Dunagan and Ratliff lead Tigers at Day 1 of Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Tour

FLORENCE, Ala. — A record-setting field of college anglers hit the Tennessee River at Pickwick Lake for the three-day Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Tour event presented by Bass Pro Shops today.

When the dust settled, John Garrett and Brian Pahl of Bethel University, who finished second in the 2016 Bassmaster College Series National Championship, took the top spot after the first round of competition with 22 pounds, 12 ounces of smallmouth bass. They lead the field of 266 teams into Friday's important cut-day.

Campbellsville's Bradley Dunagan and Nick Ratliff reeled in four fish that totaled 15 pounds 12 ounces lead Campbellsville. The Dunagan-Ratliff duo is currently in 38^thplace to lead the eight Campbellsville boats in the field.

The Big Bass of the event so far is an 8 pound-2 ounce largemouth caught by Middle Tennessee State University's Mekiah Jack and Matthew Cross. Their giant catches helped them mightily and it anchored their 21-3 total, which has them tied for third with Adrian College's Nick Marsh and Jarrod Layton. Rounding out the Top 5 is Ryan Nevil and Nathan Wood of Dallas Baptist University with 20-15.

Anglers had to contend with cold and windy, weather. Temperatures were in the low 40s at the launch site at McFarland Park, presenting slow fishing early in the day. Most teams had to decide between two predominant patterns that had excelled during the practice period on Pickwick.

Quickly it became a battle between the bass fishing teams that focused on smallmouth bass at the base of the Wilson Dam and those anglers who focused on largemouth around bushes and shallow cover elsewhere on the lake.

In addition to the Dunagan-Ratliff duo, Mason Sapp and Tray Hardwick sit in 74^thplace after four fish weighing in at 12 pounds 8 ounces. Adam Carman and Grant Adams are in 107^thafter four fish with 9 pounds and 10 ounces.

Justin Mayfield and Colby Hayes were only able to reel in one fish, but it was nice size at 3 pounds and 14 ounces. Dakota Cantrell and Austin Moore also caught only one fish at 2 pounds and four ounces.

Partners Tanner Barnes-Ezra Oliver, Dustin Jones-Dalton Smith and Trevor Sagrecy-Travis Hunt did not catch a fish on Day 1 and are all tied for 216 with 55 boats coming up empty.

Fishing is excellent despite the weather. Eight teams caught limits weighing more than 20 pounds in the opening frame of competition on Pickwick, and the 32nd place cut-weight for the National Championship qualification is 16-7, which is held by Polk State's Justin Bun and Evan Wieber.

Friday's takeoff begins at 8 a.m. ET at McFarland Park in Florence (110 W College St.) and weigh-in will take place at the same location starting at 3 p.m. ET.

Information from this release was provided by Ronnie Moore, BASS Communications

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