Northwestern State University Wins College Wild Card

John Ledet (left) and Justin Cooper of Northwestern State University win the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops on Lake Murray out of Ardmore, Okla., with a three-day total weight of 51 pounds, 7 ounces.

June 11, 2016

Northwestern State University Wins College Wild Card

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DURANT, Okla. — John Ledet and Justin Cooper talked all week about how timing was everything for the success of their fishing strategy on Lake Murray.

On Saturday, the anglers representing Northwestern State University showed up again, on the right place at the right time. In doing so, they won the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops.

After taking the lead on Friday, the team from Natchitoches, La., sealed the win by catching a five-bass limit that weighed 18 pounds, 1 ounce. The final catch gave them a three-day total of 51-7.

J.P. Kimbrough and Jared Rascoe, fishing for Louisiana State University-Shreveport, took second place with 46-11. Aaron Belgard and Logan Laprarie, another team from Northwestern State, came in third with 46-8.

“The timing was really the key,” said Ledet, 21, a senior majoring in business management with a marketing emphasis. “When the wind picked up, we needed to be on our best spot.”

That area, spanning just 10 acres, attracted bass to a bed of submerged hydrilla growing within 3 feet of the surface. The bass weren’t alone.

“In our livewell, we had regurgitated bluegill the bass had eaten,” added Cooper, 22, a senior majoring in biology with a biomedical focus.

The food source and habitat combined to help the winners develop a successful strategy. The spot actually got better each day.

Northwestern State started the tournament in sixth place with 15-12. They took the lead with a second-day catch of 17-10 that gave them 33-6 heading into the final round.

“It got better today (Saturday) because there was more wind,” said Cooper.

More wind and overcast skies stimulated baitfish activity and the predatory instinct of the bass.

A V&M Pacemaker Lightning Blade, chartreuse in color to match the hue of the bluegill, was the key lure. The leadhead jig and spinner combination produced strikes as the lure was ripped through the vegetation.

Seclusion was another key.

“We had the place to ourselves, and that was a big deal,” said Ledet. “There were boats all around us, but the fishing pressure never really affected us.”

Lake Murray spans 5,700 acres, and with 80 teams competing, the fishing pressured mounted by end of the tournament.

Under calm conditions, the team alternated between a V&M Chopstick, a soft-plastic stick bait, and a V&M J Bug jig. The anglers fished both lures in reeds and aquatic grass growing near the shoreline.

Bass fishing teams from more than 40 colleges and universities competed in the tournament.

Saturday, the Top 20 teams competed for 13 available berths in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. The tournament is scheduled for July 28-30 in Campbellsville, Ky., on Green River Lake.

Teams in this week’s event earned contingency awards from tournament sponsors. Northwestern State University, led by Cooper and Ledet, won the Livingston Lures Leader Award and $250 in merchandise for leading the tournament on Day 2.

Texas State University won the Nitro Big Bag Award after catching the heaviest single-day weight. On Friday, Sam Stone and Evan Coleman caught a limit weighing 19-3 to win a $250 gift card from Bass Pro Shops.

Hunter Loudon of Bethel University caught a largemouth weighing 8-7 to win the Carhartt Big Bass Award and a $500 gift card.

1 John Ledet – Justin Cooper Northwestern State University 5 5 18- 1 15 15 51- 72 JP Kimbrough – Jared Rascoe LSU Shreveport 5 5 18-15 15 15 46-113 Aaron Belgard – Logan Laprarie Northwestern State University 5 5 17-13 15 15 46- 84 Chris Blanchette – Dylan Allison University of South Carolina 5 4 14- 4 15 14 41- 65 Zach Hurst – Austyn Fowler Tarleton State University 5 5 13- 4 15 15 41- 16 Josh Bensema – Tyler Anderson Texas A&M University 5 5 11-11 15 15 40-137 Ty Cox – Jake Houston Itawamba Community College 5 4 11-11 15 14 39- 98 Sam Stone – Evan Coleman Texas State University 5 5 7- 6 15 15 39- 49 Brian Pahl – John Garrett Bethel University 5 5 13-12 15 14 38- 710 Hunter Louden – Bethel University 2 2 10- 1 12 12 38- 511 Zach Ziober – Dakota Ebare Tarleton State University 5 5 7-10 15 14 37-1012 Stetson Overton – Justin Seeton Tarleton State University 5 5 12- 1 15 15 37- 113 Sheldon Rogge – Parker Davis Kansas State University 5 5 13- 8 15 15 36-1114 Patrick Walters – Brian Sweeney University of South Carolina 5 5 12-13 15 15 36-1015 Reed Foster – Zackery Hines Dallas Baptist University 5 5 9-15 15 14 35- 616 Trent Newman – Nathan Wood Dallas Baptist University 5 4 9- 7 15 14 34- 317 Ty Dyer – Ricky Harris Bethel University 5 5 7-12 15 14 30-1318 CJ Knight – Mitchell Jennings Auburn University 2 2 3- 6 12 12 30-1219 Morgan Locke – Logan Elton Florida State University 5 4 6-15 15 14 30-1120 Dawson Lenz – Evan Horne University of North Alabama 5 5 6-15 15 15 30- 221 Jason Ashe – Western Carolina University 10 10 22-1022 Dalton Warrington – Chris Bradley Southwestern Oklahoma State University 10 8 22- 723 Chris Zins – Zach Holliday University of Central Oklahoma 10 10 22- 524 Jared Bourgeois – Parker White LSU 10 10 22- 125 Andrew Madison – Jose Palma University of Central Oklahoma 10 10 21-1126 Dustin Nash – Thomas Merchant Northwestern State University 10 10 21- 727 Wyatt Frankens – Hunter Price Stephen F Austin University 10 9 21- 628 Adam Burkett – Christian Brown LSU Shreveport 10 10 21- 129 Makenzie Henson – Sloan Pennington U. of North Alabama 10 10 20-1130 Kyler Chelminiak – Alec Piekarski Bethel University 10 10 20-1031 Alex Murray – Alex Felder Southeastern Louisiana University 9 9 20- 132 Nathan Martin – Joe Nakai U. of North Alabama 10 10 19-1433 Taylor Umland – Justin Schick Illinois State University 8 7 19-1134 Cameron Brooks – Mason Sapp Campbellsville University 10 10 19-1135 Wyatt Burkhalter – Taylor Teague University of West Alabama 10 9 18-1436 Tanner Crim – Zach Montalvo Tarleton State University 10 9 18-1337 Mitchell Mayard – Owen Richard LSU 9 9 18- 638 Spencer Lambert – Thomas Soileau La Monroe 10 9 18- 339 Tyler Woods – Robert Tweed Stephen F Austin State University 10 10 18- 240 Cody Metzger – Conner Schwab Northeastern State University 10 10 18- 241 Garrett Stone – Collin Chandler University of Georgia 9 9 18- 042 Cody Peak – Jeff Roman Clayton IV Mississippi State University 10 9 17-1443 Jordan Ledbetter – Taylor Schmitt McKendree University 10 10 17- 944 Cody Cleary – Max Gresham Valdosta State University 10 10 17- 645 Caleb Garvin – CJ Holbrook Mississippi State University 10 10 17- 246 Clayton Godfrey – John-Michael Brattlof Stephen F Austin State University 10 8 17- 247 Tyler Craig – Hunter Freeman La Monroe 10 10 16-1548 Michael Corbishley – Austin Warmus East Carolina University 10 10 16-1449 Dillon Harrell – Dustin Moreno Sam Houston State University 9 9 16-1350 Adam Neill – Thomas Mistead University of Alabama 10 10 16-1151 Forrest Sears – Greg Dean Wallace State Comm College 7 7 16- 952 Eric Hanna – Oklahoma State University 10 8 16- 953 Jacob Fournier – Jared Bascle Nicholls State 10 10 15-1354 Brock Wilke – JT Russell McKendree University 9 9 15- 555 Dakota Sparks – Levi Sharp LSU 9 9 14-1356 Garrett Goettee – Grant Pietsch Texas A&M University at Galveston 8 6 14- 657 Dakota Cline – Stephen F Austin University 8 7 14- 558 Cody Billings – Daulton Smith University of Georgia 9 9 14- 359 Jared Baker – Layton Jones Georgia Southern University 10 9 14- 360 Jacob Reome – Daniel Rupee Clemson University 10 10 14- 261 Zachary Bodford – NC State University 8 8 14- 262 Nicholas DiCamillo – Justin Hettinga New Mexico State University 9 9 13-1463 Levi Umland – Heartland Community College 8 8 13-1264 Ryan Kennedy – Frank Lillig Kennesaw State University 8 8 13- 865 Chandler South – JR Wright Itawamba Community College 6 6 13- 166 Mack Hicks – Alice Lloyd College 9 9 12-1267 Alex Schieman – Garrett Reynolds Georgia College 8 8 12- 868 Tyler Brown – Baylor Ronemus Clemson University 7 7 12- 469 Charles Conger – Jackson Moody Kennesaw State University 9 9 11-1570 Nick Ratliff – Grant Adams Campbellsville University 5 5 10-1271 Adam Carman – Justin Mayfield Campbellsville University 7 7 10- 872 Armando Ortiz – Roy Zhang Auburn University 6 6 9-1473 Ashley Ruggles – Jeff White Drury University 7 7 9-1174 Tyler Moses – Brennan Soileau LA Tech 8 7 9- 875 Derek Louderbaugh – Drury University 5 5 6- 076 Cameron Simmons – Cameron DeBorde Oklahoma State 5 5 5-1377 Scott Fair – Northwestern State University 2 2 4- 178 Landon Tucker – Valdosta State University 2 2 3-1179 Benjamin Webster – Andrew Deloney University of Alabama 3 3 3- 780 Logan Shaddix – Ethan Flack University of Alabama 1 1 1- 3Name City,State Lbs-OzBIG BASSDay1 Trent Newman – Nathan WoodDallas, TX 4-102 Sam Stone – Evan Coleman Austin, TX 7-113 Springville, TN 8- 7Day # Live Lbs-Oz # LimitsTOTALS# Fish1 362 352 737- 6 622 345 334 719-12 583 94 90 227- 4 18

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