Saturday, October 13 – 6:45 PM
This will conclude Day 1 live blog coverage presented by Bass Pro Shops. Read a complete recap from Day 1 of tournament competition at the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open here.
Saturday, October 13 – 6:10 PM
Day 1 of tournament competition is complete at the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open on Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR. Braden Lankford & from Murray State College, a junior college in Tishomingo, OK take the Day 1 lead with 17.16 pounds.
The complete Day 1 standings are available on the ACA website. View the standings here.
Saturday, October 13 – 2:05 PM
Developed and successfully utilized in Japan for the popular mid strolling technique with forward facing sonar, the Horizon Head Jigs are designed to maintain a horizontal posture while imparting an extremely natural action to your bait. The Horizon Head Series comes equipped with an ultra-sharp Gamakatsu round bend jig hook with Nano Alpha finish. The Horizon Head LG and Horizon Head LG Weedless have a Tournament Grade Wire (TGW) hook that’s thinner, stronger, and sharper than the standard wire and features the Nano Alpha finish. The Nano Alpha finish is 2X slicker for improved hooking ratios and 4X more corrosion resistant than traditional finishes. Watch as professional angler Drew Cook talks about the Horizon Head in more detail.
Saturday, October 13 – 1:10 PM
The team of Nate and Scotty from the University of Pikeville has two fish for approximately four pounds.
Saturday, October 13 – 12:40 PM
The Tarleton State team of Sonny and Sam now have a limit for around 10 pounds.
In just over two hours, at 3:00 PM, the first flight will be due back in to Lake Dardanelle State Park. With that first flight returning, the live stream of weigh-in will begin at that time. Weigh-in can be streamed live via this link.
Saturday, October 13 – 12:25 PM
The weather conditions are remaining stable here in Russellville, AR at Lake Dardanelle. High temperatures will reach into the low 90’s with light winds and minimal clouds. This is a continuation of what the anglers experienced during practice, meaning fish patterns and techniques from the practice period should carry over to competition today and tomorrow.
Saturday, October 13 – 12:10 PM
Here are two of the fish that Sam and Sonny have caught today!
Saturday, October 13 – 12:00 PM
Pictured here are Sam and Sonny from 4th ranked Tarleton State University. The duo has four fish for 8.50 pounds.
Saturday, October 13 – 11:25 AM
One of our camera crews has caught up with Sam and Eli from Top 25 ranked Wabash Valley College.
Camera crews have left their starting teams and are now checking on others ranked in the Top 5 for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Reports have slowed as the morning bite comes to an end. Anglers will have to change up their plans and patterns to find biting Lake Dardanelle bass.
Saturday, October 13 – 10:55 AM
T-H Marine Wave Away is a specially formulated cleaner designed to clean and protect LCD screens. It is safe for screen surfaces and will not leave scratches or marks. High resolution screens can provide you with a brilliant and clear display. Unfortunately, these screens also collect dust, grime, fingerprints, and water spots. Using general purpose cleaners or window cleaners isn’t recommended for LCD screens. Harsh detergents and alcohol or ammonia-based cleaners can strip away the protective surface or scratch your display.
“Wave Away Sonar and GPS Screen Cleaner by T-H Marine is a specially formulated cleaner designed to clean and protect LCD screens. Not only is it alcohol and ammonia free, but it is designed to stick where it’s sprayed.”
Unlike most cleaning products, this cleaner resists dripping into sensitive electronics which can cause permanent damage or failure. Kit comes with the bottle of screen cleaner, a 12″ x 12″ microfiber cloth, and a velvet drawstring bag to keep it all together. Wave Away also works on: Sunglasses, Cellular Phones, Auto Navigation Screens, LCD, LED, Plasma Televisions, Computer Screens, Touch Screens, MP3 Players.
Saturday, October 13 – 10:35 AM
In this video, former college angler Cody Huff introduces us to the first fully adjustable Console Mount. This mount is designed for boats with a flat mounting shelf. It allows you to twist and turn your unit in any direction. Get one for each of your console graphs and you can also easily remove your unit(s) from your boat. Compatible with all major electronics brands.
Oversized Ratcheting Knobs
Enables you to adjust your mount with ease in any conditions, even with thick gloves. Knob in the way of your screen? Simply pull back on the knob, this disengages the lock and allows you to rotate the knob to a more convenient position without loosening your graph.
BeatDown Bi-Metal Technology
6061 Aluminum 304 Stainless. Combining this material allows us to provide the smoothest most versatile mount on the market today.
BeatDown Outdoors is now offering college anglers with a 30% off discount program. Apply for a code here.
Saturday, October 13 – 10:25 AM
Shad pattern baits during the fall are always a great option! As water temperatures begin to cool and baitfish push to the backs of creeks, bass will zero in on shad as their main forage. Berkley recently introduced its Magic Swimmer in new freshwater-optimized colors and sizes. Click here to find out more.
Saturday, October 13 – 10:20 AM
Bryant Martin form 3rd ranked LSU-Shreveport boated another keeper.
The morning bite here on Day 1 has been very good for the teams with which our camera crews have been covering.
Saturday, October 13 – 9:45 AM
Drake and Andrew form number one ranked Carson-Newman are now up to 4 fish for just over 8.50 pounds.
Saturday, October 13 – 9:20 AM
Yamaha supports college anglers, as well as conservation, in a multitude of different ways. One of those is examples is through the Yamaha Rightwaters Conservation Scholarship. Zach Gordon from Georgia Southern University was the most recent recipient. Follow this link to learn more.
Saturday, October 13 – 8:55 AM
Bryant & Tripp from 3rd ranked LSU-Shreveport have landed their first keeper of the morning. A good start to the day for a program that is looking to claim its first title for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia this season.
Saturday, October 13 – 8:35 AM
Drake just landed the team’s first keeper of the day. This fish is estimated to weigh 3.50 pounds.
Saturday, October 13 – 8:30 AM
Drake & Andrew from top ranked Carson-Newman have made it to their starting spot. Pictured here is Andrew with a bass they caught first thing this morning.
Anglers were greeted with cool temperatures this morning. Highs are expected to warm into the low 90’s this afternoon. There are minimal clouds and little to no wind to start the day. It feels like a great morning to throw a topwater bait. We will see what the anglers report catching fish on as the morning progresses.
Saturday, October 13 – 8:20 AM
The full field of anglers is now out on Lake Dardanelle for Day 1 of tournament competition at the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open. The first flight of boats is due back in at 3:00 PM this afternoon. As soon as we have updates from out on the water, we will post those here promptly!
Saturday, October 12 – 6:00 AM
ACA camera crews will be starting with anglers from the Top 3 ranked teams in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
- Carson-Newman University
- Bethel University
- LSU-Shreveport
As we receive updates from on the water with these three teams, we will provide those here on the live blog.
Saturday, October 12 – 5:35 AM
Teams are starting to arrive at Lake Dardanelle State Park for Day 1 of tournament competition. We are just under an hour and a half away from the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open beginning.
Saturday, October 12 – 4:25 AM
Anglers are being greeted with temperatures in the upper 50’s this morning. By this afternoon, temperatures will warm into the low 90’s. Today, light winds are forecasted, along with minimal clouds. This will likely make the fish hold tight to cover. Lake Dardanelle presents plenty of cover for anglers to target to find these biting fish!
Saturday, October 12 – 3:50 AM
Good Saturday morning from Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR for Day 1 of the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open! This is the second stop of the 2024-25, historic 20th season for the Association of Collegiate Anglers on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.
262 teams are set to begin tournament competition this morning, with official takeoff happening from Lake Dardanelle State Park. Stable conditions and warm temperatures will be in the forecast for today. Look for anglers to target a variety of areas across this diverse fishery to find success.
Stay tuned to today’s live blog presented by Bass Pro Shops to keep up with all the Day 1 tournament action here at Lake Dardanelle.
