KINGSTON, Tenn. — Representing Auburn University, Tucker Smith and Logan Parks found redemption on Watts Bar Reservoir, catching 16 pounds, 3 ounces of largemouth bass to win the Strike King Bassmaster College Classic presented by Bass Pro Shops.

Parks and Smith, who won the 2021 Team of the Year title and fished this event last year as well, hoisted the trophy on the stage of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota inside Thompson-Boling Arena in downtown Knoxville.

Last years’ champions Hayden Gaddis and Ben Cully from Carson-Newman University finished second with 13-4 and Avery Hammock and Garrett Smith from Erskine College finished third with 12-8.

As a St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers division competitor, Parks hopes this win is only a preview of what is to come in his career.

“It was really special to hold up a big trophy on the biggest stage in bass fishing,” Parks said. “It is also my last college event ever. I didn’t even expect to be invited. I thought my college career was over. So, it was special to come back with my best friend and get the win.”

Parks and Smith fished an event on Watts Bar several years ago but only managed to catch one bass. For all of practice and much of Sunday, they thought they were doomed to repeat that performance. But with an hour to go, they pulled up on a prespawn staging area and filled their limit.

Their biggest bass weighed over 5 pounds.

“We caught all of our weight in an hour,” Smith said. “We caught our biggest one in the last seven minutes of the day. It was meant to be.”

The bass they found were located around bluff walls in anywhere from 5 to 20 feet of water. With the water temperatures not warm enough to start the spawning process, Smith and Parks believed the bass they found were setting up to spawn.

Spotted bass bit first, but they eventually weeded through them to find some bigger largemouth. The Auburn anglers rotated through a variety of baits including a Berkley Stunna and a Livingston jerkbait, as well as a Picasso spinnerbait and a jig.

“We were just so happy when we caught our second fish,” Parks said. “Then it went down. It was crazy. They were eating.”

Parks hopes he will be able to use what he found this week at the Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar that will be held in September.

“I don’t know if this will work again, but it was good to have a better experience than we did the last time,” he said. “September is a tough month and that will be a season-maker or breaker.”

Coastal Carolina University’s Andrew Vereen and Connor Cartmell, the winners of the 2022 Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, claimed Big Bass of the Tournament honors with a 6-7 largemouth.

The city of Kingston hosted the event.

2023 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2023 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2023 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2023 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2023 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

2023 Bassmaster College Series Youth Sponsors: 13 Fishing, Seaguar, Shimano

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, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster 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.

 

2023 Strike King Bassmaster College Classic presented by Bass Pro Shops 3/26
Watts Bar Reservoir, Knoxville TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Logan Parks - Tucker Smith Auburn University 0
Day 1: 5 16-03 Total: 5 16-03
2. Hayden Gaddis - Ben Cully Carson-Newman University 0
Day 1: 5 13-04 Total: 5 13-04
3. Avery Hammock - Garrett Smith Erskine College 0
Day 1: 5 12-08 Total: 5 12-08
4. Brian Linder - Nathan Thompson Minnesota State - Mankato 0
Day 1: 5 10-14 Total: 5 10-14
5. Seth Jenkins - TJ McKenzie Emmanuel College 0
Day 1: 3 10-07 Total: 3 10-07
6. Beau Browning - Jake Peck Montevallo (8094) 0
Day 1: 5 09-08 Total: 5 09-08
7. Connor Cartmell - Andrew Vereen Coastal Carolina University 0
Day 1: 1 06-07 Total: 1 06-07
8. Michael Fugaro - Brycen Hendriks UNC Charlotte 0
Day 1: 1 04-04 Total: 1 04-04
9. Kaleb Brown - Chad Mrazek Lander University 0
Day 1: 1 03-10 Total: 1 03-10
10. Jackson Swisher - Seth Slanker Florida Gateway College 0
Day 1: 1 03-07 Total: 1 03-07
11. Lafe Messer - Matt Messer Kentucky Christian University 0
Day 1: 1 02-14 Total: 1 02-14
12. Mitch Straffon - Hank Sturm Adrian College Bass Team (8434) 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Total: 1 01-09
13. Joshua DeKoning - Dalton Mollenkopf Adrian College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 5 34 94-15
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5 34 94-15