YETI FLW College Fishing Southeastern Conference Heads to Lake Guntersville
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – YETI FLW College Fishing is heading to Lake Guntersville Feb. 25 for the second of three regular-season stops in the Southeastern Conference. A full field of college fishing clubs will be competing for the top award of a $2,000 club scholarship and a berth into the 2018 College Fishing National Championship.
According to Costa FLW Series pro Casey Martin of New Hope, Alabama, who operates a guide service on Lake Guntersville, the bite on Lake Guntersville is picking up as the weather has stabilized. Water temperatures are slowly warming – currently hovering around 54 degrees – and the bass are starting to feed as they prepare for the spawn.
“The grass bite is by far the most consistent, with a good number of 2- to 4-pounders grouped up,” said Martin. “The fish seem to be moving around day to day in the grass, but covering water you can find them actively feeding.”
Martin said that he has had the most success throwing a ½-ounce red- or natural-colored Rat-L-Trap or a Picasso Lures Double Barrel Underspin with a swimbait trailer, but that crankbaits and umbrella rigs would also be heavily favored amongst tournament competitors.
“I think the winning team is going to weigh in a five-bass limit worth 27 pounds,” Martin went on to say.
Anglers will take off from Lake Guntersville State Park, located at 7699 Alabama Highway 227 in Guntersville, at 7 a.m. CST Saturday. Weigh-in will be held at the State Park beginning at 3 p.m. Takeoff and weigh-in are free and open to the public.
Schools are allowed to register up until the morning of the tournament. Entries may be made either by phone or at CollegeFishing.com.
Schools registered to compete in the Lake Guntersville tournament, which is hosted by the Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau include:
Albany State University – Corey Brown and K.D. Sizemore, both of Leesburg, Ga.
Auburn University – Mitchell Jennings, Auburn, Ala., and Brooks Phillips, Birmingham, Ala.
Auburn University – Jeremy Ray, Jacksons Gap, Ala., and Leslie Dunstan, Auburn, Ala.
Austin Peay State University – Chase Melton and Jordan Brandt, both of Clarksville, Tenn.
Austin Peay State University – Michael Hulsey and Bryce Newsome, both of Clarksville, Tenn.
Bethel University – Kyler Chelminiak, Franklin, Wis., and Alec Piekarski, Greenfield, Wis.
Bethel University – John Coble Garrett, Union City, Tenn., and Brian Pahl, Wildwood, Mo.
Calhoun Community College – Andrew Fikes, Athens, Ala., and Cameron Campilango, Decatur, Ala.
Calhoun Community College – Dakota Guzman, Moulton, Ala., and Charles Rieser, Huntsville, Ala.
Calhoun Community College – Denver Satterlee and Jonathon Tilley, both of Athens, Ala.
Calhoun Community College – Christopher Lupo, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and Tyler Johnson, Madison, Ala.
Calhoun Community College – Zane Loveday, Decatur, Ala., and Jordan Reeves, Hillsboro, Ala.
Clemson University – Allan Stack, Summerville, S.C., and Ross Dove, Royston, Ga.
Clemson University – Tyler Brown, Lake Wylie, S.C., and Levi Neave, Seneca, S.C.
Clemson University – Derek Freeman, Anderson, S.C., and Robert White, Greenville, S.C.
East Carolina University – Colton Harrell, Matthews, N.C., and Ryan Geraghty, Weddington, N.C.
Faulkner University – Joseph Lacy and Breanna Wyatt, both of Pell City, Ala.
Faulkner University – Brady Bowden, Hope Hull, Ala., and Tyler Pennington, Chicota, Ala.
Florida State University – Joshua Blackburn, Tallahassee, Fla., and Scott Duncan, Orlando, Fla.
Gadsden State Community College – Logan Tate, Southside, Ala., and Ryan Leslie, Gadsden, Ala.
Huntingdon College – Bennett Brantley and Dustin Watson, both of Montgomery, Ala.
Kennesaw State University – Spencer Guthrie, Acworth, Ga., and Cody Smith, Gainesville, Ga.
Lander University – Andrew Pridgen, Greenwood, S.C., and Trevor Stewart, Boiling Springs, S.C.
Middle Tennessee State University – Anthony Jordan and Justin Lloyd, both of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Middle Tennessee State University – Austin Wyatt, Gladeville, Tenn., and Mekiah Jack, Mount Juliet, Tenn.
Middle Tennessee State University – Travis Brown, McMinnville, Tenn., and Chase McCrory, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Mississippi State University – Adam Hickman, Columbus, Miss., and Tyrell Harmon, Kosciusko, Miss.
Polk State College – Samuel Whitmire and Cory Franks, both of Babson Park, Fla.
Polk State College – Austin Bell, Winter Haven, Fla., and Jerod Gadd, Bartow, Fla.
Polk State College – Hercules Betts Jr., Haines City, Fla., and Justin Christian, Davenport, Fla.
Presbyterian College – Matthew Rhodes, Laurens, S.C., and Logan Lanier, Clinton, S.C.
Snead State Community College – Grant Garner and Kolby Childers, both of Sardis, Ala.
Snead State Community College – Chasten Beck, Cullman, Ala., and Kyle Cole, Boaz, Ala.
Tennessee Technological University – Dalton Summers, Lenoir City, Tenn., and Austin Brown, Liberty, Tenn.
Tennessee Technological University – Channing Ledbetter, Maryville, Tenn., and Josh Bean, Cleveland, Tenn.
Tennessee Technological University – Cody Blackburn, Lewisburg, Tenn., and Travis Howard, Sparta, Tenn.
Tennessee Technological University – Colton Breeding, Nashville, Tenn., and Preston Gerrish, Knoxville, Tenn.
Tennessee Technological University – Dylan Fehr, Crossville, Tenn., and Derick Robinson, Greenback, Tenn.
Tennessee Technological University – Peyton Clark, Lafayette, Tenn., and Tanner Rich, Byrdstown, Tenn.
Tennessee Technological University – Wilson Tanksley, Crossville, Tenn., and Travis Turner, Cookeville, Tenn.
Tennessee Technological University – Zack Taylor and Hayden Freels, both of Rockwood, Tenn.
University of Alabama – Grant Larson, McCalla, Ala., and Michael Grow, Brookwood, Ala.
University of Alabama-Birmingham – Jacob Burns, Morris, Ala., and Chris Hiott, Trussville, Ala.
University of Alabama-Birmingham – Hayden Carnell, Cropwell, Ala., and Joshua McQueen, Moody, Ala.
University of Georgia – Garrett Stone, Sandy Springs, Ga., and Collin Chandler, Donalsonville, Ga.
University of Georgia – Benjamin Hallowell, Athens, Ga., and Ty Mossburg, Fayetteville, Ga.
University of Georgia – Nathan Ragsdale, Fayetteville, Ga., and Wesley Griner, Leesburg, Ga.
University of Mississippi – Robert Pressley, Tupelo, Miss., and Colby Haley, Red Banks, Miss.
University of North Alabama – Evan Bernas, El Paso, Texas, and Matthew Uptain, Harvest, Ala.
University of North Alabama – Triston Crowder, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., and Lake Blasingame, Florence, Ala.
University of North Georgia – Drew Coker, Murrayville, Ga., and Harrison Styles, Versailles, Ga.
University of North Georgia – Ben Adams, Buford, Ga., and Reid Daniel, Flowery Branch, Ga.
University of South Carolina – Austin Bradberry and Dalton Tumblin, both of Williamston, S.C.
University of South Carolina – Justin Beshears, Hickory, N.C., and Curtis Cecchi, Columbia, N.C.
University of South Carolina – Patrick Walters, Summerville, S.C., and Tyler All, Dorchester, S.C.
University of South Carolina – Shawn Callahan, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Tyler Smith, Gaffney, S.C.
University of South Carolina – Hunter Buice, Pacolet, S.C., and William Bond, Moncks Corner, S.C.
University of South Carolina-Beaufort – James Woodberry and Brandon Wessinger, both of Lake City, S.C.
University of South Carolina-Beaufort – Parker Wingard, Lexington, S.C., and Dustin Ingram, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
University of Tennessee – Bradley Devaney, Oliver Springs, Tenn., and Saxton Long, Pulaski, Tenn.
University of Tennessee – Ben Bates, Pulaski, Tenn., and Ethan Wolf, Knoxville, Tenn.
University of Tennessee – Ben Dodson, Knoxville, Tenn., and Will Harrison, Pulaski, Tenn.
University of Tennessee-Chattanooga – Dylan Anderson, Mount Juliet, Tenn., and Gavyn Bridges, Thompsons Station, Tenn.
University of Tennessee-Martin – Dalton Bradford, Fairview, Tenn., and Dylan Fuller, Waverly, Tenn.
University of Tennessee-Martin – Dylan True, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., and Matthew Lamastus, Hornbeck, Tenn.
Wallace State Community College – A.J. Faught, Warrior, Ala., and Austin Scott, Fairview, Ala.
Western Carolina University – Christopher Greene, Mooresboro, N.C., and Austin Garren, Cullowhee, N.C.
Western Carolina University – Zach Tallent, Franklin, Ala., and Jacob Crowe, Cherokee, N.C.
Western Carolina University – Michael Resor, Matthews, N.C., and William Ray, Rockingham, N.C.
FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2018 FLW College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats.
College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school.
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 FLWFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2017 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 274 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW" television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat: @FLWFishing.
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