National Guard FLW College Fishing headed to Lake Seminole

Forty college teams to compete in March 24 Southeast Conference event

BAINBRIDGE, Ga. – National Guard FLW College Fishing is headed to Lake Seminole March 24 for the second of four stops in the Southeastern Conference. Forty college teams will be competing for a top award of $5,000 and a berth in the Southeastern Regional Championship tournament.

“Lake Seminole has a little bit of everything,” said pro Micah Frazier of Newnan, Ga. “When we were at Okeechobee (in early February) guys were already catching big stringers on the beds, so they’ve been spawning here for awhile. There may be a few stragglers left on the beds, though. There’s always some bass that get out on the deeper, outside grass as well. Seminole is a really fun fishery.”

Frazier, fresh off of cashing a $35,000 check for his second place finish at the first Walmart FLW Tour Major event of the year at Lake Hartwell, recommended a specific area for the college competitiors.

“There’s a nice four-mile stretch where Spring Creek, Chattahoochie River and the Flint River all come together. It’s a real good area that has a lot of big flats and good river channel drops and ditches that run through the flats. The area up near Wingate’s Lodge on the Flint River is always a big player too.”

“I would be using crankbaits and spinnerbaits out there, and trying to find a good shad spawn,” Frazier went on to say. “Topwater will be good, and then you can always slow down with a big worm or a jig and catch some, too. Find an area adjacent to the spawning beds that has good vegetation and bait present. I would spend my time on the outside edges, looking for something where the fish are coming to me.”

Frazier predicts it will take a big bag to win this tournament.

“I can see it taking around 20 pounds to win, but I would not be shocked at all to see a 25-pound bag. Seminole has some real big fish in it.”

Anglers will take off from the Bainbridge Earle May Boat Basin located at 100 Boat Basin Circle in Bainbridge, Ga., at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Weigh-in will be held at the take off site beginning at 1:30 p.m. Takeoff and weigh-in are free and open to the public.

College team participants

Schools competing in the Lake Seminole tournament, which is hosted by the Bainbridge Convention & Visitors Bureau, include:

Auburn University-Montgomery – Tyler Strock, Prattville, Ala., and Dalton Darnell, Millbrook, Ala.

Augusta State University – Wesley Steinmeyer Jr. and Shane Wyatt, both of Appling, Ga.

Austin Peay State University – Chase Hunnell, Ashland City, Tenn. and Ethan Ingle, Burlington, N.C.

Clemson University – William Shipes, Clemson, S.C., and Russell Suber, Honea Path, S.C.

Columbus State University – Brad Davis, Winder, Ga., and Aldrene Manasan, Highland Falls, N.Y.

Daytona State College – Thomas Oltorik and Kevin Hunter, both of Deland, Fla.

Elon University – William Gilbert, Manchester, Vt., and Graig Zurn, Elon, N.C.

Florida Gulf Coast University – Tommy Edwards, Jacksonville, Fla., and Garrett Farmer, Richmond, Va.

Freed-Hardeman University – Brad Martin, Murray, Ky., and Clint Horton, Ramer, Tenn.

Gardner-Webb University – Erica Morrow, Mooresboro, N.C., and Hannah Galloway, Brevard, N.C.

Georgia College – Chancey Gray, Milledgeville, Ga., and Grant Kelly, McDonough, Ga.

Georgia Southern University – Jed Thigpen, Waycross, Ga., and Tanner Parker, Dalton, Ga.

Georgia Southwestern State University – Ryan Wakenigg, Harris County, Ga., and Chandler Ray, Arlington, Ga.

Kennesaw State University – Justin Marlow and Eric Fisher, both of Kennesaw, Ga.

LaGrange College – Torre Pike, Flat Rock, Ala., and James Yancey, LaGrange, Ga.

Lander University – Richie Dixon, Chesterfield, S.C., and Josh Bryan, Chappells, S.C.

Middle Tennessee State – Nolen Spencer, Bell Buckle, Tenn., and Tyler Barnes, Nashville, Tenn.

Mississippi College – Adam Horn, Madison, Miss., and Chip Wells, Columbus, Miss.

Mississippi State University – Shane Howington, Hokes Bluff, Ala., and Chesley Heatherly, Vernon, Ala.

N.C. State University – Jeff Bumgarner, Wade, N.C., and Josh Hooks, Raleigh, N.C.

Seminole State College – Neal Combs, Osteen, Fla., and Kevin Lucas, Oppopka, Fla.

Southern Polytechnic State University – Zachary Dixon, Rome, Ga., and Edward Thomas, Cumming, Ga.

Tennessee Tech University – Ryan Harpe and Chris Thomas, both of Cookeville, Tenn.

Tennessee Wesleyan College – John Higdon and Ben Graves, both of Athens, Tenn.

Troy University – Connor Bedsole, Arab, Ala., and Win Grant, Troy, Ala.

University of Alabama – Logan Johnson, Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala.

University of Alabama-Birmingham – Patrick Townes, Gardendale, Ala., and Taylor Mardis, Oneonta, Ala.

University of Central Florida – Chris Bozas, Coral Springs, Fla., and Scott Stone, Lady Lake, Fla.

University of Florida – Rhett Rampi, Orlando, Fla., and Kyle Smith, Gainesville, Fla.

University of Mississippi – Christian Braswell, Gulfport, Miss., and Jason Rankin, Flora, Miss.

University of Montevallo – Jonathan Suchey, Jasper, Ala., and Preston Broadhead, Montevallo, Ala.

University of North Carolina-Charlotte – Shane Lehew, Charlotte, N.C., and Adam Waters, Denver, N.C.

University of North Carolina-Wilmington – Kyle Caruolo, Cary, N.C., and Michael Thomas, Wingate, N.C.

University of South Alabama – Taylor Ramey, Purvis, Miss., and Chase Lee, Robertsdale, Ala.

University of South Carolina – Jake Hostetter, Elgin, S.C., and Nicholas Bastug, Whiteville, N.C.

University of Southern Mississippi – Daniel Netterville, Centreville, Miss., and Dax Graham, Hattiesburg, Miss.

University of Tennessee-Chattanooga – Parker Bacon, Nashville, Tenn., and Taylor Bolton, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Valdosta State University – Matthew Middleton and Ransom McCloud, both of Valdosta, Ga.

Wake Forest University – Ryan Casey and Brad Silver, both of Roanoke Rapids, N.C.

Young Harris College – Brad Rutherford, Lavonia, Ga., and Chandler White, Powder Springs, Ga.

FLW College Fishing teams compete in four qualifying events in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top five teams from each regular-season tournament will qualify for one of five regional championships. The top five teams from each regional championship will advance to the national championship.

College Fishing is free to enter and FLW Outdoors provides boats and drivers for each competing team along with travel allowances. All participants must be registered, full-time undergraduate students at a four-year college or university and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.

About FLW

FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 191 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the “Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water,” through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world’s richest fantasy sports game – FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.