FLW College Fishing is headed to Kentucky and Barkley Lakes, March 6-7 for the fourth annual YETI FLW College Fishing Open. The no-entry fee tournament, hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, allows registration from any eligible college team from across the United States, regardless of division. Anglers who finish within the top 20, along with one additional team for every 10 teams over 200 competing, will automatically qualify for the 2019 YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship, and the champions will take home a Ranger Z175 boat with a 90-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
“Right now, the conditions are a little bit different than normal,” said Brandon Hunter of Benton, Kentucky, who finished runner-up at the 2016 FLW Tour event on Kentucky Lake. The water is high, muddy and cold. Still, I’ve heard reports that the fish were really biting this weekend. It should take a two-day weight total in the low- to mid-40s to win the event.”
According to Hunter, shallow-running and lipless crankbaits will play a major role at the event. Because of the water clarity, expect chartreuse, black, red and other muddy water colors to catch the most fish.
“With the expected rain and rising water levels it will definitely be a shallow water deal,” said Hunter. “Barkley will be an option for some teams that want to get away from the crowd. It’s not too far of a run from Moor’s Marina and Resort and it should help scatter some teams out.”
Schools are allowed to register up until the morning of the tournament. Entries may be made either by phone or at FLWFishing.com.
Schools currently registered to compete in the FLW College Fishing Open on Kentucky/Barkley Lakes include:
Adrian College – Alex Henderson, Mooresville, Ind., and John Franko, Clare, Mich.
Adrian College – Ben Statly, Fenton, Mich., and Jeff Morton, Troy, Mich.
Adrian College – Chase Serafin, Highland, Mich., and Cody Batterson, Pleasant Hill, Iowa
Adrian College – Hunter Schneider, Milin, Ind., and Tyler VanBrandt, Morenci, Mich.
Adrian College – Jarrett Martin, Gallipolis, Ohio, and Nickolas Marsh, Walled Lake, Mich.
Adrian College – Jack Hippe III, Davison, Mich., and Nicholas Czajka, Brighton, Mich.
Adrian College – Gunner Wilson, Fenton, Mich., and Zach Manneback, Howell, Mich.
Auburn University – Logan Parks and Lucas Lindsay, both of Auburn, Ala.
Ball State University – Austin Strawmyer, Carmel, Ind., and Bobby Sterrett, Plainfield, Ind.
Bellarmine University – Andrew Kuebler, Louisville, Ky., and Jacob Schmidt, Medina, Ohio
Bellarmine University – Trevor Hulsey, Louisville, Ky., and Patrick McPhillips, Floyds Knobs, Ind.
Bowling Green State University – Donovan Wymer, Grove City, Ohio, and C Hayden Hoffman, Kelleys Island, Ohio
Bowling Green State University – Walter Rauterkus, Avon, Ohio, and Quinn Dilts, Winamac, Ind.
California University of Pennsylvania – Nick Fulks, Canonsburg, Pa., and David Blaker, Rices Landing, Pa.
Campbellsville University – Justin Mayfield, Somerset, Ky., and Colby Hays, Somerset, Ky.
Campbellsville University – Nick Ratliff, Vine Grove, Ky., and Mason Sapp, Campbellsville, Ky.
Coastal Carolina – Johnathan Kelley, Old Forge, Pa., and Joseph Castelluccio, Andover, N.J.
East Carolina University – Michael Manning, La Grange, N.C., and Christopher Bowen, Lacrosse, Va.
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College – Ryan Dowell, Brandenburg, Ky., and Andrew Davis, Greensburg, Ky.
Greenville University – Ricky Huge and Ryan Rakers, both of Carlyle, Ill.
Greenville University – Christopher Brooks, Sparta, Ill., and Benjamin Fouts, North Vernon, Ind.
Greenville University – Cordell Beckmann, Breese, Ill., and Evan Seggerman, Minonk, Ill.
Iowa State University – Josef Rogers, Ames, Iowa, and Taggert Tesdal, Jefferson, Wis.
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis – Joe Mullis, Commiskey, Ind., and Logan Beck, Plainfield, Ind.
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis – Logan Ross, Greenwood, Ind., and Eric Coletto, Indianapolis, Ind.
Kent State University – Tanner Ward, Coshocton, Ohio, and Jacob Klicman, Ravenna, Ohio
LaGrange College – Tanner Johnson and Jacob Wood, both of LaGrange, Ga.
Lewis University – Joe Skvarla, Tinley Park, Ill., and Zachary Spesia, Coal City, Ill.
Lipscomb University – Scout Monteith, Nasvhille, Tenn., and Hunter Hanks, Hermitage, Tenn.
McKendree University – Ethan Jones, Worden, Ill., and Blake Jackson, Carterville, Ill.
McKendree University – Jacob Louis, Pinckneyville, Ill., and Curtis Lilly, Rock Falls, Ill.
McKendree University – Shane Campbell, Highland, Ill., and Nathan Doty, Decatur, Ill.
McKendree University – Taylor Schmitt Lebanon, Ill., and Trevor McKinney, Benton, Ill.
Michigan State University – Riley Welch, Beecher, Ill., and Kevin Lukens, Norton Shores, Mich.
Missouri State University – Crosley Welch, Branson, Mo., and Hayden Lee, Jefferson City, Mo.
Northeast Texas Community College – Austin King, Hughes Springs, Texas, and Danny Boyd, Winnsboro, Texas
Northern Kentucky University – Kyle Wilson, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Brandon Knapmeyer, Union, Ky.
Ohio State University – Gardon Wycoff, Delaware, Ohio, and Patrick Henry, Stanhope, N.J.
Radford University – Joshua Greenberg, Montpelier, Va., and Christian Williams, Wingina, Va.
Radford University – Justin Sullins, Meadowview, Va., and Adam Carter, Mechanicsville, Va.
Radford University – Matthew Cooley, Chesterfield, Va., and Zack Lemaster, Bedford, Va.
Saint Cloud State University – Chizta Xiong, Nowthen, Minn., and Jaret Baker, Grand Marais, Minn.
Saint Cloud State University – Jacob Gieske, Sartell Minn., and Daniel Dennis, Saint Cloud, Minn.
Southern Illinois University – Mason Bishop, Tunnel Hill, Ill., and Levi Rogers, Albion, Ill.
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville – Parker Flynn, Rochester, Ill., and Brenden Allen, Wood River, Ill.
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville – Preston Walker, Edwardsville, Ill., and Bryce Peters, Camp Point, Ill.
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville – Sean Clarkson, Edwardsville, Ill., and Alex Nail, Springfield, Ill.
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville – Tyler Pletsch, Edwardsville, Ill., and Seth Feddersen, Saint Clair, Mo.
Slippery Rock University – Nathan Quince, Imperial, Pa., and Samuel Jenesky, Pittsburgh, Pa.
University of Alabama – Caiden Sinclair and Hunter Gibson, both of Hoover, Ala.
University of Louisville – Luke Miller and Ryan Pike, both of Louisville, Ky.
University of North Alabama – Triston Crowder, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., and Lake Blasingame, Killen, Ala.
University of Southern Indiana – Jonathan Kuester, Evansville, Ind., and Clayton Seitz, Newburgh, Ind.
University of Southern Indiana – Justin Bucherl and Kalan Bucherl, both of Boonville, Ind.
University of Southern Indiana – Kaleb Hill, Oakland City, Ind., and Garrett Wojtowicz, Petersburg, Ind.
University of Southern Indiana – Tanner Curtis, Mount Vernon, Ind., and Connor Deweese, Evansville, Ind.
University of Southern Indiana – Wayne Ellison and Andrew Reising, both of Evansville, Ind.
Vincennes University – Zachary Bauer Martinsville, Ind., and Joseph Fortkamp Batesville, Ind.
Virginia Highland Community College – Clay Winebarger, Abingdon, Va., and Dustin Murray, Abingdon, Va.
Virginia Highland Community College – Ryan Strong, Bristol, Va., and Dylan Blake, Abingdon, Va.
Virginia Tech – Junior Roberts, Ringgold, Va., and Ethan Stone, Charlottesville, Va.
Virginia Tech – Jacob Thompson, Moneta, Va., and Hunter Woodford, Huddleston, Va.
Virginia Tech – Robert Swope, Orange, Va., and Jacob Pegelow, Fredericksburg, Va.
Virginia Tech – Tyler Dixon, Abingdon, Va., and Robert Pryer, Reidsville, Va.
Virginia Military Institute – Jacob and Wyatt Novak, both of Midlothian, Va.
Western Illinois University – John Ott Jr., Lindenhurst, Ill., and Brandon Briscoe, McHenry, Ill.
Western Michigan University – Bo Thomas, Edwardsburg, Mich., and Mitchell Olszewski, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Western Michigan University – John Neubauer, Decatur, Mich., and Joshua Lopez, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Youngstown State University – Stan Miketa, New Middletown, Ohio, and Jonathan Creed, Niles, Ohio
The registration meeting for the Open will take place Monday, March 5, from 4-6 p.m. at Moors Resort and Marina located at 570 Moors Road in Gilbertsville, with a pre-tournament meeting following registration at 6:15 p.m. The entire field of competitors will compete both days of the tournament. Teams must provide their own boat in order to compete.
Anglers will take off from Moors Resort and Marina at 7 a.m. CDT each day. Weigh-in will be held lakeside each day beginning at 3:00 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats.
College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school.
Visit FLWFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2018 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW and their partners conduct 286 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa and Spain. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros.
By: Drew Aspinwall, FLW Fishing
