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WETUMPKA, Ala. — For the first several hours of Championship Monday at the Carhartt Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Bass Pro Shops on the Coosa River, Bethel University angler Tristan McCormick struggled to find quality bass.

Bethel University’s Tristan McCormick, of Burns, Tenn., has won the 2021 Carhartt Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Bass Pro Shops on the Coosa River.

                                                                                                               Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.

To make matters worse, he watched his opponent Tucker Smith of Auburn University catch over 9 pounds of bass under Bouldin Dam before the 10:45 a.m. halftime break.

But despite the morning deficit, McCormick managed an early-afternoon flurry that saw him cull four times with several 2-pound bass for an 11-pound total weight that earned him the victory by 3 ounces. McCormick earned one of the most coveted prizes in bass fishing — a berth in the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk scheduled for March 4-6 at Lake Hartwell.

“It hasn’t sunk in and it won’t for a while,” said McCormick, who also earned $7,500, paid entry fees into all 2022 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens and the use of a fully-rigged Nitro Z20 and Toyota Tundra. “It’s such a blessing. I’m so fortunate and I’ve worked so hard for so many years just trying to get to this moment and I’ve finally got it. That means a lot to me.”

McCormick secured the overall No. 1 seed during the qualifying day by catching 10-9. He then won his first-round matchup against Hayden Scott with 9-9 and advanced to the final round over Conner Crosby with 10-14.

The final-day total he used to slip by Smith was the biggest bag of the event.

For much of the tournament, McCormick and Smith were within sight of each other fishing the tailrace under Bouldin Dam. They focused on current seams in the water moving from Jordan Lake into a diversion canal and on into the Coosa River.

McCormick caught the majority of his bass in that area on a specific current seam using a topwater walking bait, a drop shot with a 1/2-ounce weight and a pink Roboworm and a couple of fish on a smaller-profile swimbait.

With storms and a cold front moving through the area the past couple of days, the water had risen in the tailrace to the point where McCormick had to make very precise casts to get bites.

“I had that one seam I caught everything off of this afternoon,” McCormick said. “If that seam had a lot of current, it kind of backwashed into the seam. Today, there was just a little bitty area that you could throw it where slack water was, and every fish I caught on that drop shot, as soon as I threw it in there, that’s when they had it.”

Finding bass that weighed over 3 pounds had been the key to success for both anglers over the course of the week — and early on Championship Monday, Smith landed a 3-12 largemouth. Within 20 minutes of arriving at his primary area, he landed four keepers.

After a lull of about an hour, Smith landed his fifth bass and made several important culls before the halftime break. McCormick, meanwhile, filled his limit throughout the morning but watched as several quality fish missed his topwater bait and as one close to 3 pounds pulled off the hook.

As Smith continued to catch fish in the tailrace, McCormick exited the area before halftime.

“I saw a bunch of big ones this morning missing my Spook and I just had a gut feeling to go back. I put my hat down real low to where he was out of my vision and focused on what I was doing,” McCormick said. “I knew I had to catch up and knew the only way to do it was to go back up there around a big population of fish and grind it out the rest of the day.”

After returning to the area around noon, McCormick began a flurry with a 2-pounder, followed by a 2-6, a 2-5 and then a 2-13 to take the lead — all on the drop shot.

“I wasn’t 10 casts in when I hooked that first largemouth,” McCormick said. “I threw back in there and caught a really big largemouth. After all of the pressure from the storms and everything the last two days, they settled down and they fed this morning a lot.

“That was the most activity I’ve seen all week up there. I knew they were feeding heavy and I stuck with what was best for me to catch them.”

Heavy storms moved into the area with 40 minutes to go, delaying the event until late afternoon. With a 1-8 bass still in his bag, McCormick thought he needed to cull one more time to seal the deal.

“I felt like I needed 12 pounds and I was a pound short of that goal,” he said. “If I could have just hooked one of those Spook fish this morning we would be golden. I caught all that weight in a 30- to 45-minute window and felt like it was happening. When we went under the bridge (to take cover) it hit me.

“I was thinking, ‘Gosh, I needed one more bite and we can do this.’”

With the win, McCormick became the third Bethel University angler to win the Bracket and advance to the Bassmaster Classic. Cole Floyd and Cody Huff were the first two to accomplish that feat.

The City of Wetumpka hosted the tournament.

2021 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Carhartt

2021 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2021 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota

2021 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha

2021 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Marathon, Rapala, TNT Fireworks

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.

The post McCormick’s Afternoon Rally Lifts Him To Bassmaster College Classic Bracket Victory appeared first on Bass365.com.

WETUMPKA, Ala. — Bethel University senior and overall top seed Tristan McCormick and Auburn University sophomore Tucker Smith, the No. 2 seed, both won their individual matchups Sunday to advance to the final round of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Bass Pro Shops on the Coosa River.

McCormick led all anglers in total weight during the semifinal round, securing 10 pounds, 14 ounces to beat Auburn’s Conner Crosby, who landed a 6-11 limit.

“It hasn’t even hit me yet. I’m just trying to enjoy each and every moment,” McCormick said. “It is my last (college) tournament and that makes it pretty special to make it to the final day and shoot it out with Tucker, one of my best friends. We know each other pretty well. It’s going to be a fun one for sure.”

Unlike Day 1 where he missed on several opportunities for big bites, McCormick fished clean throughout the semifinals.

“Everything I hooked I kept on,” he said. “That was a key thing, especially when you aren’t getting that many big blow-ups. Those 2-pound and above sized fish are what separates you and they are hard to come by. So, when you hook one, you have to take your time and be careful with it.”

He started the day with a couple of nice bites, including a 3-2 largemouth that set the tone.

“It was slack water and the current wasn’t supposed to turn on until 10 a.m., but it turned on within 30 minutes of me being there,” McCormick said. “I let the current get back out there and let everything set up and started fishing the seams and caught several. No more big ones.”

With his limit filled before the halftime break, McCormick said he started looking for the better than average largemouth after the break.

“The cloud cover and the rain was a big deal for me after I left the dam,” he said. “I relied on that and knew it was going to be cloudy all day so I shot out (away from the dam). I felt like it was the right thing to do and went and did what I do comfortably, which is throw a Spook.”

If conditions are similar on Championship Monday, McCormick said he is confident in his strategy.

“If it is cloudy all day tomorrow I know what I’m going to do,” he said. “These fish need cloud cover to be active on topwater. Every day I have gone out and gone at it the same way.”

Meanwhile, Smith caught 7-11 Sunday to edge Bethel University angler Stevie Mills by over a pound. The day did not start smoothly for the three-time high school national champion, however.

“After fishing the first day, this morning I got a little bit nervous and it all sank in,” Smith said. “I missed a bunch of fish this morning and some good ones. I had to calm down and sit down, retie my baits and get more focused. Once I got focused I caught some fish.”

When he arrived at his first spot, Smith said he lost five or six fish before moving to his next area. After losing one or two there, he recovered and secured a limit of mostly spotted bass that powered him past Mills.

“I started culling up and then I caught a decent one,” he said. “I fished around and caught a bunch of fish, just didn’t catch that 3-plus pound size. That’s what I’m looking for tomorrow.

“I’m just going to look for big ones all day. You are going to have to catch them tomorrow to win, and I’m going to try and have fun and whatever happens, happens. I’m super blessed to be able to make it this far in the tournament.”

Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. CT and will conclude their day at 2:30 p.m. Bassmaster College Classic Bracket LIVE presented by Bassmaster Fishing 2022, the Official Video Game, will stream live on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms beginning at 7 a.m.

The winner will earn a spot in the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk at Lake Hartwell, plus paid entry fees into the 2022 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens with the use of a fully rigged Nitro and Toyota Tundra.

The City of Wetumpka is hosting the tournament.

2021 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Carhartt

2021 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2021 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota

2021 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha

2021 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Marathon, Rapala, TNT Fireworks

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.

2021 Carhartt Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Bass Pro Shops 10/1-10/4
Coosa River, Wetumpka, AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler Club/School No./Weight

Tristan McCormick Bethel University 5 10-14
Conner Crosby Auburn University 5 06-11

Tucker Smith Auburn University 5 07-11
Stevie Mills Bethel University 5 06-04

The post Smith, McCormick Advance To Bassmaster College Classic Bracket Championship appeared first on Bass365.com.