Stephen F. Austin Duo Wins MLF College Fishing Event on Sam Rayburn Reservoir

BROOKELAND, Texas (Sept. 30, 2024) – The Stephen F. Austin State University team of Ben Burns and Grant Pursifull secured victory in the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Their five-bass limit, weighing 26 pounds, 5 ounces, earned the Lumberjacks’ bass club $2,000 and a spot in the 2025 MLF College Fishing National Championship.

“I’ve been fishing out here a lot over the last two months,” Burns explained. The team’s game plan started with targeting schools on offshore hard spots, using a 6th Sense Crush 500DD crankbait. After struggling to find consistent success early on, they switched tactics, moving fast through smaller schools and filling their limit by 11 a.m.

By midday, the duo had amassed 15 to 16 pounds and made a crucial shift in strategy. Burns and Pursifull began targeting timber and brush areas using a 6th Sense Draw and Juggle Minnow while “LiveScoping,” a move that netted four key bites. Despite the limited number of bites, the switch to larger baits allowed the team to cull up to their winning weight.

“We had to keep moving and cover as much water as possible,” Burns emphasized.

Top 10 Teams at Sam Rayburn Reservoir

1. Stephen F. Austin University – Ben Burns, Lucas, Texas, and Grant Pursifull, Princeton, Texas, five bass, 26-5, $2,000
2. Wabash Valley College – Sam Ausbrooks, Loogootee, Ind., and Elijah Jaime, Auburn, Mich., five bass, 23-12, $1,000
3. Bethel University – Coleman Bingham, Greenville, Ky., and Brayden Wilson, Piedmont, Mo., five bass, 20-7, $700
4. Tarleton State University – Karson Denton, Splendora, Texas, and Hayden Hurst, Stephenville, Texas, five bass, 19-7, $600
5. LSU Shreveport – Barrett Bennefield, San Augustine, Texas, and Mason McCormick, Shreveport, La., five bass, 19-7, $500
6. Texas A&M University – Clay Jenkins, Lumberton, Texas, and Sid Wallace, San Angelo, Texas, five bass, 18-14
7. LSU Shreveport – Grayson Bonfils, Baton Rouge, La., and Nevan Osburn, Lipan, Texas, five bass, 18-11
8. Texas A&M University – Hunter Hernandez, Spring, Texas, and Riley Meinke, Austin, Texas, five bass, 18-7
9. Bethel University – Colby Carrier, Skowhegan, Maine, and Justin Frey, Landisburg, Pa., five bass, 17-1
10. Southeastern Louisiana University – Rylan Meyers, Loranger, Louisiana, and Chance Shelby, Denim Springs, Louisiana, five bass, 17-9

National Championship Qualifiers

A total of 22 teams from the Sam Rayburn event qualified for the 2025 College Fishing National Championship, scheduled to take place on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Alabama, from April 9–11, 2025.

Upcoming Tournaments

The next MLF College Fishing event will be held on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee, on Oct. 18, 2024.

For more information on event results and the list of National Championship qualifiers, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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