Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops

College anglers return to Waddington

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Waddington, N.Y., hosted the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series in June of 2019, and the event was won by Sam Houston State University. Jackson Carrell and Bryton Kurtz amassed a three-day total of 72 pounds, 13 ounces of smallmouth bass to earn the victory. The St. Lawrence River showed out, and teams from all over the country were blown away by the quality the river had to offer. How blown away were they? Well, in 2020, around the same time as the event was held the previous year, several teams returned to enjoy it once again.
Waddington, N.Y., hosted the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series in June of 2019, and the event was won by Sam Houston State University. Jackson Carrell and Bryton Kurtz amassed a three-day total of 72 pounds, 13 ounces of smallmouth bass to earn the victory. The St. Lawrence River showed out, and teams from all over the country were blown away by the quality the river had to offer. How blown away were they? Well, in 2020, around the same time as the event was held the previous year, several teams returned to enjoy it once again.
In 2019, Clarkson University was the host school for the event and provided a wonderful platform for B.A.S.S. to have a qualifying event for the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. The team of Ben Seaman and Dante Piraino were the highest Clarkson team finishing the event in seventh place overall. <p> Seaman and Piraino went back to the river with Murray, Seaman's father, for Father’s Day, and they were not disappointed. “We did two full days of fishing since Dante, and I are both working. We woke up Saturday at 4 a.m. to make the three-hour drive to Waddington, and left Waddington around 5 p.m. Sunday,” said Seaman.
In 2019, Clarkson University was the host school for the event and provided a wonderful platform for B.A.S.S. to have a qualifying event for the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. The team of Ben Seaman and Dante Piraino were the highest Clarkson team finishing the event in seventh place overall.
Seaman and Piraino went back to the river with Murray, Seaman’s father, for Father’s Day, and they were not disappointed. “We did two full days of fishing since Dante, and I are both working. We woke up Saturday at 4 a.m. to make the three-hour drive to Waddington, and left Waddington around 5 p.m. Sunday,” said Seaman.
The duo had never fished the St. Lawrence in the spring. “When we were setting up the tournament, I knew that it could be something special, and boy was it more than I ever could have imagined. Not only was the fishing phenomenal, but Dante and I competed with the best college anglers in the game on our 'home' waters. I say 'home' because Dante and I had both only finish two or three tournaments ever on the St. Lawrence in the fall, and both of our hometowns are more than three hours away.”
The duo had never fished the St. Lawrence in the spring. “When we were setting up the tournament, I knew that it could be something special, and boy was it more than I ever could have imagined. Not only was the fishing phenomenal, but Dante and I competed with the best college anglers in the game on our ‘home’ waters. I say ‘home’ because Dante and I had both only finish two or three tournaments ever on the St. Lawrence in the fall, and both of our hometowns are more than three hours away.”
Although the team had success in 2019, there was always something they wished they had unlocked. “We learned how to catch pre/postspawn fish in the current seams this year. Last year, we stuck to our guns and marked 200-plus beds in practice, with more than 50 being 4-plus pounders. This pattern held out for two days but ended up being the fall of many teams' Day 3 bags.”
Although the team had success in 2019, there was always something they wished they had unlocked. “We learned how to catch pre/postspawn fish in the current seams this year. Last year, we stuck to our guns and marked 200-plus beds in practice, with more than 50 being 4-plus pounders. This pattern held out for two days but ended up being the fall of many teams’ Day 3 bags.”
Logan Parks, the president of the Auburn University Bass Club, dropped by Lake Champlain for a few days prior to fishing the St. Lawrence. Parks and teammates Chase Clarke and Rob Cruvellier stayed at Cruvellier’s camp in Alburgh, Vt. “We stopped by Champlain because the St. Lawrence River was not open for fishing yet, and I discovered how awesome that place was too. I probably caught more than 300 fish in the three days I spent there with the best five of my worst day at almost 18 pounds. Bed fishing for smallmouth bass is addictive and there are no places really for us to have a chance to do it in Alabama. So I had to come back to New York to experience it this year, and you can bet I will be back again next year as well.”
Logan Parks, the president of the Auburn University Bass Club, dropped by Lake Champlain for a few days prior to fishing the St. Lawrence. Parks and teammates Chase Clarke and Rob Cruvellier stayed at Cruvellier’s camp in Alburgh, Vt. “We stopped by Champlain because the St. Lawrence River was not open for fishing yet, and I discovered how awesome that place was too. I probably caught more than 300 fish in the three days I spent there with the best five of my worst day at almost 18 pounds. Bed fishing for smallmouth bass is addictive and there are no places really for us to have a chance to do it in Alabama. So I had to come back to New York to experience it this year, and you can bet I will be back again next year as well.”
Tucker Smith, Parks' teammate for 2020, joined him at the St. Lawrence for a few days.
Tucker Smith, Parks’ teammate for 2020, joined him at the St. Lawrence for a few days.
For Parks and the others, the trip began at the National Championship on Lake Pickwick where his team finished in 20th place. “From there we headed to Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. Our team consisting of Rob Cruvellier and Chase Clarke were able to secure a third-place finish and a trip to the National Championship. From there Chase, Rob and I drove north to fish Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River once it opened. After what Parks saw in 2019, he knew he had to visit upstate New York once again.
For Parks and the others, the trip began at the National Championship on Lake Pickwick where his team finished in 20th place. “From there we headed to Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. Our team consisting of Rob Cruvellier and Chase Clarke were able to secure a third-place finish and a trip to the National Championship. From there Chase, Rob and I drove north to fish Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River once it opened. After what Parks saw in 2019, he knew he had to visit upstate New York once again.
“I knew that we had to return and went ahead and marked it on the calendar. People that haven't experienced how great the fishing up there is truly have no idea. You are catching 60 to 100 fish in a day and most of them are 4 pounds or bigger. It is truly the bass fishing capital of the world in my opinion, and it would be worth the drive even if it was twice as far.”
“I knew that we had to return and went ahead and marked it on the calendar. People that haven’t experienced how great the fishing up there is truly have no idea. You are catching 60 to 100 fish in a day and most of them are 4 pounds or bigger. It is truly the bass fishing capital of the world in my opinion, and it would be worth the drive even if it was twice as far.”
Josh Butts of Wallace State Community College also made the trip and enjoyed the trip with his father and best friend Tyler Pennington.
Josh Butts of Wallace State Community College also made the trip and enjoyed the trip with his father and best friend Tyler Pennington.
Josh Butts' father with a nice smallmouth. “So the drive was around 20 hours long, driving from Springville Ala., with all the stopping and having to change an alternator out on the side of the road in Virginia. The trip was three nights and two days of fishing.”
Josh Butts’ father with a nice smallmouth. “So the drive was around 20 hours long, driving from Springville Ala., with all the stopping and having to change an alternator out on the side of the road in Virginia. The trip was three nights and two days of fishing.”
Butts stayed with a group called the “Kickback Crew,
Butts stayed with a group called the “Kickback Crew,” consisting of several anglers — Nolan Minor, Casey Lanier, Tanner Ward, Rory Franks, Zack Asher, Jacob Klicman, JJ Kocevar, Tanner Shivers, Shane Nelson, Garrett Thompson — who roomed together in 2019 for the Carhartt College Bass Tournament.

“I have been traveling with them for years during the college fishing days and decided to go back because the fishing was so unbelievable,” Butts said. “My father had the most unbelievable time in his life, catching huge smallmouth on drop shots in 20 feet of water. You could say that the Carhartt College Bassmaster event definitely convinced us to come up here again and catch a lot of smallmouth.”

Ryan Winchester of Bethel University made the trip with his teammate Rob Gee. They duo fished the St. Lawrence for four days during this trip.
Ryan Winchester of Bethel University made the trip with his teammate Rob Gee. They duo fished the St. Lawrence for four days during this trip.
Gee with a big smallie.
Gee with a big smallie.
“We absolutely went back because of how unbelievably good the tournament was last year. We caught around 150 bass in 3.5 days of fishing, the biggest one was a 6-pounder, and most of them were never under 3 pounds. Our best five from the trip was 24-6.
“We absolutely went back because of how unbelievably good the tournament was last year. We caught around 150 bass in 3.5 days of fishing, the biggest one was a 6-pounder, and most of them were never under 3 pounds. Our best five from the trip was 24-6.”
When asked if the team would be back for more in the future, Winchester was quick to reply, “Absolutely, we already rebooked our cabin for the bass opener next year.”
When asked if the team would be back for more in the future, Winchester was quick to reply, “Absolutely, we already rebooked our cabin for the bass opener next year.”
Another successful member of the Auburn University Bass Club, Rob Cruvellier, and his partner Chase Clark landed a third-place finish at Smith Mountain Lake before heading north.
Another successful member of the Auburn University Bass Club, Rob Cruvellier, and his partner Chase Clark landed a third-place finish at Smith Mountain Lake before heading north.
Rob Cruvellier with a giant brown fish. <p> Cruvellier lives in Montreal, Quebec, and has a camp in Alburgh, Vt., on Lake Champlain. The boys explored Champlain for a few days and then ventured to the St. Lawrence for the bass opener. “Chase and I had 19.5-pounds on Champlain before cranking up the big motor. We were waiting on the bass opener on the St. Lawrence so that we could go hunting for some really big ones. I think it’s easier to catch numbers on Champlain but the size of fish on the St. Lawrence is unmatched.”
Rob Cruvellier with a giant brown fish.

Cruvellier lives in Montreal, Quebec, and has a camp in Alburgh, Vt., on Lake Champlain. The boys explored Champlain for a few days and then ventured to the St. Lawrence for the bass opener. “Chase and I had 19.5-pounds on Champlain before cranking up the big motor. We were waiting on the bass opener on the St. Lawrence so that we could go hunting for some really big ones. I think it’s easier to catch numbers on Champlain but the size of fish on the St. Lawrence is unmatched.”

“Having the guys come up and fish for a week straight was incredible. As much as we all love tournament fishing, it was nice to fish laid back all week and catch 70-plus smallmouth every day. It’s almost like you can’t do anything wrong on these northern fisheries during this time of year,” Cruvellier said. “The best day we had on the St. Lawrence was after Logan and Chase had to drive home. Tucker had one day of fishing left before he had to head back. We had a lunker at 6.46 pounds which bumped our best five to 27.71 pounds, capping off an awesome week of fishing.”
“Having the guys come up and fish for a week straight was incredible. As much as we all love tournament fishing, it was nice to fish laid back all week and catch 70-plus smallmouth every day. It’s almost like you can’t do anything wrong on these northern fisheries during this time of year,” Cruvellier said. “The best day we had on the St. Lawrence was after Logan and Chase had to drive home. Tucker had one day of fishing left before he had to head back. We had a lunker at 6.46 pounds which bumped our best five to 27.71 pounds, capping off an awesome week of fishing.”
Cruvellier with a pair of giants. Echoing the other anglers, Cruvellier agrees that the event in 2019 was an eye-opener for many anglers. “Absolutely, that College Bassmaster event was at the perfect time for it to be an absolute slugfest. If it were not so far from everything, I bet you would have had everybody who fished that tournament there on opening day of this year and probably every year to follow.”
Cruvellier with a pair of giants. Echoing the other anglers, Cruvellier agrees that the event in 2019 was an eye-opener for many anglers. “Absolutely, that College Bassmaster event was at the perfect time for it to be an absolute slugfest. If it were not so far from everything, I bet you would have had everybody who fished that tournament there on opening day of this year and probably every year to follow.”
Another member of the Kickback Crew, Nolan Minor, also made the trip. The group of 17 guys rented the same house they did in 2019 and everyone had such an incredible time, they just had to come back. “Since we are young enough to not have a ton of responsibilities to keep us from it, we decided we better act quickly,” Minor said of the 2020 return.
Another member of the Kickback Crew, Nolan Minor, also made the trip. The group of 17 guys rented the same house they did in 2019 and everyone had such an incredible time, they just had to come back. “Since we are young enough to not have a ton of responsibilities to keep us from it, we decided we better act quickly,” Minor said of the 2020 return.
“Fishing last year was significantly better because of the high water, but 'better' is extremely relative. Every boat from the house caught multiple bags of more than 20 pounds during our trip, with a few of them breaking the 24-pound mark.”
“Fishing last year was significantly better because of the high water, but ‘better’ is extremely relative. Every boat from the house caught multiple bags of more than 20 pounds during our trip, with a few of them breaking the 24-pound mark.”
With the water being low, Minor and crew spent some time exploring the shallower areas of the St. Lawrence fishing for largemouth bass. They were not disappointed at all with the quality and enjoyed mixing it up. “It would not be ambitious to look for a 50-plus fish day with the best five being 20-plus pounds when targeting either species of bass on the St Lawrence. The biggest smallmouth of the week was around 5.5 pounds, and the biggest largemouth was 5.5 pounds.”
With the water being low, Minor and crew spent some time exploring the shallower areas of the St. Lawrence fishing for largemouth bass. They were not disappointed at all with the quality and enjoyed mixing it up. “It would not be ambitious to look for a 50-plus fish day with the best five being 20-plus pounds when targeting either species of bass on the St Lawrence. The biggest smallmouth of the week was around 5.5 pounds, and the biggest largemouth was 5.5 pounds.”

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