NORTH EAST, Md. – FLW College Fishing is headed to the Chesapeake Bay September 12-13 for the Northern Conference Championship tournament. Forty-five college teams have qualified for this event will be competing for a top award of $4,000 and a berth in the 2016 FLW College Fishing National Championship.
"Over the last three or four years, the Chesapeake Bay has become one of the most phenomenal fisheries in the country," said Walmart FLW Tour pro Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Maryland, who has five career victories on the Chesapeake Bay in FLW competition. "The grass has flourished and has provided awesome habitat, and the fishing is really taking off.
"We had a ton of rain this spring, and it really lowered the salinity level in the bay," Schmitt continued. "Previously, the majority of the fish were always found at the top of the bay in the Susquehanna Flats. Now you can go anywhere north of the Middle River all the way to the top of the bay and catch bass all day long."
Schmitt said that the hot and humid summer has the fish still in their summertime patterns, and he expected the grass to be the main focus for the majority of the competing teams.
"This time of year you can definitely get a topwater bite going, and it can sometimes last all day," Schmitt said. "Frogs, buzzbaits and poppers will all be popular baits. There is always a Yamamoto Senko worm bite in the grass. ChatterBaits and spinnerbaits will be popular around wood and grass. Some teams may even catch them flipping jigs around docks and wood.
"My advice to the college anglers would be to find the cleanest, freshest grass that you can find with the cleanest water and if you get some bites, settle in," Schmitt went on to say. "I think a two-day total of 32 to 33 pounds will probably be enough to win the tournament, but it would not surprise me at all to see a team hammer 38 or 39 pounds. The potential for a 20-plus-pound stringer is certainly there."
Anglers will take off from the Anchor Marina located at 36 Iroquois Drive, in North East, Maryland, at 7 a.m. each day. Saturday's weigh-in will be held at Anchor Marina, beginning at 3 p.m. The top-15 teams will compete and weigh in on Sunday at Anchor Marina at 3 p.m. All takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
Schools registered to compete in the Northern Conference Championship, which is hosted by Cecil County Tourism, include:
Adrian College – Caleb Taylor, Zionsville, Ind., and Zack Nelson, Northville, Mich.
Adrian College – Jarrett Martin, Gallipolis, Ohio, and Jacob Bayer, Westfield, Mich.
Adrian College – Jeff Morton, Troy, Mich., and Nickolas Marsh, Commerce Township, Mich.
Central Michigan University – Brandon Carman, Remus, Mich., and Jason Terwilliger, Pigeon, Mich.
Christopher Newport University – Cody Griffey, Smithfield, Va., and Peter Kenny, Ashburn, Va.
Christopher Newport University – Travis Riley, Lynchburg, Va., and Seth Winslow, Chesapeake, Va.
Fairmont State University – Landon Paul and Ryan Houser, both of Fairmont, W. Va.
Ferris State University – Daniel Konkle, Sparta, Mich., and Jake Huested, Stanwood, Mich.
Grand Valley State University – Michael Bilski, Rockford, Mich., and Justin Bruno, Nunica, Mich.
Kent State University – Matthew Holsinger, Massillon, Ohio, and Dante Gramuglia, Middlefield, Ohio
Kent State University – Nicholas Belluardo, Peninsula, Ohio, and Alec Gabriel, Andover, Ohio
Lake Superior State University – Hunter Scharphorn, Grand Haven, Mich., and Jake Dorony, South Lyon, Mich.
Liberty University – Ryan Suhy, Kirtland, Ohio, and Shane Fetty, Williamsburg, Va.
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania – Alec Engleman, Milton, Pa., and Bryan Rupp, Archbald, Pa.
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania – James Grassi, Cabot, Pa., and Ryan Fluharty, Perkiomenville, Pa.
Miami University of Ohio – Chris Bulaw, Wheaton, Ill., and Josh Prephan, Perresburg, Ohio
Michigan State University – McLane May and Cameron Neely, both of Kalamazoo, Mich.
Michigan State University – Daniel Sprague, Hastings, Mich., and Cody Harris, Grand Blanc, Mich.
Northwood University – Travis Riedel, Falmouth, Mich., and Zach Lowe, Huntington Woods, Mich.
Ohio Northern University – Cole Cochran, Troy, Ohio, and Austin Hostetler, Strasburg, Ohio
Ohio State University – Ben Wiley and Colin Bope, both of Newbury, Ohio
Ohio State University – Jeremy McLaughlin, Wheelersburg, Ohio, and Kain Fadeley, New Philadelphia, Ohio
Ohio State University – Ryan Surface, Fenton, Mich., and John Belluardo, Peninsula, Ohio
Ohio State University – Tom Csepe, Copley, Ohio, and Sidney Hoover, Findlay, Ohio
Patrick Henry Community College – Hunter Altice, Glade Hill, Va., and Brandon McAlexander, Patrick County, Va.
Patrick Henry Community College – Jacob Cooper and Cody Spears, both of Collinsville, Va.
Pennsylvania State University – Derek Horner, Port Matilda, Pa., and Lance Brosious, Sunbury, Pa.
Pennsylvania State University – Sean Cummins, Huntingdon, Pa., and Maurice Hudson, Broomall, Pa.
Pennsylvania State University – Matt Bakewell, Brownsville, Pa., and Tyler Smith, Pine Grove, Pa.
Ramapo College – Andre Vicari, Wayne, N.J., and Ryan Worth, Ronkonkoma, N.J.
Ramapo College – Andrew Annuzzi, Oldbrige, N.J. and Andrew Zapf, Whippany, N.J.
Ramapo College – Mike Concato, Clifton, N.J., and Marc Concato, Wayne, N.J.
Rochester Institute of Technology – Jason Karol and John Henderson, both of Rochester, N.Y.
Schoolcraft College – Anthony Gilmore, Livonia, Mich., and Clayton Hatton, South Lyon, Mich.
Shenandoah University – Thomas Arens and Billy Arens, both of Purcellville, Va.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania – Joel Hixon, Butler, Pa., and Evan Kretz, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania – Tyler Sheppard, Hermitage, Pa., and Kyle Brown, Wexford, Pa.
State University of New York-Environmental Science and Forestry – Ethan Hall and Jacob Ball, both of Naples, N.Y.
University of Akron – Anthony Villalba, Silver Lake, Ohio, and Robert Webber, Elyria, Ohio
University of Akron – Kevin Arnold, Copley, Ohio, and Christian Combs, Norton, Ohio
University of Dayton – Robert Petrick, Pittsburgh, Pa., and Sam Tunnacliffe, West Chester, Ohio
University of Maine – Brian Volkernick, Dixfield, Maine, and Cody Rubner, Acton, Mass.
Virginia Commonwealth University – Alex Miller and Donnie Miller, both of Midlothian, Va.
Virginia Tech University – Jacob Thompson, Moneta, Va., and Sean Snow, Tully, N.Y.
West Virginia University – Jacob Marshall, Catonsville, Md., and Matthew Combs, Huber Heights, Ohio
FLW College Fishing teams compete in qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top fifteen teams from each regular-season tournament qualify for one of five Conference Championship tournaments. The top ten teams from each of the five Conference Championship tournaments will advance to the 2016 FLW College Fishing National Championship.
College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.
"Over the last three or four years, the Chesapeake Bay has become one of the most phenomenal fisheries in the country," said Walmart FLW Tour pro Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Maryland, who has five career victories on the Chesapeake Bay in FLW competition. "The grass has flourished and has provided awesome habitat, and the fishing is really taking off.
"We had a ton of rain this spring, and it really lowered the salinity level in the bay," Schmitt continued. "Previously, the majority of the fish were always found at the top of the bay in the Susquehanna Flats. Now you can go anywhere north of the Middle River all the way to the top of the bay and catch bass all day long."
Schmitt said that the hot and humid summer has the fish still in their summertime patterns, and he expected the grass to be the main focus for the majority of the competing teams.
"This time of year you can definitely get a topwater bite going, and it can sometimes last all day," Schmitt said. "Frogs, buzzbaits and poppers will all be popular baits. There is always a Yamamoto Senko worm bite in the grass. ChatterBaits and spinnerbaits will be popular around wood and grass. Some teams may even catch them flipping jigs around docks and wood.
"My advice to the college anglers would be to find the cleanest, freshest grass that you can find with the cleanest water and if you get some bites, settle in," Schmitt went on to say. "I think a two-day total of 32 to 33 pounds will probably be enough to win the tournament, but it would not surprise me at all to see a team hammer 38 or 39 pounds. The potential for a 20-plus-pound stringer is certainly there."
Anglers will take off from the Anchor Marina located at 36 Iroquois Drive, in North East, Maryland, at 7 a.m. each day. Saturday's weigh-in will be held at Anchor Marina, beginning at 3 p.m. The top-15 teams will compete and weigh in on Sunday at Anchor Marina at 3 p.m. All takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
Schools registered to compete in the Northern Conference Championship, which is hosted by Cecil County Tourism, include:
Adrian College – Caleb Taylor, Zionsville, Ind., and Zack Nelson, Northville, Mich.
Adrian College – Jarrett Martin, Gallipolis, Ohio, and Jacob Bayer, Westfield, Mich.
Adrian College – Jeff Morton, Troy, Mich., and Nickolas Marsh, Commerce Township, Mich.
Central Michigan University – Brandon Carman, Remus, Mich., and Jason Terwilliger, Pigeon, Mich.
Christopher Newport University – Cody Griffey, Smithfield, Va., and Peter Kenny, Ashburn, Va.
Christopher Newport University – Travis Riley, Lynchburg, Va., and Seth Winslow, Chesapeake, Va.
Fairmont State University – Landon Paul and Ryan Houser, both of Fairmont, W. Va.
Ferris State University – Daniel Konkle, Sparta, Mich., and Jake Huested, Stanwood, Mich.
Grand Valley State University – Michael Bilski, Rockford, Mich., and Justin Bruno, Nunica, Mich.
Kent State University – Matthew Holsinger, Massillon, Ohio, and Dante Gramuglia, Middlefield, Ohio
Kent State University – Nicholas Belluardo, Peninsula, Ohio, and Alec Gabriel, Andover, Ohio
Lake Superior State University – Hunter Scharphorn, Grand Haven, Mich., and Jake Dorony, South Lyon, Mich.
Liberty University – Ryan Suhy, Kirtland, Ohio, and Shane Fetty, Williamsburg, Va.
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania – Alec Engleman, Milton, Pa., and Bryan Rupp, Archbald, Pa.
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania – James Grassi, Cabot, Pa., and Ryan Fluharty, Perkiomenville, Pa.
Miami University of Ohio – Chris Bulaw, Wheaton, Ill., and Josh Prephan, Perresburg, Ohio
Michigan State University – McLane May and Cameron Neely, both of Kalamazoo, Mich.
Michigan State University – Daniel Sprague, Hastings, Mich., and Cody Harris, Grand Blanc, Mich.
Northwood University – Travis Riedel, Falmouth, Mich., and Zach Lowe, Huntington Woods, Mich.
Ohio Northern University – Cole Cochran, Troy, Ohio, and Austin Hostetler, Strasburg, Ohio
Ohio State University – Ben Wiley and Colin Bope, both of Newbury, Ohio
Ohio State University – Jeremy McLaughlin, Wheelersburg, Ohio, and Kain Fadeley, New Philadelphia, Ohio
Ohio State University – Ryan Surface, Fenton, Mich., and John Belluardo, Peninsula, Ohio
Ohio State University – Tom Csepe, Copley, Ohio, and Sidney Hoover, Findlay, Ohio
Patrick Henry Community College – Hunter Altice, Glade Hill, Va., and Brandon McAlexander, Patrick County, Va.
Patrick Henry Community College – Jacob Cooper and Cody Spears, both of Collinsville, Va.
Pennsylvania State University – Derek Horner, Port Matilda, Pa., and Lance Brosious, Sunbury, Pa.
Pennsylvania State University – Sean Cummins, Huntingdon, Pa., and Maurice Hudson, Broomall, Pa.
Pennsylvania State University – Matt Bakewell, Brownsville, Pa., and Tyler Smith, Pine Grove, Pa.
Ramapo College – Andre Vicari, Wayne, N.J., and Ryan Worth, Ronkonkoma, N.J.
Ramapo College – Andrew Annuzzi, Oldbrige, N.J. and Andrew Zapf, Whippany, N.J.
Ramapo College – Mike Concato, Clifton, N.J., and Marc Concato, Wayne, N.J.
Rochester Institute of Technology – Jason Karol and John Henderson, both of Rochester, N.Y.
Schoolcraft College – Anthony Gilmore, Livonia, Mich., and Clayton Hatton, South Lyon, Mich.
Shenandoah University – Thomas Arens and Billy Arens, both of Purcellville, Va.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania – Joel Hixon, Butler, Pa., and Evan Kretz, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania – Tyler Sheppard, Hermitage, Pa., and Kyle Brown, Wexford, Pa.
State University of New York-Environmental Science and Forestry – Ethan Hall and Jacob Ball, both of Naples, N.Y.
University of Akron – Anthony Villalba, Silver Lake, Ohio, and Robert Webber, Elyria, Ohio
University of Akron – Kevin Arnold, Copley, Ohio, and Christian Combs, Norton, Ohio
University of Dayton – Robert Petrick, Pittsburgh, Pa., and Sam Tunnacliffe, West Chester, Ohio
University of Maine – Brian Volkernick, Dixfield, Maine, and Cody Rubner, Acton, Mass.
Virginia Commonwealth University – Alex Miller and Donnie Miller, both of Midlothian, Va.
Virginia Tech University – Jacob Thompson, Moneta, Va., and Sean Snow, Tully, N.Y.
West Virginia University – Jacob Marshall, Catonsville, Md., and Matthew Combs, Huber Heights, Ohio
FLW College Fishing teams compete in qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top fifteen teams from each regular-season tournament qualify for one of five Conference Championship tournaments. The top ten teams from each of the five Conference Championship tournaments will advance to the 2016 FLW College Fishing National Championship.
College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.
Advertising