University of Lousiana-Monroe Takes A Gamble That Pays Off To Earn College Central Title

Tyler Stewart (left) and Nick Joiner of the University of Louisiana-Monroe weighed in a three-day total of 42 pounds to take home the trophy Saturday during the 2016 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Central Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops held on the Atchafalaya Basin out of Houma, La.

Feb. 27, 2016

University of Lousiana-Monroe Takes A Gamble That Pays Off To Earn College Central Title

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HOUMA, La. –– Tyler Stewart and Nick Joiner from the University of Louisiana-Monroe led wire-to-wire to take the title at the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Central Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops on the Atchafalaya Basin with a three-day total of 42 pounds even.

On Championship Saturday, the duo put 14 pounds, 14 ounces in the boat to officially pull away from the field. They entered the final frame with just over a 4-pound cushion, and with the help of the second biggest limit of the tournament, Stewart and Joiner bested the competition by an 8-pound, 11-ounce margin.

Having faith that quality fish were in their area proved to be crucial as they caught six fish on Saturday and grinded out one cull the entire day to push through for the title. They kept a weightless wacky rigged Gary Yamamoto 5-inch Senko in their hands all day, and slowly, but surely, added necessary bass to their bag. The confidence they had in their technique and in their area stemmed from numerous days of practice before the tournament ever got started.

“We went south on our first practice day, and we probably caught 40 to 50 fish,” Stewart said. “None of those fish were bigger than two pounds, but we figured we could at least scratch out eight to 10 pounds a day and give ourselves a shot. On our second practice day, we decided to explore the north end of the basin around Lake Verret.”

On that second practice day, they proceeded to catch several 4-pound bass, and they were completely sold on sticking to that area and expanding on their few spots each day.

The entire college field dealt with an influx of rain and a cold front that passed through this week, but that didn’t hurt Stewart and Joiner because they could slow down knowing what lived in their areas.

After the teammates started the tournament off with a bang, catching 17 pounds, 9 ounces on Day 1, they managed their areas and sustained their lead after catching 9 pounds, 9 ounces on Day 2.

On the final day, they could pressure their spots and catch as many fish as needed. But, the duo didn’t start on their normal spot. Instead, Stewart and Joiner took a gamble and fished an area they hadn’t fished in the tournament.

“We didn’t want to start on that spot today because we knew this other canal had some good quality fish,” Joiner said. “We knew could always lay-up at our other spot if we needed to catch a limit, and that’s actually what we did today.”

Stewart and Joiner started Saturday strong as they boated a 4-pounder within 15 minutes after arriving. Then they proceeded to catch a 3-pounder and two bass around 2 pounds.

With four fish in the livewell at 10:30 a.m., they ran to their normal area and caught a quick keeper to fill their limit. They later added 2 pounds to their weight with a significant cull after moving back to their canal.

Gunner Durrett and Austin Watkins of Louisiana Tech tried their best to catch ULM, but after boating 11 pounds on the final day, they came up short. With a three-day total of 33 pounds, 5 ounces, Durrett and Watkins relied on flipping patches of reeds in the 70-mile area of the Atchafalaya Basin.

They didn’t have any problems boating fish this week, but after Day 1 quality fish seemed to funnel to the numerous areas they targeted. They weighed only 9 pounds on Thursday, but backed it up with 13 pounds, 5 ounces including the Carhartt Big Bass of the tournament that weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces.

Primarily, the Louisiana Tech team flipped a Strike King Space Monkeys in black-and-blue and a Ballistic Blue Missile D Bomb rigged it on a 3/8-ounce weight.

“The deeper the reeds we fished, the better quality showed up it seemed,” Durrett said. “I think that’s why the heavier weight excelled for us compared to the lighter sizes.”

Matthew Leblanc and Matthew Benoits of the host school, Nicholls State, finished in third with a three-day total of 31 pounds, 11 ounces. They relied on moving baits like a spinnerbait to put an early limit in the boat in the first 15 minutes every day of the tournament.

“We knew consistency was going to be big,” Benoits said. “Knowing where the deeper water was helped out enormously because when it got cold, those fish wanted to funnel as deep as they could.”

The Top 13 teams earned a berth into the 2016 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship on a body of water to be named later.

Along with the win, Stewart and Joiner of ULM took home the Livingston Lures Leader award as well as the Nitro Big Bag of the tournament for their 17-9 effort on Day 1.

Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Central2/25/2016 – 2/27/2016  Atchafalaya Basin – Bayou Black Marina – Houma,LA

STANDINGS  BOATER DAY   3

Name  # Fish  # Live  Lbs – Oz  # Fish  # Live  Lbs – Oz1  Tyler Stewart – Nick Joiner  La Monroe  5  5  14-14  15  15  42- 02  Gunner Durrett – Austin Watkins  LA Tech  5  5  11- 0  15  15  33- 53  Matthew Benoits – Matthew Leblanc  Nicholls State  5  5  9- 1  15  15  31-114  Travis Harriman – Chaz Miller  University of Arkansas  5  5  11-15  14  14  30-125  Brennan Fertig – Evan Cook  Texas A&M University  5  5  10- 8  15  15  30- 36  Tyler Rivet – Jess Robertson  Nicholls State University  5  5  10-14  15  15  28-157  Bradley Fleming – Clark Mannas  Texas A&M University  5  5  10- 1  15  15  28- 38  Marcus Kliebert – Francis Robichaux  Nicholls State  2  2  3-14  11  11  26-159  Adam Forester – Scott McClellan  LA Tech  5  5  9-13  15  15  26-1310  Brandon Simoneaux – Colby Ogden  Lamar University  5  5  9- 5  15  15  25-1211  John Authement – Cameron Naquin  Nicholls State  2  2  3- 1  12  12  24- 412  Ronnie Gray – Ladd Owens  Arkansas Tech University  5  5  7-10  15  15  23- 613  Trent Newman – Nathan Wood  Dallas Baptist University  5  5  7- 2  15  15  22- 014  Zach Ziober – Dakota Ebare  Tarleton State University  2  2  2-10  11  11  21-1315  Adam Burkett – Christian Brown  LSU Shreveport  4  4  4- 7  13  13  21- 616  Stetson Overton – Justin Seeton  Tarleton State University  4  4  4-12 13 13 20-1317  JP Kimbrough – Jared Rascoe  LSU Shreveport  3  3  5- 7  12  12  20-1218  Cameron Gautreau – Andrew Tucker  Nicholls State  1  1  1- 3  11  11  17-1419  Ty Hibbs – Matthew Waguespack  Nicholls State  1  1  0-15  9  9  16- 220  Tanner Crim – Zach Montalvo  Tarleton State University  1  1  1- 4  11  11  15-1221  Cody Metzger – Micheal King  Northeastern State University        8  8  14- 522  Spencer Lambert – Luke Oneal  La Monroe        7  7  14- 123  Wyatt Frankens – Hunter Price  Stephen F Austin University        9  9  14- 024  Jared Bourgeois – Parker White  LSU        9  9  13-1225  Hutton Leppert – Scott Fair  Northwestern State University        10  10  13-1126  Josh Bensema – Tyler Anderson  Texas A&M University        9  9  13- 927  Justin Cooper – John Ledet  Northwestern State University        10  10  13- 928  Tyler Woods – Robert Tweed  Stephen F Austin State University        8  8  13- 729  Hunter Prestenback – Breagan Liner  Nicholls State        7  7  13- 630  Jacob Fournier – Jared Bascle  Nicholls State        8  8  13- 231  Hunter Freeman – Tyler Craig  La Monroe        9  8  13- 132  Michael Mata – Dax Baker  Arkansas Tech University        9  9  12-1533  Jeremy Cooper – Zachary McDill  UAM-CTC        5  5  11-1234  Dalton Warrington – Collin McFeeters  Southwestern Oklahoma State University 6  6  11- 635  Colten Hutson – Easton Ramsey  University of Central Oklahoma        8  8  11- 636  Dakota Sparks – Levi Sharp  LSU        9  9  11- 537  Zack Remedies – Matt Glad  LSU        7  7  11- 238  Jacob Caballero – Thomas Legendre  Nicholls State        7  7  10- 139  Clayton Godfrey – John-Michael Brattlof  Stephen F Austin State University 6  6  9-1340  Carson Smith – Malcolm Love  Northeastern State University        7  7  9-1241  Aaron Belgard – Logan Laprarie  Northwestern State University        7  7  9- 542  Cameron DeBorde – Cameron Simmons  Oklahoma State University        7  7  9- 343  Jackson Blackett – Austin Joiner  La Monroe        4  4  8- 744  Austyn Fowler – Zach Hurst  Tarleton State University        4  4  8- 445  Alex Murray – Alex Felder  Southeastern Louisiana University        4  4  8- 346  Alex Schieman – Garrett Reynolds  Georgia College        5  5  8- 347  Phillip Borel – Dustin Nash  Northwestern State University        6  6  8- 148  Colt Benedict – Chase Winston  Dallas Baptist University        5  5  8- 049  Jed Hebert – Austin Hebert  University of Louisiana LaFayette        6  6  7-1350  Dakota Cline – Lawson Priess  Stephen F Austin University        3  3  7-1251  Jordan Ogle – Chase Arthur  Arkansas Tech University        4  4  7-1052  Darrell Henson Jr. – Brent Rome Jr  LSU        5  5  7- 953  Andre Adams – Dustin Robicheaux  UL LaFayette        4  4  7- 554  Reed Foster – Zackery Hines  Dallas Baptist University        6  6  7- 055  Allyson Marcel – Tori LeBeau  Nicholls State University        5  5  6-1556  Jose Palma – Andrew Madison  University of Central Oklahoma        6  6  6-1557  Jay Lawson – Matthew Anthony  Stephen F Austin State University        4  4  6- 858  Gregory Green – Thomas Merchant  Northwestern State University        5  5  6- 459  Devine Deramus – Jeff Ramsey  LSU Shreveport        4  4  5- 660  Garrett Goettee – Grant Pietsch  Texas A&M University at Galveston        2  2  5- 461  Tyler Wilk – Brennan Soileau  LA Tech        2  2  3- 462  Brandon Midkiff – Tommy Wendling  Lamar University        2  2  2-1263  Mitchell Decker – Chris Bradley  Southwestern Oklahoma State University  2  2  2- 164  Alex Lamabe – Logan Abshire  University of Louisiana LaFayette        1  1  1-1265  Damon Martin – Maverick Jaggers  UAM-CTC        1  1  1- 866  Blake Crabb – Matthew Williams  Texas A&M Corpus Christi        1  1  1- 367  Bret Boyd – Ryan Tassin  UAM-CTC        1  1  0-1467  Gavin Goolsby – Andrew Cumberland  Nicholls State        1  1  0-1467  Cain Hamous – Lane Possoit  Northwestern State University        1  1  0-1470  Alec Castonguay – Garret Whitley  Stephen F Austin State University        0  0  0- 070  Cody Finkbeiner – Taylor Barton  Stephen F Austin University        0  0  0- 070  Zachary Harrell – Conley Harris  UAM-CTC        0  0  0- 070  Brandon Johnson – Thomas Soileau  La Monroe        0  0  0- 070  Mitchell Mayard – Owen Richard  LSU        0  0  0- 070  Tyler Moses – Justin Terrell  LA Tech        0  0  0- 070  Daniel Ortego – Justin Mann  University of Louisiana LaFayette        0  0  0- 070  Oaklin Spier – Sawyer Evans  Southeastern Louisiana University        0  0  0- 070  TJ Tucker – Hampton Hasek  Arkansas Tech University        0  0  0- 070  Chris Zins – Nick Gill  University of Central Oklahoma        0  0  0- 0

BIG BASS  Day  Name  City,State  Lbs-Oz1  Zach Ziober – Dakota Ebare  Grapevine, TX  5- 62  Gunner Durrett – Austin Watkins  Simsboro, LA  6- 73  Tanner Crim – Zach Montalvo  Stephenville, TX  1- 4

TOTALS  Day  # Fish  # Live  Lbs-Oz  # Limits1  244  243  408-13  322  214  214  374-10  253  75  75  139-12  11

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