#WeAreCollegiateBass

Trey Marco & Jake Rowlands are the special guests on EP. 232 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast.  The two anglers from 33rd ranked King University won the latest Bassmaster College Series event contested at Buggs Island.  Trey & Jake won the event with a two-day total weight of 38 pounds 9 ounces.  Both anglers are also registered to compete together at the upcoming Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, the ACA's historic 20th National Championship.  Tune in to hear the two talk about the victory at Buggs Island, their shot at moving into the Top 25 for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, as well as preview the upcoming Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.

On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by Brody Robison and Peyton Sorrow.  The two anglers from top ranked University of Montevallo won the MLF College Series National Championship on Wheeler Lake.  Montevallo's two highest placing teams at that event finished in 1st and 2nd overall, earning them the maximum number of points available that week.  Tune in to hear Brody & Peyton talk about the victory and Montevallo's chase for its fifth straight title as Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.

The special guests on this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast are Chandler Howell & Clayton Ellis.  Representing Top 20 ranked Blue Mountain Christian University, Chandler & Clayton won the Association of Collegiate Anglers' first event of 2025 for the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, the third event of its historic 20th season.  The duo won the Pickwick Slam with a five bass limit weighing 25.54 pounds.  For the 1st place victory, the anglers received a total payout exceeding $3,000 in prizes and contingencies...including the ACA logo contingency and T-H Marine Atlas Awards.  Blue Mountain Christian also earned the most points of any team competing at Pickwick Lake, as the school's two highest-finishing teams earned 3,470 points towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Tune in to hear about their winning pattern, and goals for the team with just one month remaining in this current season!

The Association of Collegiate Anglers is set to host its first event of 2025 on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.  The Pickwick Slam will be contested at Pickwick Lake on April 5-6.  This third major double points event of the ACA's historic 20th season will be the final event for the 2024-25 campaign before the year-end 20th Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops next month.  Joining us on this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast are Peyton Harris, Dalton Head, and Peyton Sorrow from top ranked University of Montevallo.  Tune in to hear them preview Pickwick Lake, as well as talk about the team's quest for finishing the year ranked number one for the fifth straight season.

Shaden Farley & Sam Sutter from 26th ranked Murray State College recently won a MLF College Series tournament at Grand Lake.  The pair won with a five bass limit tipping the scales at 18 pounds 2 ounces.  This victory also nets the junior college team from Oklahoma valuable points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Tune in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast as Sam joins host Kyle Curry to discuss the victory and talk about the Murray State College team.

Daylon Milam & James Dubose from number one ranked University of Montevallo join host Kyle Curry on EP. 227 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast.  The two anglers just won the latest Bassmaster College Series event at Smith Lake with a total weight of 29 pounds 14 ounces.  Montevallo's two highest-placing teams finished in 1st and 2nd overall.  This earned the four-time defending Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia title winning team the maximum amount of points available that weekend.  Tune in to hear about the win, and what it means for Montevallo's quest of claiming its fifth straight title.

Check out EP. 226 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast!  The special guest for this episode is Scott Estes - President, Denali Fishing.  Denali Fishing produces a great deal of high-quality products including fishing rods, fishing reels, and tungsten weights.  During this podcast episode, Scott will talk about the latest products from Denali Fishing, discuss the ins and outs of developing fishing rods, as well as offer advice to college anglers looking to work in the fishing industry.  Tune in now to hear the complete interview!

On EP. 225 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by anglers from Georgia Southern University.  Brayden Batchelor & Quinn Williams won the recent Bassmaster College Series event at Lake Okeechobee.  The pair took home the victory with a two-day total weight of 42 pounds 3 ounces.  Tune in now to hear how it all played out, as well as learn more about the Georgia Southern University bass fishing team!

The special guests on this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast are Jake Peck & Luke Wyle.  Representing 12th ranked Auburn University, Jake and Luke won the first Bassmaster College Series event of 2025 at the Harris Chain in Florida.  The pair won the event with a one-day total weight of 23 pounds 2 ounces, including a big bass going 8 pounds 14 ounces.  Tune in to hear the anglers talk about their victory and what it means for the Auburn University Bass Fishing Team!

On Episode 223 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by special guest Dan Quinn, Director of R&D and Field Promotions for Rapala.  Last year, Rapala made a big splash with its Crush City lineup of soft plastics.  They've since introduced several new bait styles that Dan will break down during this interview.  Rapala's partnership with the ACA includes Rapala, Crush City, Sufix, VMC, and 13 Fishing.  Tune in to learn about the great products offered by these brands, as well as hear some advice from Dan to college anglers wanting to turn pro or work in the industry!

Tarleton State University is currently 6th in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  The team from Stephenville, TX was picked 20th in the ACA Pre-Season Poll, and has finished six of the past nine seasons ranked inside of the Top 25.  A strong start this fall has the team just over 1,500 points behind 1st place.  Tarleton State has earned over 3,000 points at each ACA event this season and has its sights set on claiming their first-ever title as Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Tune in to EP. 222 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast to hear from Tarleton State anglers Sam Semper, Cole Divin, and Willem Van Der Heijden!

On Episode 221 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by special guests Harmon Marien and Maxwell Trotter.  The two anglers are members of the 5th ranked McKendree University Bass Fishing Team.  McKendree has accumulated a total of 12,150 points to count towards the 2024-25 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Approximately 2,000 points behind 1st place, McKendree has the opportunity to achieve collegiate bass fishing history this season.  If they were to finish the year ranked number one, McKendree would join Montevallo as the only team to win the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia three or more times.  Tune in to hear Harmon and Maxwell talk about this current season! 

Tune in now to EP. 220 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast!  The special guests for this episode are members of the 26th ranked Murray State College bass fishing team; Sam Sutter, Shaden Farley, and Pakanli Brock.  Each of these anglers competed in the inaugural Junior College National Championship contested at Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma.  Sam & Shaden won their division, and Pakanli finished in 1st place to claim the women's title.  Listen to this episode to hear the anglers talk about their victories, as well as discuss the Murray State College fishing team.

Bethel University is a past winner of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  The team from Tennessee finished the season ranked number one in 2018.  Halfway through the 2024-25 season, Bethel is currently ranked 2nd overall in college fishing's only all-encompassing National Rankings system.  The special guests on EP. 219 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast are Coleman Bingham, Hunter Fillmore, and Jackson Smith.  Tune in to hear the Bethel University anglers talk about the current season and their hopes for winning the 2024-25 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia!

The special guests on EP. 218 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast are Tripp Berlinsky and Bryce Dimauro from 7th ranked University of North Alabama.  The duo won the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open on Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR.  With a two day total weight of 30.96 pounds, Tripp and Bryce took top honors to earn close to $5,000 in prizes and contingencies.  Tune in to hear them talk about the victory, their winning patterns, and the significance of the win for UNA's chances at winning the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.

The Association of Collegiate Anglers is set to host the second event of its historic 20th season this upcoming weekend.  The AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open will take place on October 12-13 at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR.  On EP. 217 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by Mat Higby from Arkansas Tech University.  In 2022, Mat and his fellow teammate won this particular event.  Tune in to hear him talk about the current conditions at Lake Dardanelle, and what he thinks it will take to win the tournament!

In the latest update to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, Carson-Newman University moved into the number one spot.  On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by Carson-Newman anglers to talk about their latest National Ranking.  Tune in to episode 216 to hear from Cason Price, Joe Vaulton, and Jacob Deel.

The Association of Collegiate Anglers recently contested the first event of its historic 20th season.  Close to 600 anglers competed at Kentucky Lake last weekend for the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley.  Evan Mabrey from Top 10 ranked University of Montevallo won the event with a bass weighing 7.11 pounds.  Tune in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast to hear Evan talk about his victory and the implications it has on Montevallo's quest for winning its fifth straight Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. 

It's time for another new episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast!  On this episode, host Kyle Curry is joined by members of the Top 25 ranked Murray State University bass fishing club.  Those anglers are; Archer Smith, Adrian Urso, and Braiden Koerber.  The Association of Collegiate Anglers will kick off its historic 20th season this upcoming weekend at Kentucky Lake.  Over 600 of the nation's top collegiate anglers are set to compete in the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley on September 21-22.  Tune in to hear these anglers talk about the fishery and how they think competitors can go about catching big bass this weekend!

Listen to EP. 213 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast!  The special guests on this episode are Cooper Gilroy & Hayden O'Barr from the University of Alabama.  Gilroy & O'Barr won the latest MLF College Series event on the St. Lawrence River.  Tune in to hear the two anglers talk about the victory, the history of their program, and goals for the team this upcoming season!

Garrett Smith and Andrew Blanton are the special guests on Episode 212 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast.  The two Lander University anglers recently won the Bassmaster College Series National Championship contested at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, SC.  Garrett and Andrew weighed in a three day total weight of 49 pounds to secure the major National Championship victory.  Last season, Lander University finished the year ranked 10th in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  This victory will go a long ways in helping the team from South Carolina to achieve its goals this season.  Tune in now to hear the anglers talk about the win!

The special guest on Episode 211 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast is Shawn Dalrymple.  A former college angler at the University of North Alabama from 2009-2011, Dalrymple is now the CEO of Army Bass Anglers.  Out of high school, Dalrymple served in the US Army.  After serving in Afghanistan, he then enrolled in grad school at UNA.  Today, Dalrymple now works to give back to active and veteran service members, as well as assists in bringing a team from West Point to the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops each year.  Tune into this episode to hear about his journey and current work today.

On Episode 210 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass, host Kyle Curry is joined by members of the Carson-Newman University Bass Fishing Team.  Carson-Newman finished the 2023-24 season ranked 3rd in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Tune in to hear Blake Wheat, Riley Faulkner, Szymon Piton, and Dylan May talk about their team, goals for this upcoming season, and much more!

Anglers from 2nd ranked University of North Alabama are the special guests on Episode 209 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast!  Nathan Reynolds, Dylan Nutt, Carter Nutt, and Preston Kolisek join host Kyle Curry to break down the team's 2023-24 season.  For the third time in three years, UNA ends the season ranked inside of the Top 10 for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  The two-time former School of the Year winners had a great season, propelled by two major victories and valuable triple points earned at the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.  Tune in to hear these anglers talk about their success this past season and the team's goals for the future! 

This week, the Association of Collegiate Anglers released the final rankings for the 2023-24 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  The University of Montevallo finished in 1st place with 40,305 points.  Montevallo has now finished the year ranked number one in college fishing's only all-encompassing National Rankings system four times, doing so in four straight seasons.  On EP. 208 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Montevallo anglers Easton Fothergill, Nick Dumke, Peyton Harris, and Dalton Head.  Tune in to hear them talk about this past season and the monumental achievement the team earned this year!

Lucas Bowers & Fisher Rodgers from Top 50 ranked University of South Carolina finished in 2nd place at the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.  With a two-day total weight of 43.74 pounds, the duo finished in 2nd out of the 200 boat field and earned a payout of $2,500.  Lucas & Fisher are the special guests for EP. 207 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast.  Tune in to hear them talk about their team, as well as how they caught their fish out on Pickwick Lake!

The special guests on this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast are Dylan & Carter Nutt from 3rd ranked University of North Alabama.  This twin brother team won the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops contested at Pickwick Lake on May 23-24.  Their two-day total weight of 52.36 pounds bested 2nd place by close to nine pounds.  For their victory, the duo earned a total of close to $8,000 in prizes and contingencies, as well as 2,500 points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Tune in to hear the two brothers talk about their major victory!

The next event for the Association of Collegiate Anglers is the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.  College fishing's longest running National Championship event is set to take place on Pickwick Lake in Florence, AL on May 23-24.  On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we are joined by members of the Top 25 ranked Blue Mountain Christian University Bass Fishing Team.  Tune in to hear John Mark, TJ, and Lake talk about the fishing conditions out on Pickwick and Wilson Lakes!

On Episode 204 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, we talk with Luke Loewe, Social Media Manager at Rapala.  Luke is a former college angler from the University of Minnesota, who also played on the university's basketball team.  Following college, Luke has merged his career with his passion for fishing.  After getting his foot in the door of the fishing industry, Luke is now working as Social Media Manager at Rapala.  He will be in attendance at next week's Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops to represent Rapala at the annual Angler & Sponsor Banquet.  Tune in to hear what Rapala will have to provide to the anglers, as well as learn more about Luke's journey to where he's now at professionally.

The guests on Episode 203 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast are Blair Erickson & Jackson Pontius from number one ranked University of Montevallo.  The duo won the most recent Bassmaster College Series event at Kentucky Lake with a two-day total weight of 42 pounds 1 ounce.  Their fellow teammates, Nick & Easton who were previous guests on the podcast, finished in second overall.  At Kentucky Lake, Montevallo earned the maximum number of points possible for any one school.  Those valuable points helped to propel them into that top spot for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, as Montevallo looks to win its fourth straight title.

The special guests on Episode 202 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast are Easton Fothergill and Nicholas Dumke from 2nd ranked University of Montevallo.  The duo recently won the Hartwell Slam, the first event of 2024 on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.  That victory earned the anglers valuable prizes & contingencies, as well as 1,750 points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  This season, Montevallo is looking to win its fourth-straight title and further etch its team's name in the college fishing record books.  Tune in to hear how the anglers caught the winning fish at Lake Hartwell, as well as find out what they're hoping to achieve as a team at the end of the season!

On Episode 201 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with special guest Hunter Bland.  Hunter is a former college angler at the University of Florida.  While fishing at an event in 2017 on Lake Seminole, Hunter and his fellow teammate were involved in a boating accident.  The pair had an unexpected mechanical failure that led to them both being ejected from the boat.  Since the incident, Hunter has partnered with Yamaha, as well as other brands, to travel the country and talk about safe boating practices.  Tune in to this episode to hear Hunter talk about his accident, boating safety, and offer advice to help you be more prepared both on the rood and water.

This episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast marks the 200th!   For going on over four years now, the Association of Collegiate Anglers has been producing this podcast highlighting college fishing and other major news in the fishing industry.  To celebrate the 200th episode, in partnership with the program's title sponsor Rapala & Crush City, the special guest is professional angler Dustin Connell.  Dustin has had a great deal of success in the professional ranks, most recently winning the MLF Bass Pro Tour's Championship title, Redcrest.   Also sponsored by Bass Pro Shops and Triton Boats, Dustin began cutting his teeth out on the college circuits...just like many of the college anglers competing on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series today!  Tune in to Episode 200 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast to hear the complete interview with Dustin!

The guests for this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast are Harrison Heins & Hunter Slone from Tennessee Tech University.  Harrison & Hunter won the most recent Bassmaster College Series event at Douglas Lake in Tennessee.  The victory earned their team valuable points and moved them up to a tie for 80th in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Tune in to hear how the anglers caught their winning fish, as well as learn more about the Tennessee Tech University fishing team and their goals for the remainder of the season.

With less than four months remaining in the race for 2023-24 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, Carson-Newman University is currently the 2nd ranked team in all of collegiate bass fishing.  The team from Tennessee has put together a great season thus far.  With a total of 21,310 points, Carson-Newman is just over 1,000 points behind top ranked Montevallo.  During the 2023-24 season, Carson-Newman achieved a program first by earning a number one ranking in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  The team's goal is to win its first-ever title at the conclusion of this season.  Tune in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast as host Kyle Curry is joined by Carson-Newman anglers Riley Faulkner, Szymon Piton, and Drake Hemby!

Peyton Harris & Dalton Head from top ranked University of Montevallo started off the 2024 season on the Bassmaster College Series with a major victory at Lake Murray in South Carolina.  The pair weighed in a two-day total of 43 pounds 12 ounces to secure the victory, and earn valuable points towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Montevallo is currently ranked number one in college fishing's only all-encompassing National Rankings system.  The team from Alabama is looking to continue to make history this season as they chase their fourth straight title.  Tune  in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast to hear Peyton & Dalton talk about the victory and much more!

Anderson Jones from 4th ranked Lander University got the victory at Clark Hill Lake for the second event of 2024 on the Bassmaster College Series.  Anderson joins host Kyle Curry on this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast.  We start by talking to him about the event and how he caught the winning fish.  Following that, Anderson talks about the current season of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia and what has led Lander University to being ranked 4th.  Then, to wrap up the interview, stay tuned to hear Anderson talk about his journey as an angler and what led him to fish at Lander University.

On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with former college angler Emil Wagner.  Emil was recently selected as the AFTCO Bass Boot Camp recruit for this upcoming year.  AFTCO Bass Boot Camp is a nine episode series that will be on the AFTCO YouTube Channel.  Throughout the course of the nine event season on the Bassmaster Opens, Emil will video his entire journey, chronicling what it's like to be a professional angler in pursuit of achieving their dreams and goals out on the tournament trail.  Emil is a former college angler, who participated at Ole Miss.  In this interview, he will talk about his fishing journey, participating in this YouTube series and AFTCO as a brand, as well as much more!

On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Lucas Washburn & Braylon Eggerding.  The two anglers from 12th ranked Adrian College recently won the MLF College Series Championship at Lake Toho with a two-day total of 42 pounds and 4 ounces.   This major victory earned the team 2,000 points to count towards the 2023-24 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Tune in to this episode to hear about the victory, and learn more about the Adrian College Bass Fishing Team!

Last week, anglers competed in the first major college event of 2024 to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  The MLF College Series held an event at the Harris Chain in Florida.  Dylan & Carter Nutt from third ranked University of North Alabama won the tournament with a limit of bass weighing 21 pounds 12 ounces.  Tune in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiate Bass Podcast to hear about the team's victory, and what UNA hopes to accomplish this season..

On episode 192 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Carter Nutt, Nathan Reynolds, and Bryce Kistler from 3rd ranked University of North Alabama.  UNA is chasing college fishing history, as they are in pursuit of winning their third title as Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  If they were able to achieve this task, they would become the second team ever to do so (Montevallo: 2021, 2022, 2023).  Tune in to hear from these three anglers as they talk about their team, the season thus far, and what it's like being on the shores of Pickwick Lake in Florence, AL...the host site for the 2024 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.

The University of Montevallo is currently ranked number one in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  This marks the first point this season in which the three-time defending title winner has been in the top spot.  Montevallo has amassed a season total of 13,270 points, and is roughly 500 points ahead of second ranked Carson-Newman.  On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry is joined by Tyler Cory & Easton Fothergill from the University of Montevallo Bass Fishing Team.  Tune in to hear the anglers talk about their current season and the pursuit for finishing the year ranked number one for the fourth straight time.

The AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open was the second event of the 2023-24 season for the Association of Collegiate Anglers on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.  Wyatt Pearman & Ridge Rutledge from Top 25 ranked Campbellsville University won with a two-day total of 28.13 pounds.  For their victory, the duo received close to $6,000 in prizes and contingencies, as well as 1,750 points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  On Episode 190 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks to Pearman & Rutledge about their major victory and how they caught the winning fish!

The special guest for this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast is Mat Higby from Arkansas Tech University.  Mat, and his fishing partner John Foster Case, won the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open on Lake Dardanelle last year.  Mat joins host Kyle Curry to talk about how the lake is setting up and what the field of more than 460 elite anglers can expect this weekend.  Tune in to hear about the current fishing conditions, implications for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, and more as we preview the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open.

The Association of Collegiate Anglers recently contested its first no-entry-fee, nationally televised, double points event of the 2023-24 season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.  Harlan Thomas from Top 10 ranked Murray State University won the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley on Kentucky Lake with a largemouth bass weighing 6.31 pounds.  The victory, combined with another Top 10 overall bass, earned Thomas more than $9,000 in total prizes and contingencies.  Tune in to the latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass to hear from Thomas as he talks about the major victory, how he caught his fish, and what the win means for Murray State as they pursue their first-ever title in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.

On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Laindree Richardson from Drury University. Laindree started her collegiate fishing career at Wabash Valley College.  Upon completing her Associates Degree, Laindree transferred from WVC to Drury University. This upcoming season, Laindree will be competing for Drury University where she hopes the team will finish high up in the standings for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, and to be competitive on the national stage.  Tune in to this episode to hear about the progression of Laindree's career and what she hopes to accomplish on into the future!

Last weekend, Tucker Smith & Hayden Marbut from nationally ranked Auburn University won the Bassmaster College Series National Championship at Pickwick Lake.  With a three-day total of 53 pounds and 12 ounces, Smith & Marbut secured their second National Championship title of the summer.  Back in May, at Lake Hartwell, the pair won the Association of Collegiate Anglers' National Championship event, the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.  As one of the first major events of the season, this victory earns Auburn University very valuable points as they enter this season in search of winning their first ever Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Tune in to hear about it all on this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast!

On this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with college angler Blake Tinsley.  Tinsley spent the last several seasons at Winona State and is transferring to McKendree University for this upcoming season.  Tinsley and McKendree University Head Coach Jon Rinderer had met several times out on the college trail last season and that grew into an opportunity for the former Winona State angler to join the two-time Bass Pro Shops School of the Year winner McKendree University.  Tune in to hear about Tinsley's decision to transfer and what he hopes to achieve this upcoming season!

At ICAST 2023, Rapala introduced its new CrushCity soft baits.  Developed from America's top professional bass anglers, anglers see how versatile and effective these baits are, they will be using them to crush other species on multiple bodies of water all over the country.  With the introduction of five soft baits, Rapala aims to show how defined the soft bait category can be with attention to detail on every bait matching the innovation they have brought to hard baits over the years.  Tune in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast as we talk with professional angler Bob Downey about the introduction of CrushCity.

On Episode 183 of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast, host Kyle Curry talks with Drake Hemby from 3rd ranked Carson-Newman University.  Drake, along with his teammate Ewing Minor, finished in 2nd place at the 2023 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.  The duo's 2nd place finish helped to contribute to Carson-Newman's triple points opportunity that sealed the team's highest-ever finish in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Carson-Newman finished the year in 3rd for the final National Rankings of the 2022-23 season.  Tune in to hear about each of these two major accomplishments for the anglers and team!

Two weeks ago, the Association of Collegiate Anglers completed its 18th season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.  With that came the culmination of the race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  The University of Montevallo achieved collegiate bass fishing history by becoming the first school to ever win the title three times.  Tune in to this episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast as host Kyle Curry talks with Head Coach William Crawford and Montevallo angler Tyler Cory about the historic victory.