College Bracket: Backstage on Day 2

Empty tanks await the many bass that will be brought in by four college anglers and 175 teams of high school anglers at Paris Landing State Park — weigh-in site for the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Classic Bracket presented by Bass Pro Shops, as well as the Costa Bassmaster High School Championship.

Friday was a scorcher in northwest Tennessee, and the B.A.S.S. officials who make these tournaments happen tried to stay hydrated before the weigh-in began.

Bethel University angler John Garrett had a question about one of his bass before he brought the fish to weigh-in. He knocks on the B.A.S.S. trailer for assistance.

Tournament Director Hank Weldon is there with the answer.

It may not look like it here, but Garrett will have plenty to smile about in a little while.

Officials dumped bags of ice in the holding tanks to keep the water nice and cold.

And it goes a little something like thisâ¦PLOP!

Garrett will be the first college angler to make his way to the tanks. He catches a ride on a golf cart.

And off the No. 4 seed goes.

His bag delivered.

Looks like it has some heft to it.

Yep. Definitely looks like Garrett has some weight in that bag.

“Dang, John! Thatâs a heavy bag!â

And now, the angler awaits his fellow competitors.

A kind soul brought Garrett a chair and a cold bottle of water.

It was hot out there.

That water was much appreciated, Garrett says.

Weldon is interviewed by local media about the tournaments taking place on Kentucky and Barkley lakes.

Media love fun, family-oriented events that B.A.S.S. stages throughout the year, and their interest always is much appreciated.

As the local favorite, Garrett has plenty of support this week.

Kansas Stateâs Kyle Alsop is the next angler to get backstage, and heâs not happy with his catch today.

Not happy at all.

Alsop caught two fish on Friday that weighed 3 pounds, 5 ounces.

He had dreams of winning the College Classic Bracket and fishing with the worldâs best bass anglers in 2017. Itâs not to be this year.

With Alsop seemingly out of the running, Kansas State teammate Taylor Bivins would try to bring home a win for the Wildcats.

Bivins said throughout the tournament that the key to victory would be putting five fish in the live well each day.

But when he gets ready to go onstage, Bivins explains to Alsop that he too had a rough day on Kentucky Lake. Bivins only weighed one bass, though it was a nice 4-3 fish.

It was a tough day for the Wildcats.

But it was a very good day for these two guys, as Garrett, right, is joined by Texas Stateâs Evan Coleman, who was the last angler to find his way backstage on Friday.

Coleman had reason to be pleased.

Very pleased, indeed.

The tournamentâs No. 6 seed, Coleman caught four bass for an 8-3 total that gave him a semifinal victory over Alsop, the No. 1 seed.

The Texas State angler had never fished on Kentucky Lake until practice began for the College Classic Bracket, but heâs won two days in a row and has his eye set on the chance to fish in the 2017 Geico Bassmaster Classic next March.

He will be joined by Garrett, who boated a limit of 19-7 on Friday, which was 11-plus pounds more than Coleman. The Texas State angler has been fishing shorelines, while Garrett has favored points that have produced the only two limits in the College Classic Bracket.

Here, Garrett gets miked up before filming a segment that will be part of television coverage of this event. When you are successful, everyone wants to know what you have to say.

Coleman gets the same treatment from the TV guys.

Coleman said even though Garrett may have the home water advantage in the finals of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Classic Bracket, heâs not intimidated at all. âI want this bad,â he said. Find out who wins a spot in the 2017 Geico Bassmaster Classic when the weigh-in is carried live on www.bassmaster.com.