Coastal Carolina University Anglers Take Early Lead In Bassmaster College Series Regional

March 2, 2017

Coastal Carolina University Anglers Take Early Lead In Bassmaster College Series Regional

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GEORGETOWN, S.C. — The start of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops at Winyah Bay offered a shift in weather as rain and high winds handed the 77 teams different conditions from what they experienced in practice.

That didn’t faze the Coastal Carolina University team of John Duarte and Chesley Alford, however. The local favorites notched 15 pounds, 10 ounces of bass to take the early lead.

Their great start gave them a cushion of more than 2 pounds over the second-place team, Patrick Walters and Tyler All of the University of South Carolina. Duarte and Alford knew that the changing conditions and upcoming cold front meant they had better find a big bass on the first day to set the pace. They did so, catching a 5-13 largemouth that is currently in the lead for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass prize for the event.

“We wanted to catch a big fish early to set the tone,” Duarte said. “We managed that and then filled our limit. We only caught six fish, but we had numerous other bites.”

Their game plan came together perfectly as they didn’t see another competitor and had their best areas all to themselves. With that bonus big fish today, Duarte and Alford say they plan  “run the tide” in hopes of catching a limit of bass Friday. The strategy requires racing up or down river to be at the better fishing spots when tidal movement is most conducive to bass feeding activity.

“It’ll be very important to boat a limit on Friday,” Alford said.

“Now that we have the big fish out of the way, hopefully catching a limit each day will hold us over and help us stay consistent at the top,” Duarte added.

The Coastal Carolina duo knows that the USC team of Walters and All — also local favorites — are in striking distance after catching 13-7 today. The teammates are from nearby Summerville, S.C., and have years of experience at Winyah Bay and the connected rivers.

“We’ve been able to pre-fish occasionally since December,” Walters said. “We’ve been able to fish every river at Winyah Bay multiple times, so we had a pretty concrete idea where our best population of fish was. We stayed patient with them today.”

Walters attributes the calm demeanor of his teammate, Tyler, to their success as they didn’t fall apart after losing three solid keepers just outside of net range that would  have helped boost their total above 13-7. Having local knowledge helped the pair hit high-percentage areas and avoid places that appeared to be productive, but weren’t.

“You have to maximize your time because this place is so vast and there is a lot of dead water,” Walters said. “You can’t be in dead water and think you’re on them because that’s when your day will turn for the worst.”

The third-place team of Max Gresham and Zack Blake of Valdosta State brought 13-1 across the scales today. Baylor Ronemus and Cole Tinsley of Clemson are fourth with 12-15, and J.T. Russell and Chase Grubbs of the University of Montevallo are fifth with 11-7.

The full field of 77 teams will head back out on Winyah Bay Friday in hopes of making the Top 20 cut to advance to Saturday’s final round.

Takeoff Friday is at 6:30 a.m. ET at the Carroll Ashmore Campbell Marine Complex, located at 101 River Walk Drive, Georgetown, SC 29440. Weigh-in will start at 2:45 p.m. ET at the same location.

Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops3/2/2017 – 3/4/2017Winyah Bay – Carroll Ashmore Campbell Marine Complex – Georgetown, SCSTANDINGS BOATER DAY 1

Name # Live # Fish # Live Lbs – Oz # Fish Lbs – Oz1 John Duarte – Chesley Alford Coastal Carolina University 5 5 15-10 5 5 15-102 Patrick Walters – Tyler All University of South Carolina 5 5 13- 7 5 5 13- 73 Max Gresham – Zack Blake Valdosta State University 5 5 13- 1 5 5 13- 14 Baylor Ronemus – Cole Tinsley Clemson University 5 4 12-15 5 4 12-155 J T Russell – Chase Grubbs University of Montevallo 5 5 11- 7 5 5 11- 76 Jonathan Kelley – Max McQuiade Coastal Carolina University 5 5 11- 3 5 5 11- 37 Sean Hall – Noah Pescitelli SCAD 5 5 10-14 5 5 10-148 Cody Stahl – Daniel Kennedy SCAD 5 5 10-10 5 5 10-109 Hunter McKamey – Kyle Oliver U. of Central Florida 5 5 10- 8 5 5 10- 810 Rick Couch Jr – John Kaufman U. of Central Florida 5 5 10- 7 5 5 10- 711 Jarrett Brown – Porter James University of Montevallo 5 5 10- 4 5 5 10- 411 Austin Mize – Ethan Goodwin U. of North Alabama 5 5 10- 4 5 5 10- 413 Jordan Heath – Taylor Tew Auburn University 4 4 10- 1 4 4 10- 114 Cole Burdeshaw – Cameron Mercer Auburn University 5 5 10- 0 5 5 10- 015 Armando Ortiz – Dylan McKee Auburn University 5 5 9-12 5 5 9-1216 Chris Hiott – Kendall Pierce UAB 5 5 9- 7 5 5 9- 717 Chris Carnes – Tyler Lawwill UNC Charlotte 5 5 9- 4 5 5 9- 417 Hunter Franklin – Jesse Morrison U. of South Alabama 5 5 9- 4 5 5 9- 419 Tyler Brown – Clemson University 5 5 9- 1 5 5 9- 120 Tyler Woolcott – Daytona State College 5 5 9- 0 5 5 9- 021 Spencer DeFoor – Brandon Bland U. of South Alabama 5 5 8-11 5 5 8-1122 Brett Blackwood – Justin Grigg Winthrop University 5 5 8- 9 5 5 8- 922 Thomas Oltorik III – John Byrd Stetson University 5 5 8- 9 5 5 8- 924 Dylan Burton – Andrew Shaddix U. of South Alabama 4 4 8- 6 4 4 8- 625 Zachary Bodford – Hunter Whitman NC State University 5 5 8- 5 5 5 8- 526 Austin Stanley – Knox Daniels Georgia College 4 4 8- 3 4 4 8- 327 Joshua Butts – Reid Connor Wallace State Hanceville 5 5 8- 2 5 5 8- 228 Wesley Griner – Nathan Ragsdale University of Georgia 5 5 8- 1 5 5 8- 129 Caiden Sinclair – Hunter Gibson University of Alabama 5 5 7-14 5 5 7-1430 Collin Smith – Ben Stone Lander University 5 5 7-12 5 5 7-1230 Brady Vernon – John Turner University of Montevallo 5 5 7-12 5 5 7-1232 Nathan Martin – Bridger Thomas U. of North Alabama 3 3 7-10 3 3 7-1033 Cole Nunnery – Jack Stegall Mississippi State 5 5 7- 9 5 5 7- 934 Andrew Warbington – Brant Lewis University of West Alabama 5 5 7- 2 5 5 7- 235 Caleb Bundy – Alex Moore U. of Central Florida 4 4 7- 2 4 4 7- 236 Brian Travers – Hunter Moore Liberty University 5 5 7- 0 5 5 7- 037 Alec Lower – Ryan Glennon NC State University 5 5 6-14 5 5 6-1438 Cole Hewett – Jacob Romani U. of Central Florida 5 5 6-13 5 5 6-1339 Hunter McCarty – Sloan Pennington U. of North Alabama 4 4 6- 9 4 4 6- 940 Brodie Cox – Jacob Robbins Clemson University 4 4 6- 8 4 4 6- 841 Zachary Ramsey – Joshua Rockefeller Augusta University 5 5 6- 7 5 5 6- 742 Daniel Murkerson – Case Key UAB 3 3 6- 0 3 3 6- 043 Wesley Fox – Nick Schultz UNC Charlotte 4 4 5-13 4 4 5-1344 Jake Lee – Jacob Foutz Bryan College 3 3 5-13 3 3 5-1345 Ryan Kent – Tyler Wilson Georgia Southern University 3 3 5- 8 3 3 5- 846 Hayden Carnell – Joshua McQueen UAB 4 4 5- 3 4 4 5- 347 Justin Jones – Zach Lineberry Troy University 3 3 5- 2 3 3 5- 248 Austin Handley – Caleb Wozniak Auburn University 3 3 4- 8 3 3 4- 849 Justin Roberts – Alexis Joyce SCAD 2 2 4- 7 2 2 4- 750 Morgan Locke – Florida State University 2 2 4- 6 2 2 4- 651 Zac Bennett – Tucker Sweat Georgia College 4 4 4- 5 4 4 4- 552 Derek Freeman – Robert White Clemson University 3 3 4- 5 3 3 4- 553 Justin Barnes – Cole Blackmon Alabama Southern 3 3 4- 3 3 3 4- 353 Nick Gresens – Chase Williams Georgia College 3 3 4- 3 3 3 4- 355 Jesse James – AJ Etheredge Troy University 3 3 4- 1 3 3 4- 156 Jake Smith – Larry Partain Wallace State Hanceville 2 2 4- 1 2 2 4- 157 Laura Ann Foshee – Katie Connolly SCAD 3 3 3-13 3 3 3-1358 Chase Christie – Brandon Black University of West Georgia 3 3 3-11 3 3 3-1159 Daniel Adrien – Mason Bond Georgia College 2 2 3-11 2 2 3-1159 Daulton Smith – Cody Billings University of Georgia 2 2 3-11 2 2 3-1161 Jared Baker – Darius Williams Georgia Southern University 2 2 3- 6 2 2 3- 662 Tucker Adams – Bryce White Mississippi State 2 2 2-15 2 2 2-1563 Hunter Bland – Connor Young University of Florida 2 2 2-13 2 2 2-1364 Nathan Bell – Cole Sands Bryan College 2 2 2-11 2 2 2-1165 Andrew Kiser – Dean Legg Clemson University 1 1 2- 3 1 1 2- 366 Dylan Bucci – Collin Reedy University of Florida 1 1 2- 0 1 1 2- 067 Allan Stack – Ross Dove Clemson University 2 2 1-13 2 2 1-1368 Matthew Cantrell – Grant Bergeron University of Florida 1 1 1-12 1 1 1-1268 John Defore – Colton Granger Troy University 1 1 1-12 1 1 1-1270 Jaci Skipper – Ryleigh Tyson SCAD 1 1 1- 1 1 1 1- 171 Michael Blake – Jayme Dewberry Auburn University 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 071 AJ Faught – Austin Scott Wallace State Hanceville 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 071 Tucker Hill – Austin Birch Georgia Southern University 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 071 Zachary Phillips – Noah Coleman Liberty University 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 071 Caleb Roberson – Brinson Laliberte The Citadel 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 071 Tyler Smith – Cody Whisenhunt U. of South Alabama 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 071 Miller Spivey – Logan Ledbetter Wallace State Hanceville 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0

BIG BASSDay Name City,State Lbs-Oz1 John Duarte – Chesley AlfordMiddle River, MD 5-13

TOTALSDay # Fish # Live Lbs-Oz # Limits1 267 266 485- 7 34

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