Holloway and Martin of Emmanuel College strike fast to take lead at Bassmaster College Series event on Red River

Cole Holloway and Brandon Martin of Georgia’s Emmanuel College are leading after Day 1 of the Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Red River presented by Bass Pro Shops with 15 pounds, 14 ounces. 

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.

May 4, 2023

Holloway and Martin of Emmanuel College strike fast to take lead at Bassmaster College Series event on Red River

NATCHITOCHES, La. — Each of the 135 teams in the Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Red River presented by Bass Pro Shops had eight hours to fish on Thursday, but Cole Holloway and Brandon Martin only needed about two hours to make their mark.

The duo from Georgia’s Emmanuel College had a limit of five bass in the livewell by mid-morning that weighed 15 pounds, 14 ounces. That was good enough for the Day 1 lead in this two-day collegiate derby in northwest Louisiana.

Holloway, a 20-year-old resident of Madison, Ga., said early success on the Red River boosted his and Martin’s confidence.

“We had everything we weighed today by about 9 a.m.,” Holloway said. “We didn’t make another cast after that. We had a small limit on a shad spawn really early today when we were fishing an oxbow. Then we went to this backwater area and the 2-pounders became 3-pounders.”

The backwater bite was consistent, too, with the tandem’s heaviest bass weighing 3-12. A quartet of smaller 3-pounders rounded out an exciting morning. They targeted a ditch in the backwater where water ebbed and flowed.

“It happened quickly and we didn’t beat up on them,” Holloway said. “There are fish there for tomorrow.”

Martin agreed.

“We found the spot in practice and there really hasn’t been reason to go anywhere else,” said the 20-year-old Lula, Ga., resident.

Seth Elkins and Dale Hansard of Jacksonville (Ala.) State University are in second place with a limit weighing 13-12. That included the day’s biggest bass — a 6-5 largemouth Hansard hooked near a tree stump.

“It was picture perfect, like something you’d see in a magazine,” Hansard said. “It fought like crazy, too. I wasn’t sure it was a bass at first because there are a lot of gar and gators around here … It catches you off guard when you catch something like that, especially since we were catching 1 1/2-pounders all day.”

Elkins and Hansard made a long run to Pool 5, which is filled with underwater wood. They said they’ll go there again Friday, looking to make up a few pounds and bring a trophy back to Alabama.

Rounding out the Top 5 are, third, Parker O’Bryan and Miller Dowling, University of Montevallo (Ala.), 11-15; fourth, Brayden Nichols and William Tew, LSU-Shreveport, 11-12; and fifth, Reid Farris and Colton Swize, Texas A&M, 11-10.

A total of 88 of the 135 teams caught a five-bass limit on Day 1 on this, the fourth tournament of the 2023 Bassmaster College Series schedule. The top 14 teams here qualify for the College National Championship which will be held later this year at a location yet to be announced.

Day 2 will begin with a 6:10 a.m. CT takeoff from Grand ECORE Recreational Arena. Weigh-in is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. back at the arena, with full coverage on Bassmaster.com.

Following the two-day College Series event, the Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors and the Junior Series will compete Sunday.

This week’s tournaments are being hosted by the Red River Waterway Commission.

2023 Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Red River presented by Bass Pro Shops 5/4-5/5Red River, Natchitoches  LA.(BOATER) Standings Day 1

    Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Cole Holloway – Brandon Martin               Emmanuel College                    250  Day 1: 5   15-14   Total:   5  15-142.  Seth Elkins – Dale Hansard                   Jacksonville State University       249  Day 1: 5   13-12   Total:   5  13-123.  Parker O’Bryan – Miller Dowling              University of Montevallo            248  Day 1: 5   11-15   Total:   5  11-154.  Brayden Nichols – William Tew                LSU – Shreveport                    247  Day 1: 5   11-12   Total:   5  11-125.  Reid Farris – Colton Swize                   Texas A&M University                246  Day 1: 5   11-10   Total:   5  11-106.  Gus McLarry – Jared West                     Texas A & M Commerce                245  Day 1: 5   11-07   Total:   5  11-077.  Blake Bullock – John Mark Berry              Blue Mountain College               244  Day 1: 5   11-01   Total:   5  11-018.  Tripp Bowman – Matthew Nesbit                LSU – Shreveport                    243  Day 1: 5   10-14   Total:   5  10-149.  Kaden Buchmann – Jared Hubbard               Lander University                   242  Day 1: 5   10-13   Total:   5  10-1310. Cal Culpepper – Ryan Thomas                  University of Montevallo            241  Day 1: 5   10-12   Total:   5  10-1211. Cole Rankin – Riley Faulkner                 Carson-Newman University            240  Day 1: 5   10-11   Total:   5  10-1112. Nicholas Holtgrave – Colsyn Head             McKendree University                239  Day 1: 5   10-09   Total:   5  10-0913. Kaden Proffitt – Cason Ragsdale              East Texas Baptist University       238  Day 1: 5   10-06   Total:   5  10-0614. Trey Schroeder – Lane Stephens               McKendree University                237  Day 1: 5   10-04   Total:   5  10-0415. Hunter McClaskey – Landon Lawson             King University                     236  Day 1: 5   10-03   Total:   5  10-0315. Levi Mullins – Matthew Cummings              Bethel University                   236  Day 1: 5   10-03   Total:   5  10-0317. Caleb Dachenhaus – Sam Shoemaker             Adrian College                      234  Day 1: 5   10-01   Total:   5  10-0118. Bryson O’steen – Ty Jackson                  Florida Gateway College             233  Day 1: 5   10-00   Total:   5  10-0019. Morgan Miracle – Jake Thornbury              Campbellsville University           232  Day 1: 5   10-00   Total:   5  10-0020. James Willoughby – Jacob Pfundt              University of Montevallo            231  Day 1: 5   09-10   Total:   5  09-1021. Hayden Marbut – Tucker Smith                 Auburn University                   230  Day 1: 5   09-09   Total:   5  09-0922. Tyler Cory – Scott Sledge                    University of Montevallo            229  Day 1: 5   09-08   Total:   5  09-0822. Tommy Dunaway – Seth Jones                   Florida Gateway College             229  Day 1: 5   09-08   Total:   5  09-0824. William Travis – Victor Alford               Bryan College                       227  Day 1: 5   09-07   Total:   5  09-0725. Jeremy Dellinger – Garrett Smith             Lander University                   226  Day 1: 5   09-06   Total:   5  09-0626. Ryan Park – Sam Niemeyer                     Murray State University             225  Day 1: 5   09-04   Total:   5  09-0427. Wade Roberts –                               LSU – Shreveport                    224  Day 1: 5   09-00   Total:   5  09-0027. Levi Thibodaux – Chance Shelby               LSU – Shreveport                    224  Day 1: 5   09-00   Total:   5  09-0029. Ben Brockwell – Justice Gayhart              Kentucky Christian University       222  Day 1: 5   08-14   Total:   5  08-1430. Cody Monlezun – Atlan Pfluger                Texas A&M University                221  Day 1: 5   08-13   Total:   5  08-1330. Seth Slanker – Jackson Swisher               Florida Gateway College             221  Day 1: 5   08-13   Total:   5  08-1332. Christian Turner – John Gray                 Coastal Carolina University         219  Day 1: 5   08-11   Total:   5  08-1133. Turner Hart – Summer Dees                    Bryan College                       218  Day 1: 5   08-10   Total:   5  08-1034. Brendan Vinton – Dalton Eury                 Catawba Valley Community College    217  Day 1: 5   08-07   Total:   5  08-0735. Chase Hubble – Brent May                     University of Florida               216  Day 1: 5   08-04   Total:   5  08-0435. Jadon Spencer – Chase Martin                 Catawba Valley Community College    216  Day 1: 5   08-04   Total:   5  08-0437. Parker Brown – Layton Brown                  Dallas Baptist University           214  Day 1: 5   08-04   Total:   5  08-0438. Connor Jacob – Sam Smith                     Auburn University                   213  Day 1: 5   08-02   Total:   5  08-0238. Zach McNary – Mason Phillpotts               Grand Valley State University       213  Day 1: 5   08-02   Total:   5  08-0240. Carter Koza – Drew Pitts                     Carson-Newman University            211  Day 1: 5   08-01   Total:   5  08-0141. Harmon Marien – Jack Stephens                McKendree University                210  Day 1: 5   07-15   Total:   5  07-1542. Corey Morris – Brayden Mercer                East Texas Baptist University       209  Day 1: 5   07-10   Total:   5  07-1042. Zach Pocos – Trey Budach                     McKendree University                209  Day 1: 5   07-10   Total:   5  07-1044. Carson Hickman – Jacob Dobbs                 Tarleton State University           207  Day 1: 5   07-09   Total:   5  07-0945. Clay Osteen – John Mizell                    Tarleton State University           206  Day 1: 5   07-08   Total:   5  07-0846. Matthew Zdrazil – Easton Lindus              Emmanuel College                    205  Day 1: 5   07-06   Total:   5  07-0647. Max Heaton – Brooks Anderson                 Emmanuel College                    204  Day 1: 5   07-05   Total:   5  07-0548. Ashton Hehr – Trevor Johnston                Texas A&M University                203  Day 1: 5   07-04   Total:   5  07-0448. Jordan Pennington – Andrew Oswalt            University of Montevallo            203  Day 1: 5   07-04   Total:   5  07-0448. Kyle Zainitzer – Avery Whitwell              University of North Alabama         203  Day 1: 5   07-04   Total:   5  07-0451. Evan Sutton – Grant Olsen                    McKendree University                200  Day 1: 5   07-02   Total:   5  07-0252. Dylan Breaux – Joel Richard                  Nicholls State University           199  Day 1: 5   07-01   Total:   5  07-0152. Caleb Bridges – Matthew Dopp                 Bryan College                       199  Day 1: 5   07-01   Total:   5  07-0152. Ridge Rutledge – Ryan Daugherty              Campbellsville University           199  Day 1: 5   07-01   Total:   5  07-0152. Drake Sturgill – Beau Browning               University of Montevallo            199  Day 1: 5   07-01   Total:   5  07-0156. Brantley Anders – Cameron Dials              Kentucky Christian University       195  Day 1: 5   07-00   Total:   5  07-0056. Russel Buffa – Dalton Mollenkopf             Adrian College                      195  Day 1: 5   07-00   Total:   5  07-0056. Easton Fothergill – Nick Dumke               University of Montevallo            195  Day 1: 5   07-00   Total:   5  07-0056. Matt Short – Pruitt Lansdale                 Eastern Kentucky University         195  Day 1: 5   07-00   Total:   5  07-0056. Gunner Whitaker – Mitch Johnson              Kentucky Christian University       195  Day 1: 5   07-00   Total:   5  07-0061. Cody Domingos – Luka Strepacki               University of Tennessee             190  Day 1: 5   06-15   Total:   5  06-1562. Solomon Glenn – Briggs Alavezos              University of Montevallo            189  Day 1: 5   06-14   Total:   5  06-1462. Hank Sturm – Mitch Straffon                  Adrian College                      189  Day 1: 5   06-14   Total:   5  06-1462. William Vega – Will Emmert                   Sam Houston State University        189  Day 1: 5   06-14   Total:   5  06-1462. Dustin Weinberg – Sawyer Brady               Blue Mountain Christian Universi    189  Day 1: 5   06-14   Total:   5  06-1466. Brody Robison – Jack Alexander               University of Montevallo            185  Day 1: 5   06-14   Total:   5  06-1467. Max Gosdin – Andrew Howell                   University of Montevallo            184  Day 1: 5   06-13   Total:   5  06-1368. Wesley Smith II – Jacob Oliver               Catawba Valley Community College    183  Day 1: 4   06-13   Total:   4  06-1369. Miles Smith – Zach Henderson                 Georgia College                     182  Day 1: 5   06-12   Total:   5  06-1270. Giancarlo Russo – Remington Potter           Florida Gateway College             181  Day 1: 5   06-11   Total:   5  06-1171. Tucker Siminak – Kyle Hopping                McKendree University                180  Day 1: 5   06-09   Total:   5  06-0972. Reece Keeney – Colby Kerr                    Kentucky Christian University       179  Day 1: 4   06-09   Total:   4  06-0973. Zach Bushey – Brandon Traw                   Tarleton State University           178  Day 1: 5   06-08   Total:   5  06-0874. Cy Lambert –                                 University of North Alabama         177  Day 1: 5   06-07   Total:   5  06-0775. Justin Botts – Tim Herrmann                  Bryan College                       176  Day 1: 4   06-07   Total:   4  06-0776. Trent Buchholz – Dakota Posey                Lamar State College Orange          175  Day 1: 5   06-05   Total:   5  06-0576. Gavin Schmitz – Addison Sikes                University of Montevallo            175  Day 1: 5   06-05   Total:   5  06-0578. Taylor McMullen –                            Emmanuel College                    173  Day 1: 4   06-05   Total:   4  06-0579. Dylan Benson – Austin Rose                   East Texas Baptist University       172  Day 1: 5   06-04   Total:   5  06-0480. Chris Baker – Elijah Kelley                  Kentucky Christian University       171  Day 1: 4   06-03   Total:   4  06-0381. Drake Hemby – Szymon Piton                   Carson-Newman University            170  Day 1: 4   06-02   Total:   4  06-0282. Carson Kamien – Tyson Verkaik                University of Florida               169  Day 1: 5   06-01   Total:   5  06-0182. Cole Thompson – Rees Williams                University of North Alabama         169  Day 1: 5   06-01   Total:   5  06-0184. Hunter Fillmore – Dylan Fogarty              Bethel University                   167  Day 1: 5   06-00   Total:   5  06-0085. Cross Campbell – Ethan Thurston              East Texas Baptist University       166  Day 1: 4   06-00   Total:   4  06-0086. Bryant Martin – Luke Batts                   LSU – Shreveport                    165  Day 1: 5   05-15   Total:   5  05-1587. Brock Blazier – Benjamin Blank               Wabash Valley College               164  Day 1: 5   05-14   Total:   5  05-1488. Tyler Cain – Cole Dodson                     University of Montevallo            163  Day 1: 3   05-14   Total:   3  05-1489. Hunter Keller – Grant Harris                 Catawba Valley Community College    162  Day 1: 5   05-13   Total:   5  05-1390. Wyatt Pearman – Dustin Bauer                 Campbellsville University           161  Day 1: 4   05-12   Total:   4  05-1291. Trevor Easter – Clayton Easter               Tarleton State University           160  Day 1: 5   05-11   Total:   5  05-1191. Cade Lipham – Caleb Coleman                  Drury University                    160  Day 1: 5   05-11   Total:   5  05-1193. Carter Ball – Austin Tapley                  Adrian College                      158  Day 1: 5   05-10   Total:   5  05-1094. Jaxson Freeman – Maxwell Trotter             McKendree University                157  Day 1: 5   05-07   Total:   5  05-0795. John Karisny – Brodie Paige                  Louisiana Tech University           156  Day 1: 5   05-07   Total:   5  05-0796. Matthew Dettling – Austin Wadzinski          University of Tennessee             155  Day 1: 4   05-06   Total:   4  05-0697. Noah Trant – Evan Howe                       Northwestern State University (8    154  Day 1: 5   05-00   Total:   5  05-0098. Brett Jolley Jr. – Cade Nettles              East Texas Baptist University       153  Day 1: 5   04-15   Total:   5  04-1599. Brenton Godwin – Hunter Odom                 University of Montevallo            152  Day 1: 3   04-15   Total:   3  04-15100. Jacob Autry – Will Niebrugge                 Murray State University             151  Day 1: 4   04-13   Total:   4  04-13101. Cooper Arthur – Luke Frankowicz              Louisiana Tech University           150  Day 1: 3   04-13   Total:   3  04-13102. Spencer Brister – Roeh Burton                Lamar State College Orange          149  Day 1: 4   04-12   Total:   4  04-12103. Colton Hill – Tomas Matual                   McKendree University                148  Day 1: 3   04-10   Total:   3  04-10104. Derek Rodriguez Jr. – Mathias Dahline        Adrian College                      147  Day 1: 4   04-07   Total:   4  04-07105. Thomas Mingle – Braxton Simmons              University of Tennessee             146  Day 1: 3   04-06   Total:   3  04-06106. Seth Jenkins – TJ McKenzie                   Emmanuel College                    145  Day 1: 3   03-13   Total:   3  03-13107. Stephen Bovia – Preston Madere               Louisiana Tech University           144  Day 1: 2   03-09   Total:   2  03-09108. Riley Lawson – Dawson Burton                 Kentucky Christian University       143  Day 1: 3   03-04   Total:   3  03-04109. Kreed Averhoff – Jordan Kalsbeek             Tarleton State University           142  Day 1: 2   03-02   Total:   2  03-02109. Lane Bailey – Justin Eggers                  Catawba Valley Community College    142  Day 1: 2   03-02   Total:   2  03-02111. Carter Smith – Gannon Stork                  Wabash Valley College               140  Day 1: 1   03-01   Total:   1  03-01112. Justin James – Keegan Trahan                 Lamar State College Orange          139  Day 1: 3   02-14   Total:   3  02-14113. Kyle Knoll – Luke Morgan                     Southern Union State Community C    138  Day 1: 2   02-13   Total:   2  02-13114. Conner Giles – Christian Wright              Bryan College                       137  Day 1: 2   02-11   Total:   2  02-11115. Sawyer McCullough – Hunter Bettner           Troy University                     136  Day 1: 2   02-05   Total:   2  02-05116. Sid Wallace – Broxson Daigle                 Texas A&M University                135  Day 1: 1   02-02   Total:   1  02-02117. Caleb Jacob –                                Illinois State University           134  Day 1: 2   01-15   Total:   2  01-15118. Hunter Palmer – Eli Stevenson                Bryan College                       133  Day 1: 1   01-11   Total:   1  01-11119. Hampton Shull – Landon Surrett               Lander University                   132  Day 1: 1   01-03   Total:   1  01-03120. Fischer Barber – Tucker Jordan               Troy University                     131  Day 1: 1   01-01   Total:   1  01-01120. Kaden Liles – Kolby Clark                    University of North Alabama         131  Day 1: 1   01-01   Total:   1  01-01122. Zeb Roberts – Cabe Mackey                    Catawba Valley Community College    129  Day 1: 1   01-00   Total:   1  01-00123. Roy Crush – Hunter Hernandez                 Texas A&M University                128  Day 1: 1   00-15   Total:   1  00-15124. Hunter Starling – William Vickery            Georgia Southern University         127  Day 1: 1   00-14   Total:   1  00-14125. Luke Iles –                                  Northwestern State University       126  Day 1: 1   00-13   Total:   1  00-13126. Jacob Butts – Mark Kershaw-Klara             USC Union                             0  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00126. Carson Calvert – Austin Thomas               University of North Alabama           0  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00126. Marlee Churchman – Ty Gentry                 LSU – Shreveport                      0  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00126. Cody Clifton – Robert Hunt                   Missouri State University             0  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00126. Nathan Coffman – Garrett Mawalls             LSU – Shreveport                      0  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00126. Logan East – Rob Lindsey                     Bryan College                         0  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00126. Caleb Hart – Connor Vanderploeg              Grand Valley State University         0  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00126. Connor Lynch – Domenic Bartel                Grand Valley State University         0  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00126. Chandler Pruett – Wes Bailey                 Blue Mountain College                 0  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00126. Rudy Worley – Fisher Overton                 Blue Mountain College                 0  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00———————————————————————–TotalsDay   #Limits    #Fish      Weight 1        88       536       853-13———————————-          88       536       853-13

The post Holloway and Martin of Emmanuel College strike fast to take lead at Bassmaster College Series event on Red River appeared first on The Bass Cast.