overall at Pickwick Lake for the final Association of Collegiate Anglers regular-season event in Florence, AL. The duo weighed in a two-day total of 40.15 pounds to finish as runner-up, just over five pounds behind first place Montevallo. Tune in to hear Brock break down their pattern, and begin to discuss the upcoming BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops on Lake Murray in South Carolina.
The final major ACA event before the year end Championship was contested on Pickwick Lake in Florence, AL last weekend. James Willoughby and Chance Schwartz from number one ranked University of Montevallo won the 2021 Pickwick Slam with a two-day total of 45.42 pounds. The duo entered the final day with a slim lead over second place and managed to weigh in another bag over 20 pounds on the final day to win by a margin of just over five pounds. Willoughby & Schwartz took home thousands of dollars in prizes and contingencies, as well as 1,000 points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in as they talk about the recent victory and Montevallo’s chase to be the top ranked team in the nation at season’s end.
The second event of the 2021 season is just over one week away! The Pickwick Slam is set to be contested at Pickwick Lake in Florence, AL on April 10-11, 2021. This two-day, traditional five-bass limit format event is the last stop of the 2020-2021 season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series prior to the Championship next month. The Association of Collegiate Anglers has been working with Florence-Lauderdale Tourism to host top-notch collegiate fishing events on Pickwick Lake for approximately 10 years. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, Tyler Dolan from Florence-Lauderdale Tourism joins us to discuss next weekend’s event. Tune in to hear all about the area, things to do, and places to eat!
The first Association of Collegiate Anglers event was contested just a few weeks ago at Kentucky Lake for the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley. Cole Dodson from number one ranked University of Montevallo won the event with a largemouth bass weighing 5.75 pounds. For his victory, Dodson earned $6,000+ in prizes & contingencies, as well as 1,000 points for his team towards their season total of points in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast to hear how Cole caught the winning fish, and Montevallo’s game plan to win the 2020-2021 School of the Year title.
In just one week we will be in Henry County and Paris, TN on the shores of Kentucky Lake for the 2021 Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley. During this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we will be talking with Travis McLeese, CEO of the Paris-Henry County Chamber. Spring is a great time of the year to be in Paris, TN and the surrounding area! The fish are biting, flowers are blooming, and winter weather is on the way out! Tune in to hear about the great things going on in the area as we prepare for the first event of the 2021 season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.
In exactly two weeks, we will be in Henry County and Paris, TN at Kentucky Lake for the 2021 Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley. It is now time for us to begin our coverage leading up to the first event of the 2021 season. Today’s guest on the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast is Bailey Bleser from 3rd ranked McKendree University. Back in the fall, Bailey won Day 1 Session 1 and finished in the Top 10 of Day 1 Session 3. During this episode, we will talk with him about what he figured out on Kentucky Lake in the fall, as well as ask him about McKendree’s shot at a three-peat for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Check out Episode 103 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! Today we are joined by Drew Gill, Cole Hess, and Clayton Halbig from Wabash Valley College. The WVC Bass Team is competing in its first full season as a collegiate bass team. They have seen a great deal of success so far this season. WVC cracked the Top 25 in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia earlier in the year and is currently ranked 33rd. Tune in to hear these three anglers discuss their first season of college fishing, as well as preview the upcoming Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley on Kentucky Lake.
Find out more about the Wabash Valley College Bass Team: https://www.wvcwarriorathletics.com/sports/fishing/2019-20/news
Earlier this week, the Association of Collegiate Anglers provided the latest update to the standings for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Sitting atop those standings is the University of Montevallo from Alabama. They hold a nearly 1,000 point lead over the second-ranked team. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we will be joined by Montevallo team members Mason Waddell and Cal Culpepper. Listen in as we talk about the School of the Year race and much more!
To start off this latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we announce the five winners from the Ott Defoe OG Slim giveaway. Those winners are:
Brayden Federer
Andrew Alvey
Kristopher C
Brandon Cribbs
Sir Reginald
The guest on today’s show are representatives from the Simpson University bass team. Head Coach Alex Thiemann and team member Nathan Phillips join us for a great conversation about their young program. Located in Redding, CA, Simpson University is entering just its second season competing out on the college circuit. Last month, Nathan finished in the Top 10 for the ACA Online Tournament. We will discuss that, the team’s goals, and how to get more information about the team in this quick 20-minute interview.
Find out more about Simpson University: https://simpsonredhawks.com/sports/bassfish
The latest upload marks the 100th episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! In celebration of this milestone, we will be giving away five Rapala OG Slim crankbaits autographed by professional angler Ott DeFoe. Be sure to listen to the start of the podcast for details on how to participate! Ott DeFoe is also the featured guest on today’s show. A majority of the conversation will be about the new OG Slim crankbait. Learn about how this bait came to be, where it works best, and what type of gear to throw it on!
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we conclude our coverage of the ACA ‘Holiday Break’ Online Tournament. Today’s guest will be Brenton Godwin from the University of Montevallo. Brenton tied for 2nd Place with a largemouth bass measuring 23.50 inches. He will take home a valuable prize and 45 points for his team towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Montevallo is currently ranked number one overall in the School of the Year race. Tune in as we talk to Brenton about that number one ranking, as well as discuss the fish catch that netted him a Top 5 finish in the Online Tournament!
At this time, the Association of Collegiate Anglers is hosting an Online Tournament for anglers to compete in during their Holiday Break. Yesterday we provided an update to the leaderboard and Cole Breeden from Drury University is in 1st place with a largemouth bass measuring 24 inches in length. Breeden holds a slim lead over 2nd place as the event is set to close on Sunday evening. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with Breeden, the young Drury University angler, about catching the tournament leading fish. Tune in to hear what he has to say about that and much more!
On this week’s episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with Seth Moser from the University of Tennessee - Chattanooga. Seth is currently in the Top 10 for the Online Tournament with a smallmouth bass measuring over 20 inches. We start off the show by talking to him about that particular fish catch, and how he caught it. Following that, Seth goes into detail about his journey to college fishing and what it took to get to the position he’s at today. Tune in to hear everything Seth has to say!
Murray State is set to host the 2020 Murray State Pickwick Invitational this upcoming Sunday, December 13th. The number four ranked Murray State Bass Anglers will be hosting this invitational event at the Stateline Boat Launch in Sandy Creek on Pickwick Lake, with the tournament beginning at 7:00 AM. In order for the event to count for points towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, a minimum of five different universities/colleges must participate. To register for the tournament, go to www.collegiatebasschampionship.com. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, Murray State angler Harbor Lovin joins us to discuss the upcoming invitational.
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we will be joined by Conner DiMauro from Bryan College. Conner, along with his teammate Cole Sands, has had a very successful year in 2020. The duo just won the recent Bassmaster College Series Championship with a three-day total of nearly 85 pounds. Conner joins us today to discuss that recent victory. Along with that, we talk about how college fishing has impacted him throughout the years, as well as how it’s shaped the future trajectory of his career as an angler. Tune in to listen to this great interview!
The race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia will soon reach the halfway point as the fall semester draws to an end. At the moment, the University of Montevallo is in 2nd place with 7,680 points. Coming off of a runner-up finish in 2019-2020, the anglers from Alabama are looking to claim their first School of the Year title in program history this season. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with Montevallo team members Jacob Pfundt & Grayson Morris. Tune in as they talk about the School of the Year race and a magical run they had at Kentucky Lake this past September!
For the first time in almost two months, Adrian College now sits in 1st place for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Adrian held the lead for the first part of the season, but relinquished that top spot to Murray State for the past six to eight weeks. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with members of the number one ranked Adrian College fishing team. Those team members are: Griffin Fernandes, Shane Nelson, and Hayden Scott. Tune in to listen now!
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with Samuel Climer from Tarleton State University. Tarleton is currently ranked fifth overall in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. We start the interview off by discussing the School of the Year race and Tarleton’s season thus far. Samuel is also a member of Team Tactacam, and uses the Fish-i camera on all of his fishing adventures. This partnership greatly aids his campaign as a social media influencer and is helping him to grow professionally as he is a Business major there at Tarleton. Tune in to hear everything Samuel has to say!
On today’s episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we announce the Top 10 teams in the latest update to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Following that update, we will be joined by Harbor Lovin & Zach Martin from #1 ranked Murray State University. Lovin & Martin finished in 4th place at the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open on Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR just a few weeks back. Tune in to hear them talk about that event, qualifying for the 2021 Championship, as well as go in-depth on the chase for School of the Year!
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we will be talking to Cole Breeden & Cameron Smith from Drury University. Cole & Cameron won the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open this past weekend with a two day total of 26.52 pounds. After weighing in a five bass limit of 19.90 pounds of Lake Dardanelle bass on the first day of competition, they managed 6.62 pounds on day two to edge out second place by roughly two pounds. For their first place finish, Cole & Cameron earned $5,000 in prizes and contingencies, as well as 1,000 points towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in to hear them talk about the victory and exactly how they caught their fish!
On the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we conduct a round table discussion about the Tactacam Fish-i camera. Team Tactacam members Jacob Autry, Bailey Bleser, and Conner DiMauro, along with Ben Stern from Tactacam, join us for an enlightening discussion. The anglers provide a great deal of information about their hands on experience with the action camera designed specifically for anglers. Tune in to learn about the ease of use, and many benefits this camera provides with its high-quality HD video!
This past weekend, the Association of College Anglers contested its first event of the 2020-21 season, the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley. Dalton Kelly from #1 ranked Murray State University won the tournament by weighing in a 5.53 lb. bass during Day 2 Session 3 presented by Bass Pro Shops. The victory earned Kelly 1,000 points towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, and over $6,000 in prizes and contingencies. Tune in to hear how he caught the fish, his overall emotions following the major victory, and much more on the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast.
The first event hosted by the Association of Collegiate Anglers for the 2020-21 season will be the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley at Kentucky Lake in Paris, TN on September 19th & 20th. This two-day event will count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, awarding points to each school’s two highest-finishing anglers inside of the Top 100. Current number one Adrian College entered this event in the exact same position last season. The Bulldogs held a sizable lead leading up to the tournament, and left with a victory and thousands of valuable School of the Year points due in large part to the first place winning fish from Hunter Schneider. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we are joined by two team members of the Adrian College bass team to discuss the School of the Year race and the upcoming Big Bass Bash.
In just two weeks, the top anglers in the nation will be in Paris, TN, on the shores of Kentucky Lake, to compete in the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley. Today we will be joined by members of the Murray State bass team to break down the current conditions out on Kentucky Lake. Following the completion of this interview, we will reveal the Top 10 teams in the latest update to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in for another exciting episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast with host Kyle Curry.
McKendree University enters the 2020-21 season as back-to-back winners of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. They are just the second team in the history of the program to do so, and are looking to become the first-ever school to win three titles in a row. This past weekend at an FLW Regional on the Mississippi River in Wisconsin, McKendree kicked of its 2020-21 campaign. Blake Jackson & Nate Doty started the year off in a big way by claiming the win and 750 School of the Year points. Check out this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast as we talk with the two McKendree anglers!
The new season for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu began on July 1st, and the year long chase to become college fishing’s best program is already heating up. Today the Association of Collegiate Anglers has released the standings for the most all-inclusive ranking system in collegiate bass fishing. Ranked at the top of the standings, with 1,305 points, is Lamar State College-Orange. The team from south Texas has a more than 300 point lead over 2nd place Adrian College. Tune in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast to hear the team talk about the year so far and the goals they hope to accomplish by the end of this season.
It’s time for another new episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! This week we will be talking with Jameson Simion & Cameron Wilt from Bowling Green State University. These two anglers won the FLW Regional on Lake Erie with a five fish limit weighing 16 lbs 1 oz. That victory also earns their school 750 points towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. They made the decision to start their day off out on the big waters of Lake Erie, and it paid off! Tune in to hear how Jameson & Cameron caught their fish, as well as find out more about their day on the water!
One of the newest brands to partner with the Association of Collegiate Anglers for the 2020-2021 season is Tactacam, and the Tactacam Fish-i camera. The Fish-i camera was developed specifically for the fishing market, and offers anglers the perfect compact camera package to film their experience. Constructed with a waterproof, replaceable lens system, Fish-i is one of the most versatile compact cameras on the market. This camera is packed with tons of great features that you need to hear about! On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, Bern Stern with Tactacam joins us to discuss the Fish-i camera. Through its partnership with the ACA, Tactacam Fish-i offers a great discount program and Team Tactacam opportunities for collegiate anglers. Tune in to find out more!
Tons of new baits, clothing items, and a wide array of products were introduced during ICAST 2020 last week. Numerous partners of the Association of Collegiate Anglers launched new gear over the course of the past 10 days or so. Today we want to highlight new items from Big Bite Baits! On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we are joined by Les Bratcher, PR & Pro Staff Director for Big Bite Baits. We will discuss the BFE, other new items, an intern winning our Championship event, as well as talk about Big Bite’s connection with the college trail for many years. Tune in to hear this great conversation and learn about some new products!
The race for the 2020-2021 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia is officially underway. The new season began July 1st, and will culminate with the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops on Lake Murray in South Carolina next May. One of the first major points earning opportunities for the new season came at Ft. Gibson Lake in Oklahoma last weekend as the FLW College Series hosted a regional event there. The home state pairing of Rhett Meyer & Jake Biram from Oklahoma State won the event with 19 pounds 14 ounces. That victory will earn their team 750 points towards the School of the Year race and is a great way to kick off the new year. Tune in to Episode 80 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast to hear more about their victory.
New for this year, Yamaha has introduced its Power Pay tournament contingency program. Power Pay rewards tournament anglers for running Yamaha engines and finishing well in a wide range of fishing tournaments. Specifically for college anglers, students competing on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series are eligible to cash in at each ACA ran event throughout the year. Triston Crowder and Martin McCravy from UNA won the contingency prize at the Championship last month after finishing 3rd overall. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast we talk with Chip Porche from Dynamic Sponsorships, who helps to run Yamaha Power Pay. Tune in to learn all about this great tournament contingency program from Yamaha.
The 2019-2020 season out on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series is in the books! With that comes the culmination of the chase for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. McKendree University takes home that title as college fishing’s best program for a second-straight season as they run away from the field by roughly 1,000 points. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with both the coach and several members of the School of the Years winners from McKendree. Tune in to hear everything they have to say about this season, and the mark they will leave in the history books for collegiate fishing.
This week’s episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast is a double feature. We begin the show by talking with Gary Nesty from Solar Bat Sunglasses. He joins us to talk about his brand, the detail that goes into each pair of their sunglasses, and how to properly care for the lenses and frames on your favorite pair of shades. On the second half of this episode, we dial up Bailey Fain & Preston Kendrick from Bryan College. They were the winners of the 2020 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops on Pickwick Lake in Florence, AL. Tune in to hear them break down how they caught their fish, and discuss the emotions of being crowned National Champion.
We are now just a little over a week away from the 2020 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops on Pickwick Lake in Florence, AL. In preparation for the year-end Championship, we want to begin taking a look at the lake and discuss what’s on the line during this event. The guest on today’s show is Chase Dawson from the University of Tennessee. This will mark the third straight year he has fished this prestigious event. At the 2019 Championship, Dawson and a fellow teammate finished in the Top 10. Tune in to hear him share his thoughts on Pickwick Lake and talk about the race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Only once in the eight-year history of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia has a school won the title in back-to-back years. The University of North Alabama did so in the 2014 & 2015 seasons. In just a few short weeks at the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops on Pickwick Lake, McKendree University will be looking to become the second team to accomplish this feat. The winners of the 2019 School of the Year race, McKendree enters the Championship with approximately a 1,000 point lead over second place Montevallo. Tune in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast as we talk with members of the McKendree University fishing team, as well as the Head Coach Jon Rinderer.
The 2019-2020 season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series has been one of the most exciting years in the history of college fishing. Point totals for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia are at an all-time high, and anglers are greatly anticipating the upcoming Championship on Pickwick Lake in Florence, AL. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we take a look back at the season thus far. From the Texas Lunker Challenge, to the AFTCO Open, and the Big Bass Bash, we will recap the winners and changes in the School of the Year race.
The guests on this week’s podcast are from the 12th ranked team in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, the University of Louisiana-Monroe. Taylor Kolb and Jacob Andrews join us to talk about their fishing team at ULM and what it means to be ranked so high in the School of the Year standings. ULM is a perennial powerhouse in the sport of collegiate bass fishing. Since the inception of the School of the Year program, ULM has never finished lower than 15th place in the rankings. The school fishes with great consistency no matter where they’re at in the country. Tune in to find out the keys to their success and much more on the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast.
The Association of Collegiate Anglers is continuing to highlight the Top 25 in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. In the dedicated web article series, we are highlighting teams ranked 16th-21st this week. On today’s episode, we will be talking with Noah Campbell from Georgia College. Georgia College is currently ranked 20th. Recognized as a club at their respective university, Georgia College has put together a great run throughout the 2019-2020 season. Tune in to hear Noah talk about the School of the Year race, and his anticipation for the upcoming BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops on Pickwick Lake.
The Association of Collegiate Anglers began a feature series on its website this week highlighting teams ranked inside of the Top 25 for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. This week we are spotlighting the 25th-21st ranked teams. On Tuesday the series was focused on Greenville University. Greenville is currently ranked 24th in the School of the Year race with 4,145 points. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we will talk with team member Cordell Beckmann, and Assistant Coach Shane Campbell from Greenville. Learn more about their team and expectations for the upcoming BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.
This week we will continue our recap of the Online Tournament. Lucas Lindsay from Auburn University is the special guest on this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast. Lucas finished in a tie for second place and earned himself a pair of Wiley X sunglasses. He is also a member of the Top 5 ranked Auburn University which has been highly ranked in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia for most of the season. Listen in to this episode to hear about the prize winning fish catch, Garmin Panoptix LiveScope, and a variety of other items as we talk with Lucas Lindsay from Auburn University.
For the past week, the Association of Collegiate Anglers has been hosting an Online Tournament for college anglers across the nation to compete in. Students were challenged to go out and attempt to catch the longest fish possible. Then by adhering to tournament rules and restrictions, they could submit their catch through our website. Awards were to be given to the Top 5 finishers, as well as an additional three prizes to be distributed to those who shared their catches on social media. Cole Sands from Bryan College won the Online Tournament with a bass measuring just over 24.5 inches. Tune in to this episode as we talk with Cole about the tournament and his winning fish!
Today we will be speaking with Kayden Tanner from Tarleton State University. This will be the second time that Kayden has been featured on the podcast. We last talked to both him and fellow Tarleton State teammate Samuel Climer leading up to the Texas Lunker Challenge presented by Mossy Oak Fishing back in February. Since then, Kayden has competed in other national level events, and is now completing the school year at home as Tarleton State has implemented online classes due to the COVID-19 Virus. On this episode, we will talking with him about those online classes, as well as recent fishing adventures!
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we will be talking with Griffin Phillips from the University of Montevallo. Griffin is a freshman on the number two ranked team in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. He had a lot of success on the high school level fishing with the TBF, and is now continuing to grow his career in college. During this episode, we will talk with him about his fishing career, as well as discuss what he is currently doing during the COVID-19 pandemic. You’re going to want to tune in and find out how this young college angler is also working to help stop the spread of this deadly virus. Listen now!
Last week, ACA staff had to make the difficult decision to postpone and reschedule the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley at Kentucky Lake due to concerns regarding the COVID-19 Virus. College anglers from near and far had already been practicing at Kentucky Lake, and this news threw a wrench in their plans. In many cases, the school or institution they were representing also stepped in by either cutting off funding, travel, or both for the foreseeable future. One such team to experience this turmoil was the University at Buffalo. Hailing from upstate New York, the UB Bassmasters sent 10 anglers down to Kentucky Lake. Now that their events have been cancelled, they are making the most of their time on the road before heading back. Tune in as they discuss their current trip, and how they’re using this time to practice for the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops on Pickwick Lake!
The past two weeks mark one of the busiest stretches in the history of college fishing. Between the Texas Lunker Challenge presented by Mossy Oak Fishing, FLW College Championship, and a Bassmaster College Open, more than 100,000 points were awarded in the race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Following that major run for college fishing, there is a new number one in the School of the Year standings. Defending champion McKendree University has overtaken Adrian College for that top spot. The Bearcats had a Top 10 at each major college event to make the giant leap in the standings. On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we will talk with the head coach and team members of the McKendree University bass fishing team.
The calendar just flipped over to March and it’s almost time to start focusing on our next event! But before we do that, we want to wrap up our post-tournament coverage of the Texas Lunker Challenge presented by Mossy Oak Fishing. So on today’s episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we will take a look at the other four anglers that placed inside of the top five. Find out how they caught their fish, what that fish weighed, and hear from one angler who relied on Panoptix LiveScope from Garmin to catch some bass. After that, we will give a breakdown of the Top 10 in the latest update to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. This was a monumental update as more than 100,000 total points were awarded to competing schools. Be sure to listen to this great episode discussing all things college fishing!
Last weekend the Association of Collegiate Anglers held their first event of the year, the 2020 Texas Lunker Challenge presented by Mossy Oak Fishing. Matthew Dorcz from Schreiner University won the one-day big bass format event with a largemouth weighing 8.45 pounds. During the first part of today’s episode, we talk with Matthew and his Head Coach at Schreiner University, Raymond Holloway. Following that conversation, we speak with Gary Nesty from Solar Bat Sunglasses. Solar Bat has been creating performance sunglasses for nearly 25 years, and Gary has also been involved with high level tournament fishing for an extensive period of time. We will talk with him about his company, its product, and the evolution of competitive fishing. Tune in to hear it all!
Today’s episode will conclude the pre-tournament coverage for the 2020 Texas Lunker Challenge presented by Mossy Oak Fishing. The first ACA tournament of the year, the Texas Lunker Challenge will take place on Sam Rayburn Reservoir this Sunday. Our guests on this episode will be competing in the big bass format event this weekend. Samuel Climer and Kayden Tanner from Tarleton State University have been doing plenty of research and tackle preparation for the upcoming tournament. On this show, we will talk to them about the event and their goals as a team regarding the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
The Texas Lunker Challenge presented by Mossy Oak Fishing is just over a week away! This big bass format event will take place on the storied Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Sam Rayburn is capable of kicking out a double digit bass anytime throughout the year. On this episode, we will talk with Hunter Schneider and Brayden Federer from Adrian College. Both of these anglers are registered to compete in this one-day event. Tune in to hear how they’re preparing for the tournament, and their strategy for maintaining first place in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Contingency programs are a major part of competitive bass fishing. When an angler wins or places high in the standings, they are eligible for a variety of payouts from participating brands. But first, the angler has to be signed up for the programs in order to claim the prize payout. On today’s episode we talk with Rick Emmitt from Bass Pro Shops and the White River Marine Group to discuss the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Contingency program. All anglers competing in ACA ran events are eligible to sign up and win at all major events. To find out more about such programs, visit the Discounts & Incentives tab on our website.
One of the first major college level events was held just last week on Toledo Bend Reservoir. Cody Huff and Dakota Pierce from Bethel University won the season-opening event on the Bassmaster College Series. The pairing figured out a solid pattern that paid off to the tune of just over 60 pounds for a three day total. This victory nets their school 750 points towards the Bass Pro Shops school of the year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in to hear them talk about how they caught their fish, and what this victory means to them!
Becoming a professional angler is the goal of most every young person who has ever picked up a fishing pole. For many college anglers today, that dream is more easily attainable than they could have ever imagined. The skills these young students are gaining at the college ranks is preparing them to take that next step in their careers. Just last week a professional event took place in Florida, and it’s remarkable to see how many of the anglers competing got their start on the college circuit. Today we will be talking with one of those particular anglers, Chase Serafin. Chase was a member of the Adrian College Bass Team during his time in school. He is now out on his own trying to carve out his place in the professional tournament fishing scene. Tune in to hear everything he has to say about this journey!
It’s time for another new episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! In the first half of today's episode, we will be speaking with the winners of the Ranger Cup University Challenge, Cole Floyd & Carter McNeil from Bethel University. They managed to catch just over 40 pounds of bass to edge out Adam Puckett & Blake Albertson from Murray State, our guests during the second half of this episode, by approximately nine pounds. We had the opportunity to sit down with both teams and talk to them following the check presentation yesterday. Tune in and listen as they talk about their day on the water and the overall experience of the Ranger Cup University Challenge.
Happy New Year! We are excited to kick off 2020 with a new episode of the #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast. Today’s guest is Matt Raynor from Ranger Boats. Matt will be traveling down to Texas next week to assist with the Ranger Cup University Challenge on Fayette County Reservoir. This Challenge is a key part of the Ranger Cup University program, one of the longest-running contingency programs in the industry. Representatives from Murray State and Bethel University earned the opportunity to compete in this made for tv event. Tune in to hear about this event, the boats anglers will be competing in, and learn new changes to the program for 2020!
Believe it or not, the 2019 calendar year is almost over. Christmas is less than a week away, and not too long after that it will be 2020. On this episode, we will take a look back at the year that has been. A new School of the Year champion was crowned, and numerous teams took home victories out on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. Director of the Association of Collegiate Anglers, Wade Middleton, is our special guest. He will join us to talk about 2019, and preview what lies ahead in 2020!
Believe it or not, we are less than two weeks away from Christmas! The fall tournament season has flown by, and 2020 is almost here. On today’s episode we will wrap up our coverage from the fall events. We will be talking with Luke Mason and Justin Lane from the University of North Alabama. Luke and Justin finished up in second place at the 2019 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open. The two man team remained consistent over two days to weigh-in a total of 23.60 pounds. During our conversation with them, we will talk about that second place finish, their qualification for the 2020 ACA Championship, and find out more about the UNA bass fishing team!
College fishing provides a platform and gateway for anglers to break into the fishing industry, whether that be as an angler or as a business professional. Since the inception of the Association of Collegiate Anglers 15 years ago, we have heard countless success stories of anglers moving on to get jobs in the outdoors arena. Today we will introduce to one of the early trailblazers of college fishing, Danny Blandford. Danny competed on the Indiana University Bass Club roughly 20 years ago and is now the Owner of Secret Lures. Tune in to hear about his journey and why he has decided to become involved in college fishing as a sponsor of the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.
For the past several weeks we have been talking with teams that are having extraordinary seasons in the chase for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Today’s episode will be no different. Mason Waddell and Cal Culpepper from the University of Montevallo will be calling in to the show. The University of Montevallo is currently in the Top 5 for School of the Year. Montevallo has been competing on the college circuit for many years, and this marks one of the greatest starts in program history. Mason and Cal fished the first two ACA events of the season as well. So we will talk with the about the School of the Year race, the current season, and a variety of other items. Tune in to hear it all!
This season’s School of the Year race is seeing several new faces crack the Top 10. One of those particular teams is Drury University. They have managed to earn their highest ranking in school history as they sit in seventh place at the moment. On this episode, we will be talking with Cole Breeden and Cameron Smith, members of the Drury University Fishing Team. These two anglers have contributed to the team’s efforts immensely as they’ve won an FLW Regional and placed in the Top 10 at the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open. Tune in to hear them talk about their school, and the season they are having!
The past five to six weeks have been a very busy time for the college fishing tournament circuit. The Association of Collegiate Anglers, in conjunction with the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, has fished two events in that span. Each of those events qualified for double points, and many teams took advantage of opportunities to gain valuable points towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. In particular, Carson-Newman University has seen a giant surge in the standings since the end of September. They have managed to go from 66th overall to 11th place in a very short time. On this episode, we will talk with their coach, Hunter Sales, and three members of the fishing team about this great stretch for them. Tune in to hear it all!
The 2019 edition of the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open was a challenging and highly competitive event. 350 anglers from all throughout the country made their way to Lake Dardanelle and Russellville, AR for the two day tournament. When the scales closed on Sunday, Garrett Warren and John Owens from Snead State Community College stood alone at the front of the pack. The pair weighed in a total of 27.15 pounds over the course of two days. On today’s episode, we talk with both anglers to get their take on the recent victory. Tune in for the latest from the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.
We are just days away from kicking off the 2019 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open on Lake Dardanelle. Hundreds of college anglers from across the country will be in Russellville, AR competing in this two-day event. Today's guests are Rudy Worley and John David Nowlin from Blue Mountain College. They won this event in 2018 with just over 27 lbs. On this episode we will also provide an update to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tune in for another great episode!
It’s time for another new episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast! On this show we highlight the second place team in the rankings for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Following a solid showing at the first ACA event of the year, McKendree University continues to hold steady in the number two spot. The defending School of the Year champions are backing up their title run with a great start to the 2019-2020 season. Four members of the team will join us today to talk about the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley, as well as take a look ahead to the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open.
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we will be talking with Hunter Schneider from Adrian College. Hunter took home Overall Big Bass honors at the first ACA event of the season with 5.16 pounds. Tune in to hear him talk about that fish catch, and all of the great prizes he took home. At the start of this episode we will also introduce the top 10 in the most recent update to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. And at the end of this episode, listen to win a Rapala prize package giveaway!
The School of the Year standings are set as we enter our first event of the season at Kentucky Lake. Adrian College holds a firm grip on that first place spot. For today's show we will be talking with anglers from the leading school. They are also preparing to compete in the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley this weekend. Hear what they have to say about that event and the School of the Year Race.
On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast we talk to Fletcher Nutt and Dustin Reid from Arkansas Tech University. They won a recent FLW College Fishing event on the Arkansas River. The event took out of Little Rock, and anglers took to the Arkansas River to see who could catch the five best bass. Nutt and Reid weighed in five fish for 15 pounds 2 ounces. That total bested second place by roughly two and a half pounds. While we have these two Arkansas Tech University anglers on the phone, we take a minute to talk with them about the upcoming AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open. The event will be held on Lake Dardanelle from October 26-27, 2019. ATU is located in Russellville, AR which is near the host site at Lake Dardanelle. Tune in to hear what these anglers have to say on the latest episode!
In this podcast, we provide the latest update to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. This update features a lot of movement throughout, as 21 of the 25 teams are in a new position since the previous update. The guests for today's show are Gaige Blanton and Will Andrie. They competed in the 2019 ACA Championship for Kansas State University. Tune in to hear them talk about their summer, and the fall season thus far!
Believe it or not, the Big Bass Bash at Kentucky Lake is less than three weeks away. That means it is time for everyone to start forming a gameplan for the event. Rapala Pro Staff member Terry Bolton is here to help provide some insight into how the lake is setting up. Bolton has tons of experience on the lake, and has had a lot of success in professional level events there. Be sure to get a pen and paper ready, and take in all of the information he has to share in this episode.