National fishing tournament kicks off season at Lake Murray in Columbia

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A national collegiate fishing tournament will drop anchor this week at Lake Murray in Columbia.

The 2024 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops will kick off its season at Lake Murray on January 26-27, according to a news release.

Last year Lake Murray was ranked No. 4 overall on Bassmaster Magazine’s 2023 100 Best Bass Lakes list, and No. 1 in the Southeast, the release stated. The highly competitive tournament hosted by Capital City/Lake Murray Country is expected to be an economic boon to the region.

“We are excited to host over 500 collegiate anglers from across the country and know Lake Murray will deliver a challenging event with strong final weights,” said Miriam Atria, CCLMC president/CEO, in the release.

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The series format is made up of two trails – the Legends Trail and the Lunkers Trail and has seen a record-breaking registration of 500 teams from 72 schools across the nation, the release stated. Lake Murray marks the first event on the Legends Trail. In each tournament, teams will have the opportunity to earn points toward the Team of the Year race as well as punch their tickets to the 2024 College Series Championship.

The Teams will takeoff each day from Dreher Island State Park, 3677 State Park Road, Prosperity, at 7:10 a.m. and will return for weigh-ins at 3:10 p.m.

Over the past several years, Lake Murray has proven to be a powerhouse lake with impressive numbers of 3- to 5-pound largemouth, the release stated. That was on full display during the 2023 Elite Series stop last April. Multiple patterns unfolded across the lake, but Florida pro-Drew Benton won with 87 pounds by catching mostly spawning bass.