RedStorm anglers opens season at Big Bass Bash

Rio Grande Sports Information
     PARIS, Tenn. - The University of Rio Grande bass fishing team opened its 2024-25 season by competing in the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley, which finished its two-day run on Sunday at Kentucky Lake.
     Nearly 600 anglers took part in no-entry-fee event, which paid out over $40,000 in prizes and contingencies over two days, as well as awarding double points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
     The opening day of tournament competition consisted of four weigh-in sessions, with each one paying out prizes to the Top 10 biggest fish.
     Day two featured a total of three weigh-in sessions. The first two sessions of the day each awarded prizes to the Top 10 biggest fish, and the final session paid out the Top 20.
     The top overall catch belonged to Evan Mabrey from the University of Montevallo (Ala.), who landed a 7.11-pound fish during the third session of the second day.
     Rio Grande's top showing came from senior Cody Brumfield (Gallipolis, OH), who tied for 193rd place overall with a catch weighing 3.33 pounds in the final session on the opening day.
     The only member of the RedStorm with multiple catches was junior Alexander McCarty (Bloomingburg, OH), who was part of a four-way tie for 422nd place with a 1.98-pound catch during the second session of day one.
     McCarty also tied for 437th place with a 1.82-pound fish during Day 2, Session 2.
     Other catches for Rio Grande belonged to senior Austin Shields (Albany, OH), who tied for 299th place with a catch of 2.75 pounds on Day 2, Session 3; freshman Tyler Eggers (Jackson, OH), who had a 2.17-pound fish on Day 1, Session 4 for 395th place; and sophomore Mason Smith (Ashville, OH), who reeled in a 1.68-pound catch for 453rd place during the opening session of the tourney.
     Also representing the RedStorm in the tourney was sophomore Zackery Burroughs (St. Paris, OH) along with freshmen Ian Conley (Gallipolis, OH), Noah Cremeens (Gallipolis, OH), Coen Davis (Jackson, OH), Dylan Sheets (Gallipolis, OH) and Cameron Burgess (Oxford, OH).
     Rio Grande will return to action on October 18 in its final event of the calendar year at the Major League Fishing National Qualifier on Chickamauga Lake in Dayton, Tenn.