ANDERSON, S.C. – A strong first day for LSUS anglers Levi Thibodaux and Miles Smith positioned them in the running for a chance at the finals in the 2024 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championships, but tough fishing conditions on Lake Hartwell prevailed this past weekend.
After sitting in eighth place on Day 1 with a total of 14-8, the LSUS pair slid out of the top 12 finals spots and finished in a tie for 25th with a two-day haul of 23-4.
LSUS still fared well as a team with its five boats as two finished in the top quarter of a 168-boat field with two more placing in the top 100.
Brayden Nichols and William Tew finished 48th (20-10), Bryant Martin and Luke Batts placed 94th (16-8), freshmen Hunter Hamilton and Tyler Morris checked in at 97th (16-6) with Tripp Bowman and Matthew Nesbit in 136th (13-1).
“Levi and Miles came out and fished the same way on the second day, but it was just hard to find bigger fish,” said LSUS Fishing coach Charles Thompson. “A lot of the fish were coming in at two and two-and-a-half pounds with the occasional one over three.
“The big fish of the tournament were coming in at five and six pounds, so it wasn’t a big-fish tournament. But I’m proud of the way our guys scrapped and fought, and you have to be happy with two boats in the top 50 and four in the top 100.
LSUS anglers grew up fishing in muddy water where the bass chase shad as the primary bait fish, but Lake Hartwell up in the Appalachian foothills features clear water with herring as the bait fish.
“It’s a different species of fish with different behaviors, and that with the clear water is opposite of what we’re used to fishing,” Thompson said. “But these guys left it all out on the water.
“The fish in Lake Hartwell are pressured all year because it’s one of the go-to lakes for all levels of fishing.”
LSUS did bring home some hardware – Luke Batts won Beard of the Year.
Anglers qualified for these championships based on their 2023-24 season performance, but the points from this tournament apply to this coming season.
LSUS, which finished sixth nationally in a sport that has just one division where colleges of all sizes compete, should start this next season in or near the top 10.
The Pilots head to Kentucky Lake (Sept. 21-22) before staying close to home with events on Sam Rayburn Reservoir (Sept. 27 in Texas) and Lake Dardanelle (Oct. 11-13 in Arkansas).
“The championships put us in a good position coming into the fall,” Thompson said. “We’ve had our best-ever finishes in each of the past three seasons, so we’re aiming for a top-five finish this year.”
