Tournament Day 2 Live Blog updates brought to you by Bass Pro Shops will be added throughout the day! Check back for photos, reports from the water, and more.
Friday, May 26 – It’s a Grind Out There – 11:30am
It’s become a grind the last hour.  After over 40 minutes on one spot, possibly targeting just one fish using Garmin LiveScope, Tarleton makes a cull. Probably a 1lb upgrade to give them unofficially 15lbs total.
Friday, May 26 – Lots of Coverage – 10:30am
There is so much going on right now on the waters of Lake Hartwell.
First off the number one ranked Montevallo teams are putting fish in their livewells, including the 5th place team of James Willoughby and Jacob Pfundt.  They had a limit of around 12 pounds roughly an hour ago; add this to their Day 1 catch and that puts their total unofficially around 28 to 29 pounds or so.  They’ve likely culled up since then.  Other Montevallo teams in the Top 20 that we’ve stopped to check in with also have been catching fish.  Those catches all but secure what was not really in doubt in many minds:  Montevallo will likely hoist their 3rd straight Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia title this weekend.
Our Day 1 leaders from the 2nd ranked team in the nation, Auburn University, are also catching fish and culling up.  Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut have had a camera with them all day, so we’re capturing some great content.   Carson-Newman University’s 2nd place team of Drake Hemby  and Ewing Minor have also culled again recently for close to a pound gained but all weights are unofficial.   We’ve got them around 14 pounds.
We’ve just heard from Tarleton State who were in contention after day one   They’ve got over 14 pounds and are going to a spot they had a lot of confidence in.
Without a question as we’ve said all day every bite is going to count!
Friday, May 26 – McKendree with Solid Keepers – 9:25am
McKendree University, 4th ranked nationally and in 3rd place after Day 1, has two solid keepers in the boat and they’re are looking to target quality bites. These two big spotted bass are the right size to help them in the hunt if they can keep getting the same size bites.
Friday, May 26 – Carson-Newman with a Limit – 9:05am
The Carson-Newman University team who started in 2nd place after Day 1 is putting together a nice limit.   They started the day behind the 1st place team by 1.6 pounds.  Right now they have a limit that we’re guessing will be over 12 pounds, which could give them an edge for the lead.  Like many of the teams, they are covering water, crisscrossing the lake, burning flukes and occasionally mixing in a Sebile Magic Swimmer.  
Every ounce and every bite is going to matter today.
Friday, May 26 – Auburn Culling – 8:53am
This is just one of those days that feels like the fish should be biting and it appears they are.   What we know right now as we type this is that Auburn has a limit somewhere around 11 pounds.   They are now culling and after putting over 21 pounds on the scales yesterday it makes it harder with every ounce they gain for teams to be able to catch up pass them in the standings.
Right now, unofficially they have over 32 pounds which means all the teams who caught 12 pounds yesterday have to at least break the 20-pound mark.  This could certainly happen today but with every fish that Auburn catches that allows them to cull up it will make it harder and harder for any team to catch up to them without having an exceptional day.   The teams who were in the top ten after day one have the least amount of ground to make up however which will keep things interesting.
Friday, May 26 – Fast & Furious Action – 7:35am
The action has been fast and furious for the teams at the top of the leaderboard so far this morning.  Casting a mix of baits mostly on main lake points is paying off.    All of the teams in the top of the field already have 2 to 3 keepers in their livewell.
Friday, May 26 – The Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia Race
Today marks the last day of fishing for the 2022-2023 season and there is certainly a lot on the line today as we’ll award the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year title to the top ranked team in the nation.  This prestigious title is presented by Abu Garcia who has been supporting the Association of Collegiate Anglers for 17 years.
Taking a quick look at the standings of this triple points event which means the three highest finishing teams from a school earn points, we can see a few things.    The University of Montevallo who has been the most dominant team in college fishing over the last three seasons and is currently ranked number one in the nation has five teams in the top 50 in the standings after day one to include three in the top 20 (5th, 13th and 20th).
Going into the event, the Montevallo team had a large lead over the 2nd place Auburn team who also had a great showing on day one .  However, barring something CRAZY happening Montevallo likely all but closed the door on their 3rd school of the year title in a row after day one despite the 2nd ranked Auburn’s team having a great day one on the water as well placing teams in 1st, 8th and 23rd after day one.   Sure anything can happen but Montevallo has performed as a complete team on the water better than any team we’ve ever seen in college fishing.
We will award this year’s school of the year title after today’s weigh in.
Friday, May 26 – Today’s Weather Forecast
Today’s weather forecast is saying it the day will start partly cloudy with temperatures around 60 degrees at takeoff.   It’s supposed to be mostly cloudy all day long with winds building to nearly 20 mph as they day unfolds.     These conditions may help a lot of the anglers who are fishing top waters, swimbaits or similar fast-moving baits to trigger reaction bites.
So many of the anglers reported getting numerous bites from the bass calling Lake Hartwell home but not being able to stay hooked up.   That’s not uncommon when conditions set up like this and the wolf packs of bass are slashing through the blue back herring schools in a feeding frenzy.
We saw a lot of anglers in anguish and disbelief yesterday after missing or losing fish.   Hooked up one minute and gone the next.  The team that gets hooks in and doesn’t lose any will likely pull off the win later today.
Friday, May 26 – Day 2 Recap

A quick look at our top three teams from yesterday as we prepare for an exciting finish here on Lake Hartwell at Green Pond Landing.   

Sitting in first from the 2nd ranked team in the nation is Auburn University’s Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut who weighed in an impressive 5 fish limit that weighed in at 21.06 pounds.  Their limit included a 5.78 pound kicker.  Auburn’s bass fishing team has consistently been ranked in the top five teams nation when it comes to the national rankings system.  

Sitting in 2nd place is the Carson-Newman University team of Drake Hemby and Ewing Minor.  They weighed in an impressive five fish limit of 19.46 pounds.   Carson-Newman University bass fishing team has developed into one of the top ranked teams in the nation in recent years and as we enter the last day of fishing for the 2022-23 season the team from Jefferson City, TN is ranked 5th nationally.  

Rounding out the top 3 is the McKendree University team of Kai Barnett and Tucker Siminak.   They weighed in a 5 fish limit of 17.09 pounds that featured a big bass of 5.51 pounds.   The McKendree University bass fishing team is another highly decorated bass fishing team and they currently sit in 4th place in the national rankings and have won the school of the year title twice in the last decade.

Looking at the rest of the top five is a pair of anglers from the 11th ranked Tarleton State team. Trevor and Clayton Easter weighed in 16.37 pounds to represent the Texas based school.   Sitting in fifth pace is Jacob Pfundy and James Willoughby from the number 1 ranked team in the nation from University of Montevallo.   They weighed 16.37 pounds and are within striking distance of the leaders.

Today will decide the winner of the 18th annual BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.    Stay tuned to our social media and the blog feeds for updates from the water today. 

Friday, May 26 – It’s Championship Day!

Good morning from Lake Hartwell and Green Pond Landing in Anderson, SC for Day 2 of the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops!  Today is the final day of competition for college fishing’s longest-running National Championship event.  Following the conclusion of weigh-in today, the Association of Collegiate Anglers will award over $30,000 in prizes & contingencies, crown a new National Champion, as well as award the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  ACA camera crews will start their final day coverage with the top teams from Day 1 action.  Follow along for updates to see how things play out here on the final day of the 2023 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops!