Day One on Smith Mountain Lake

Follow your favorite college team on Day One of the 2012 Carhartt College Series East Super Regional.

<p>
	The clouds parted early as dawn broke on the opening day of the Carhartt College Bass East Super Regional at Smith Mountain Lake.</p>
The clouds parted early as dawn broke on the opening day of the Carhartt College Bass East Super Regional at Smith Mountain Lake.
<p>
	Anglers salute the flag during the Star-Spangled Banner.</p>
Anglers salute the flag during the Star-Spangled Banner.
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	Cole Blythe and Andrew Jackson of Virginia Tech get last-minute instructions from tournament director Hank Weldon prior to Friday’s take-off.</p>
Cole Blythe and Andrew Jackson of Virginia Tech get last-minute instructions from tournament director Hank Weldon prior to Friday’s take-off.
<p>
	Virginia Tech Hokies Evan Shearer and Michael Sadowski hit Smith Mountain Lake in their camouflage aluminum boat.</p>
Virginia Tech Hokies Evan Shearer and Michael Sadowski hit Smith Mountain Lake in their camouflage aluminum boat.
<p>
	Mack Walters and Josh Cameron traveled all the way from Starkville, Miss., to represent Mississippi State University in the East Super Regional.</p>
Mack Walters and Josh Cameron traveled all the way from Starkville, Miss., to represent Mississippi State University in the East Super Regional.
<p>
	These collegiate anglers started fishing on a small island in the middle section of the lake.</p>
These collegiate anglers started fishing on a small island in the middle section of the lake.
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	Jimmy Thorne and Sarah Faison of Christopher Newton University prepare to take off for a new fishing spot on Friday morning.</p>
Jimmy Thorne and Sarah Faison of Christopher Newton University prepare to take off for a new fishing spot on Friday morning.
<p>
	The morning started cool but gradually warmed throughout the day.</p>
The morning started cool but gradually warmed throughout the day.
<p>
	Many anglers fished around main lake points, especially early in the day before the sun enabled them to fish for spawning bass on beds.</p>
Many anglers fished around main lake points, especially early in the day before the sun enabled them to fish for spawning bass on beds.
<p>
	Evan Shearer and Michael Sadowski worked a main lake point’s clay bank early on Day One.</p>
Evan Shearer and Michael Sadowski worked a main lake point’s clay bank early on Day One.
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	Shearer and Sadowski’s worked spinnerbaits along wood on the point.</p>
Shearer and Sadowski’s worked spinnerbaits along wood on the point.
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	Shearer hooks up and Sadowski readies the net.</p>
Shearer hooks up and Sadowski readies the net.
<p>
	Sadowski successfully nets the largemouth for the team’s second keeper of the morning.</p>
Sadowski successfully nets the largemouth for the team’s second keeper of the morning.
<p>
	Shearer was fishing his second bass tournament. He fished from a kayak in his first tournament.</p>
Shearer was fishing his second bass tournament. He fished from a kayak in his first tournament.
<p>
	Shearer was all smiles during his BassCam interview with Rob Russow.</p>
Shearer was all smiles during his BassCam interview with Rob Russow.
<p>
	You don’t have to have a deluxe fiberglass rig to catch bass, but without a fixed livewell, you will have keep your fish alive in a modified cooler.</p>
You don’t have to have a deluxe fiberglass rig to catch bass, but without a fixed livewell, you will have keep your fish alive in a modified cooler.
<p>
	Nick Depkiewicz and Michael Freas started on a point next to deep water while fishing from their wrapped Virginia Tech Hokies boat.</p>
Nick Depkiewicz and Michael Freas started on a point next to deep water while fishing from their wrapped Virginia Tech Hokies boat.
<p>
	Mark Condron uses his trolling motor bracket to rise a few more inches above the water to look for bedding bass on Friday morning.</p>
Mark Condron uses his trolling motor bracket to rise a few more inches above the water to look for bedding bass on Friday morning.
<p>
	David Bryant looks for spawners from the back of the boat.</p>
David Bryant looks for spawners from the back of the boat.
<p>
	They were here during practice, so they have to be around here somewhere.</p>
They were here during practice, so they have to be around here somewhere.
<p>
	Virginia Tech’s Patrick Snellings flings a giant swimbait toward a point while teammate Jody White works his swimbait back to the boat.</p>
Virginia Tech’s Patrick Snellings flings a giant swimbait toward a point while teammate Jody White works his swimbait back to the boat.
<p>
	Long, heavy rods come in handy when throwing huge swimbaits.</p>
Long, heavy rods come in handy when throwing huge swimbaits.
<p>
	On a college student’s budget, you do everything you can to retrieve an expensive swimbait when it lands in a lakeside tree.</p>
On a college student’s budget, you do everything you can to retrieve an expensive swimbait when it lands in a lakeside tree.
<p>
	Jody White’s line shoots off the reel as his big swimbait goes flying.</p>
Jody White’s line shoots off the reel as his big swimbait goes flying.
<p>
	s Cox and Justin Witten, the Day One leaders from Radford University, work over a point.</p>
s Cox and Justin Witten, the Day One leaders from Radford University, work over a point.
<p>
	Cox and Witten take off to try to catch a bedding smallmouth they found during practice.</p>
Cox and Witten take off to try to catch a bedding smallmouth they found during practice.
<p>
	After trying multiple lures, Justin Witten threads a chartreuse Zoom Fluke on his hook to throw it toward a chunky smallmouth on a spawning bed.</p>
After trying multiple lures, Justin Witten threads a chartreuse Zoom Fluke on his hook to throw it toward a chunky smallmouth on a spawning bed.
<p>
	After more than 30 minutes of effort, Witten finally hooks into the bronzeback.</p>
After more than 30 minutes of effort, Witten finally hooks into the bronzeback.
<p>
	Cox drops his rod and goes for the net while Witten draws the big brownie closer to the boat.</p>
Cox drops his rod and goes for the net while Witten draws the big brownie closer to the boat.
<p>
	It’s getting closer.</p>
It’s getting closer.
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	And now it runs back to the other side of the boat.</p>
And now it runs back to the other side of the boat.
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	Finally, Cox eases the net under the smallmouth.</p>
Finally, Cox eases the net under the smallmouth.
<p>
	That’s the kind of fish that will help the cause.</p>
That’s the kind of fish that will help the cause.
<p>
	Witten unhooks the bubblegum Fluke from the smallmouth’s lip.</p>
Witten unhooks the bubblegum Fluke from the smallmouth’s lip.
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	This fish helped Witten and Cox seize the Day One lead.</p>
This fish helped Witten and Cox seize the Day One lead.
<p>
	Radford’s Brett Meyn adjusts his lure while teammate Cole Campbell works a spinnerbait along the shoreline.</p>
Radford’s Brett Meyn adjusts his lure while teammate Cole Campbell works a spinnerbait along the shoreline.
<p>
	Brett Meyn puts another keeper in the boat, but will it help?</p>
Brett Meyn puts another keeper in the boat, but will it help?
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	Meyn waits for his partner to find the culling beam.</p>
Meyn waits for his partner to find the culling beam.
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	Meyn studies hard to determine the bigger fish.</p>
Meyn studies hard to determine the bigger fish.
<p>
	In the end, this fish didn’t help their cause.</p>
In the end, this fish didn’t help their cause.
<p>
	Zach Meadows and Josh Wilson of Radford head for the next fishing spot.</p>
Zach Meadows and Josh Wilson of Radford head for the next fishing spot.
Edward Rude and Corey Straight from West Virginia University work through the back of a small pocket.
Edward Rude and Corey Straight from West Virginia University work through the back of a small pocket.
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	Rude points out a cruising bass to Straight.</p>
Rude points out a cruising bass to Straight.