College Championship Updates – Day 3
The final day is underway
Day three of the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship presented by Lowrance is underway on the Harris Chain. The link to yesterday's top patterns is below, and we'll try to check in here about every hour with updates from around the field. Today is the final day, and at the end, one team is going to walk away with a new Phoenix boat and the title of National Champions.
1:15 – Probably the last updates
Sam Houston has culled again and is up to perhaps 19 pounds. That's going to be big today, but it may not be enough to win. Otherwise, we've got Slippery Rock with five for about 9 pounds and no other updates to give. Unless Bryan really drops the hammer in the waning moments, it looks like McKendree will have a good shot at the title.
12:39 – A scattering of updates
We're a bit all over the board currently, but we know one thing for sure – Griffin wasn't on today. The Bethel duo of John Garrett and Kyle Palmer left early with just about 8 pounds. Just leaving a bit ago with a shocking zero bass, the Gannon squad of Nolan Pyle and Aaron Bunting is having a very rough day.
Jayce Garrison and Mason Hoke of Sam Houston State have culled again though, but we're not exactly sure what they have. It sounds like their estimate might be more like 14 or 15 pounds than the 16 or 17 pounds we had earlier. McKendree has also culled, and should have perhaps 14 pounds now. With a decent bit of time left, they seem close to salting away the win.
On the downside of things, Georgia State has just two fish for about 3 pounds. Bryan College is also struggling big-time, with just one big one and two little ones in the box last we knew. Also, somewhere in the middle, Wisconsin has a limit for about 12 pounds.
11:15 – The fishing seems to be picking up a bit
Though still quite cold and a bit windier than it was in the morning, the fishing seems to be getting a bit better for some teams. Most notably, Jayce Garrison and Mason Hoke of Sam Houston State have worked up to 17 pounds now and Stephen F. Austin’s Hank Harrison and Ethan LeGare just added a 4-pounder to get up into the mid-teens as well.
Oddly enough, McKendree seems to have hit a bit of a lull. Doty and Louis have scratched up to about 12 pounds now, which is decent, but not exactly slamming the door.
We've just moved a boat over to Griffin, so stay tuned for the next update to include Gannon University, who caught 24 pounds yesterday.
10:20 – Bryan College is picking up momentum
Conner DiMauro and Cole Sands of Bryan College have been sampling a little bit of everything the Harris Chain has to offer this week and after spending some time in Eustis this morning they moved to Dora. They have added another small fish and a few casts later hooked a big one – close to 7 pounds. They have been getting one big bite a day, though this one came earlier than it has the past few days, so the two are hopeful they can find another one to help their chase for the National Championship title.
Stephen F. Austin’s Hank Harrison and Ethan LeGare have a limit around 13 pounds. Noah Whalen and Blake Knies of the University of Evansville have a small limit, and Garrison and Hoke now have a limit worth 11 pounds.
9:20 – McKendree might be pulling ahead
After shifting around on their spot a little and making a switch to a jerkbait, the McKendree duo of Doty and Louis put a few more small keepers in the box. Then, back on the worm, the pair stuck a 4-pounder to fill their limit in style. They probably need a few more to really ice things down, but so far the day seems to be going exactly to plan for them.
Other than McKendree, the Bryan College squad of Conner DiMauro and Cole Sands have just one keeper, but have lost one good one. Nathan Quince and Cody Neal of Slippery Rock have also caught a limit now, but they have five for perhaps 5 pounds. Meanwhile, Jayce Garrison and Mason Hoke of Sam Houston State have added another 2-pounder, to push their three-fish limit to perhaps 7 or 8 pounds.
8:20 – McKendree on the boar early, no big fish yet
Early on the final day, the fishing seems to be pretty decent again, despite a wicked chilly start. The leaders, Nathan Doty and Jacob Louis of McKendree University, have already put two keepers on the board, which they say is their fastest start yet. Still, they haven't caught anything very big.
Around the field, Sam Medo and Colin Steck of the University of Wisconsin have the first limit, though it's just for about 8 pounds. Also on the board early, Jayce Garrison and Mason Hoke of Sam Houston State have a pair of 2-pounders in the box.