Auburn University’s Smith & Marbut Win the 2023 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops
Hemby & Minor from Carson-Newman take 2nd, Emmanuel College anglers Campbell & Guy finish 3rd
Anderson, SC (May 26, 2023) – The 2023 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops is in the books. The Association of Collegiate Anglers’ 18th annual National Championship awarded over $30,000 in prizes and contingencies, crowned a National Champion, and named a number one team in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut from 2nd ranked Auburn University take top honors with 35.24 pounds. Carson-Newman University anglers Drake Hemby and Ewing Minor finish in 2nd place, and Tyler Campbell and Parker Guy of Emmanuel College wind up in 3rd.
View the final tournament standings here.
Along with the crowning of a new National Champion, collegiate bass fishing history was made as the University of Montevallo won the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Montevallo becomes the first team to win college fishing’s most prestigious title three times, as well as having done so in three straight seasons. The University of Montevallo edged out 2nd ranked Auburn University by over 3,700 points and Carson-Newman University finished the season ranked 3rd.
Hundreds of college fishing’s most elite anglers competed for two days on Lake Hartwell in Anderson, SC. The early summer months present some great fish catching conditions for anglers to target both largemouth and spotted bass on this famed fishery. Following the spring spawn, the abundant bass population in Lake Hartwell was spread out in a variety of accessible areas. From schooling bass chasing herring on main lake points, to largemouth bass roaming the shallows near bream beds, fish hanging out close to docks, and even bass locked on deep structure, this field of elite anglers found success with many different patterns.
Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut from 2nd ranked Auburn University bested the elite field of 200 teams to win the 18th BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. Smith and Marbut keyed in on a pattern targeting both largemouth and spotted bass with a variety of baits that produced 35.24 pounds of bass over two days.
Along with the $5,000 cash prize that is awarded to 1st place, the Auburn University anglers claimed the $500 Garmin Tournament Rewards contingency bonus and the $1,000 ACA logo contingency. Smith is also registered for the Nitro Tournament Rewards, which would pay out up to an additional $8,000. All total, the duo’s earnings for the week could exceed $14,000 at the no-entry-fee ACA National Championship.
Finishing in second place at the 2023 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops are Drake Hemby and Ewing Minor from 3rd ranked Carson-Newman University. The duo weighed in a two-day total of 33.47 pounds to finish just under a pound and a half behind first place. After sitting in 2nd place following Day 1, Hemby and Minor held serve to claim 2nd place in this prestigious National Championship event. The pair earns $2,500 cash for their finish amongst the field of close to 400 elite anglers.
Rounding out the Top 3 at the ACA’s season-ending National Championship event are Tyler Campbell and Parker Guy from Emmanuel College with a two-day total weight of 32.50 pounds. Entering Day 2 in 33rd place, Campbell and Guy weighed in a limit worth 20.89 pound to jump 30 places all the way up to third. The Top 3 finish pays out $1,500.
Stay tuned for more coverage this upcoming week as we provide a comprehensive recap of the 2023 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. Check the Association of Collegiate Anglers website and social media pages for published content. This will include a podcast interview with Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut from Auburn University, as well as multiple feature articles from the National Championship and Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
The Association of Collegiate Anglers would like to thank the folks with Visit Anderson for hosting this event this week, and all of the help on-site at the famed Green Pond Landing. Also, the ACA sends a special thanks to all of its series partners for their continued support that allow for these anglers to compete in no-entry-fee events and earn hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes and contingencies.
