Davis takes lead, eyes repeat at B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Lake Hartwell

Will Davis Jr. of Sylacauga, Ala., is leading after Day 2 of the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Lake Hartwell with a two-day total of 30 pounds, 5 ounces.

Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.

October 19, 2023

Davis takes lead, eyes repeat at B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Lake Hartwell

ANDERSON, S.C. — Will Davis Jr. hoisted the Bryan V. Kerchal Memorial Trophy a year ago, and by all accounts, it looks like he wants to hold on to the hardware that is awarded annually to the winner of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.

Davis, in second place after Day 1 with 16 pounds, 1 ounce, jumped into the pole position Thursday on Lake Hartwell with another five-bass limit, this one weighing 14-4. That gives the 31-year-old Sylacauga, Ala., resident a two-day total of 30-5 and a 3-pound cushion as the derby heads into the final day on this storied 56,000-acre fishery.

Davis is trying to defend the B.A.S.S. Nation title he won a year ago on Pickwick Lake in his home state. That win earned him a spot in the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville and entry into the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series. Davis impressed there, winning on Lay Lake in May and finishing fifth in the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings.

He’s continued his hot hand at Hartwell.

“I spent a lot of time after winning the championship last year getting used to forward-facing sonar,” Davis said. “You have to be able to do it in the Elite Series, and it’s definitely played a role this week.”

Davis only had eight bites on Day 2, catching six Hartwell spotted bass, but they were quality catches. All came on the same Davis Bait Company Wood Jig he used for his best bass a day earlier.

“That Wood Jig is my go-to for big bass,” he said. “I’m not catching a lot of fish, which is frustrating. But I’m getting the right bites.”

Friday’s weather is supposed to be rainy and windy, which Davis said might force him to change tactics.

“I’ll probably have to throw out a spinnerbait more tomorrow,” he said. “But I won’t change up too much. I think I’m on the right fish. I just have to get them to bite.”

The field of 58 boaters was whittled to 10 after the Day 2 weigh-in at Green Pond Landing.

Wisconsin’s Josh Wiesner jumped from ninth place to second in the boater division, courtesy of a 13-12 limit on Thursday, giving him 27-4 for the tournament.

“The bite was fairly steady throughout the day, but it really started getting active at the end of the day when the wind picked up,” Wiesner said. “I caught my biggest one with about a minute to go today. It was about 3 3/4 pounds and probably a 2-pound upgrade for me.”

Day 1 leader Tim Dube fell to third place in the angler division Thursday after catching an 11-pound limit to give him a two-day total of 27-3.

Unlike Wednesday, when hard-hitting spotted bass were gobbling Dube’s lures, Thursday was much more difficult for the 29-year-old New Hampshire resident.

“They weren’t committing to the bait today,” he said. “Every fish I hooked, it was in the corner of the mouth or barely in the lip. I lost more fish than I can count. But I’m getting past that. It’s good to know the fish are still there.

“I like the way tomorrow’s weather is looking for my bite. I want some cloud cover because they’ll school better.”

Rounding out the Top 10 boaters fishing Friday are Michigan’s Nic Rand, 26-14; fifth, Zach Taylor, who’s fishing for Wyoming, 26-11; sixth, South Africa’s Andrew Nienaber, 26-5; seventh, Brian La Clair, fishing for Delaware, 26-1; eighth, Missouri’s Cole Findley, 25-6; ninth, Alabama’s Zeke Gossett, 24-11; and 10th, Maine’s Jonathan Carter, 23-10.

Hayden Spradling of Gilbert, Ariz., won the nonboater title Thursday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 18 pounds. He collected the Louis “Pee Wee” Powers Memorial Trophy for being the top nonboater, as well as a $10,000 prize and a spot in Friday’s final round.

It’s the second time Spradling has competed in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, having qualified previously in 2020.

“That experience made me a lot more headstrong about getting to this point, to be able to win,” he said. “I had to throw a little bit of everything this week to win the nonboater (division) and give myself a chance to fish on the last day.”

Kyle Klein, of Kansas, won $500 for the Big Bass among nonboaters (a 4-8 he hooked Wednesday.)

Nevada’s Cody Steckel (12th overall, 23-5) and Colorado’s Nate Caldwell (13th, 23-4) also will fish on Friday, after leading their respective regionals in the Hartwell boater standings.

A total of 113 B.A.S.S. Nation anglers from 48 states and eight other countries are competing at Hartwell.

The remaining 13 anglers will start the third and final day of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at 7:30 a.m. ET from Green Pond Landing. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.

The top three anglers will earn berths in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic, which is scheduled for March 22-24 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees near Tulsa, Okla. The champion will also receive an invitation to fish the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series. The second- and third-place finishers and Spradling will each earn paid entry fees for all divisions of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens with the opportunity to qualify for the Elites.

Visit Anderson is hosting the event.

2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.(BOATER) Standings Day 2

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL           10  30-05    0  Day 1: 5   16-01     Day 2: 5   14-04   2.  Josh Wiesner           Fon du Lac, WI          10  27-04    0  Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   13-12   3.  Timothy Dube           Nashua, NH              10  27-03    0  Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   11-00   4.  Nic Rand               Kalamazoo, MI           10  26-14    0  Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   12-09   5.  Zach Taylor            Kimberly, ID            10  26-11    0  Day 1: 5   14-00     Day 2: 5   12-11   6.  Andrew Nienaber        Cape Town Western Cape  10  26-05    0  Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   11-14   7.  Brian La Clair         Denton, MD              10  26-01    0  Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   15-08   8.  Cole Findley           Forsyth, MO             10  25-06    0  Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   13-07   9.  Zeke Gossett           Pell City, AL           10  24-11    0  Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   13-07   10. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME            10  23-10    0  Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   11-02   11. Taylor Umland          Carlock, IL             10  23-08    0  Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 5   10-11   12. Cody Steckel           Las Vegas, NV           10  23-05    0  Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   12-04   13. Nate Caldwell          Fort Collins, CO        10  23-04    0  Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 5   11-00   14. Aaron Green            Everett, PA             10  22-08    0  Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 5   11-01   15. Andrew Sams            Easton, MD              10  22-06    0  Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   07-14   16. Riley Nielsen          Murray, UT              10  21-12    0  Day 1: 5   11-13     Day 2: 5   09-15   17. Austin Bonjour         Templeton, CA           10  21-01    0  Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 5   10-07   18. Dave Frost             Mount Dora, FL          10  20-15    0  Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 5   10-15   19. Troy Diede             Sioux Falls, SD         10  20-14    0  Day 1: 5   09-14     Day 2: 5   11-00   20. Chris Moody            Brooks, GA              10  20-10    0  Day 1: 5   14-03     Day 2: 5   06-07   21. Jess Pottenger         Harrison, ID            10  20-10    0  Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   09-13   22. BJ Baxter              Willshire, OH           10  20-09    0  Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   09-08   23. Jordan Card            Knoxville, TN           10  20-03    0  Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   09-02   24. Tyler Darling          Rapid City, SD           9  19-15    0  Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 4   06-03   25. Matthew Abeyta         Albuquerque, NM         10  19-14    0  Day 1: 5   09-04     Day 2: 5   10-10   26. Kevin Walton           Norfolk, VA             10  19-13    0  Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   08-14   27. Tyler Ramsey           Sand Springs, OK        10  19-07    0  Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   07-13   28. Blake Wilson           Benton, AR              10  19-02    0  Day 1: 5   12-00     Day 2: 5   07-02   29. Gary Pope              Georgetown, SC          10  18-01    0  Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   08-10   30. Marc Leech             Kings Mountian , NC     10  17-15    0  Day 1: 5   07-15     Day 2: 5   10-00   31. Cody Hollen            Beaverton, OR           10  17-14    0  Day 1: 5   10-02     Day 2: 5   07-12   32. Frankie Mueller        Kingman, AZ             10  17-11    0  Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 5   09-11   33. Jerry  Pape            Bella Vista, AR         10  16-15    0  Day 1: 5   05-10     Day 2: 5   11-05   34. Adam Hamann            Prairie Du Chien, IA     9  16-13    0  Day 1: 5   09-03     Day 2: 4   07-10   35. Dustin Hollen          Buckhannon, WV          10  16-10    0  Day 1: 5   06-13     Day 2: 5   09-13   36. Jay Swanson            Lakeville, MN           10  16-10    0  Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   08-00   37. Jurgen Geiger          Luxury Hill Windoek  NA 10  16-08    0  Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   08-03   38. Manuel Cruz            Clifton, NJ             10  16-07    0  Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 5   07-11   39. Luis Tavares Mendes    Cernache Do Bonjardim P 10  15-06    0  Day 1: 5   06-11     Day 2: 5   08-11   40. Byron Albrecht         Waco, TX                 9  15-03    0  Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 4   06-07   41. Brian Hensley          Edwardsburg, MI         10  15-02    0  Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   06-13   42. Matthew Nobile         Sorrento, LA            10  14-13    0  Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 5   06-13   43. Sean Andrachick        Marion, MT               9  14-12    0  Day 1: 4   05-10     Day 2: 5   09-02   44. Ken Day                Kennewick, WA           10  14-07    0  Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   07-07   45. Andrej Chowaniec       Beeton Ontario CANADA    8  12-05    0  Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 3   02-15   46. Michael Mello Jr       Manville, RI             7  11-13    0  Day 1: 5   09-00     Day 2: 2   02-13   47. Lukas Matt             Syracuse, NY            10  11-11    0  Day 1: 5   05-02     Day 2: 5   06-09   48. Chad Warnol            Moss Point, MS           7  10-13    0  Day 1: 2   03-06     Day 2: 5   07-07   49. Thomas Waltz           St. Albans, VT           6  10-01    0  Day 1: 1   01-05     Day 2: 5   08-12   50. Yoshi Komada           Nishinomiya JAPAN        6  09-14    0  Day 1: 1   01-01     Day 2: 5   08-13   51. Mickey Soler           Newington, CT            7  09-10    0  Day 1: 3   03-11     Day 2: 4   05-15   52. Andre Kondonis         Harare ZIMBABWE          6  09-07    0  Day 1: 4   06-10     Day 2: 2   02-13   53. Jacob Marcantonio      Moosup, CT               7  08-06    0  Day 1: 5   05-11     Day 2: 2   02-11   54. Jorge Trapero Barraza  Culiac n Rosales TX MEX  5  07-11    0  Day 1: 2   02-11     Day 2: 3   05-00   55. Richard Young Jr       Melbourne, KY            6  06-12    0  Day 1: 4   03-15     Day 2: 2   02-13   56. Oscar Gonzalez         Barcelona SPAIN          4  06-06    0  Day 1: 2   02-11     Day 2: 2   03-11   57. Andy Gill              Wellsville, KS           4  04-15    0  Day 1: 3   04-00     Day 2: 1   00-15   58. Jackie Barber          West, TX                 3  03-06    0  Day 1: 2   02-09     Day 2: 1   00-13   ———————————————————————–TotalsDay   #Limits    #Fish      Weight 1        47       263       532-02 2        45       259       496-05———————————-          92       522      1028-07

2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Hayden Spradling       Gilbert, AZ             10  18-00    0  $10,000.00  Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   08-09   2.  Richard White          Alexander City, AL      10  17-13    0   $7,500.00  Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   07-09   3.  Tristan Garriga        Lucedale, MS            10  16-11    0   $5,000.00  Day 1: 5   06-15     Day 2: 5   09-12   4.  Cooper Haase           Duncannon, PA           10  16-07    0   $2,500.00  Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   09-07   5.  Larry Witt             Evington, VA             8  16-01    0   $2,000.00  Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 3   04-06   6.  James D’Ambra          Hanover, MA             10  15-13    0   $1,500.00  Day 1: 5   07-11     Day 2: 5   08-02   7.  Kyle Klein             Hutchinson, KS           8  15-08    0   $1,500.00  Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 3   04-09   8.  Gary Belanger          Plainville, CT          10  14-15    0     $500.00  Day 1: 5   06-02     Day 2: 5   08-13   9.  Cole Buser             Moscow, ID               7  14-08    0     $500.00  Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 2   01-08   10. Marshal Allen          Greeley, CO              7  14-07    0     $500.00  Day 1: 4   07-15     Day 2: 3   06-08   11. Zachary Queeney        Atco, NJ                 9  14-01    0     $250.00  Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 4   05-04   12. Edward Owens           Hemingway, SC            8  14-00    0     $250.00  Day 1: 3   05-10     Day 2: 5   08-06   13. Ron Stierstorfer       Middle River, MD         9  13-14    0  Day 1: 4   07-15     Day 2: 5   05-15   14. Keisuke Sakamoto       Shiga JAPAN              8  13-10    0  Day 1: 4   07-00     Day 2: 4   06-10   15. Colten Hutson          Edmond, OK               8  12-14    0  Day 1: 5   06-07     Day 2: 3   06-07   16. Joe Whelan             Ozark, MO                9  12-02    0  Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 4   05-08   17. Robert Rull Jr         Coventry, RI             7  12-00    0  Day 1: 2   01-13     Day 2: 5   10-03   18. Grant Aumiller         Danville, KY             6  11-15    0  Day 1: 5   10-05     Day 2: 1   01-10   19. Kin Pui Wong           Bakersfield, CA          9  11-15    0  Day 1: 4   05-07     Day 2: 5   06-08   20. Dez Ruffin             Tukwila, WA              7  11-11    0  Day 1: 2   01-13     Day 2: 5   09-14   21. Hunter Frederickson    Redford, MI             10  11-11    0  Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 5   05-01   22. James Seymour          Oglesby, TX              8  11-03    0  Day 1: 3   04-05     Day 2: 5   06-14   23. Christian Hanson       Rathdrum, ID             5  11-02    0  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   11-02   24. Dave Roberts           Sisters, OR              8  11-02    0  Day 1: 5   08-06     Day 2: 3   02-12   25. Tristen Boyd           Monteagle, TN            8  11-01    0  Day 1: 4   06-08     Day 2: 4   04-09   26. Andrew Sayles          Middleton, ID            9  10-13    0  Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 4   04-03   27. Matt Summers           Gassaway, WV             8  10-06    0  Day 1: 3   03-13     Day 2: 5   06-09   28. Matt Luken             Independence, KY         7  09-10    0  Day 1: 4   06-09     Day 2: 3   03-01   29. Dean Yamagata          Las Vegas, NV            5  09-04    0  Day 1: 2   03-00     Day 2: 3   06-04   30. Jason Campbell         Berwick, LA              7  08-13    0  Day 1: 3   03-08     Day 2: 4   05-05   31. Jesus Morales          Apodaca Nuevo Leon  MEX  6  08-13    0  Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 3   04-02   32. David Pfeiffer         Milton Mills, NH         5  08-06    0  Day 1: 1   01-05     Day 2: 4   07-01   33. Greg Pink              Montrose, CO             5  08-00    0  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   08-00   34. Fernando Henriques Henriques Cernache Do Bonjardim P  5  07-08    0  Day 1: 1   00-15     Day 2: 4   06-09   35. Alex Ellerbrock        Sugar Grove, IL          5  07-04    0  Day 1: 2   02-06     Day 2: 3   04-14   36. Mike Bell              Ogdensburg, NY           4  07-02    0  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 4   07-02   37. Will Presley Jr        Grove City, OH           5  06-12    0  Day 1: 2   02-02     Day 2: 3   04-10   38. Eric Moulton           Enfield, NH              5  06-12    0  Day 1: 2   02-10     Day 2: 3   04-02   39. Bryan Schumacher       Sparta, WI               4  06-10    0  Day 1: 4   06-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   40. Garrett Sicely         Albany, VT               5  05-12    0  Day 1: 1   01-09     Day 2: 4   04-03   41. Miles Lausch           Lakeville, MN            6  05-10    0  Day 1: 2   01-10     Day 2: 4   04-00   42. Tyler Guthmiller       Yankton, SD              5  04-13    0  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   04-13   43. Agustin  Pintado Salas El Burgo Del Ebro, Zara  3  04-07    0  Day 1: 3   04-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   44. Blake Macumber         Elkhorn, NE              2  04-06    0  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   04-06   45. Neels Beneke           Amanzimtoti SOUTH AFRIC  3  03-15    0  Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 2   02-01   46. Brad Gandee            Mcdonough, GA            3  03-09    0  Day 1: 2   01-10     Day 2: 1   01-15   47. Roger Foraker          Magnolia, DE             2  02-15    0  Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 1   01-03   48. Carl Bowser            Indianapolis, IN         2  02-00    0  Day 1: 1   01-06     Day 2: 1   00-10   49. Leray Anderson  II     Crofton, NE              2  01-13    0  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   01-13   50. Jeremiah Proulx        Cherokee Village, AR     1  01-11    0  Day 1: 1   01-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   51. Andrew Krauss          Seabright CANADA         1  01-03    0  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-03   52. Grant Harris           Maiden, NC               1  01-00    0  Day 1: 1   01-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   53. Gavin Fraser           Bulawayo ZIMBABWE        1  00-14    0  Day 1: 1   00-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   54. Jerry Duncklee         Fayette, IA              0  00-00    0  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   54. Claude Loftin          Jacksonville, FL         0  00-00    0  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   ———————————————————————–TotalsDay   #Limits    #Fish      Weight 1        16       151       240-10 2        17       175       263-15———————————-          33       326       504-09

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