“Fishing has been great at Hartwell lately, with winning weights coming in well over 20 pounds,” Collins said. “The teams that capitalize on the early morning bite will come out on top this time of year at Hartwell. Big spots and largemouth bass will make up the creel.”

Going into the tournament Wayne Frierson and Ronnie Mueller are leading the SC Division points, just ahead of Chris Marshall and Josh Gardner. Although Marshall and Gardner won the season opener on Lake Murray, Frierson and Mueller have turned in steady performances in all three tournaments to secure the lead, with two top 20 finishes.

“This deep into the schedule a lot of the teams have qualified, but we still expect a good crowd Saturday,” Collins said.

The Carolinas Bass Challenge is experiencing a banner year, he said, with numbers up over previous years and a lot of new teams joining. A big reason is the money involved, with the opportunity for a major payday at every tournament, he added.

“Multiple teams have won over $10,000 and the Skeeter Bonus Dollars the CBC offers on top of the Skeeter Real Money has been a huge addition,” Collins said. “This year we have been paying back the $5,000 at each event in three places – $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000.”

Collins also thanked the fishermen for their support, noting their participation in the tournaments is the key to the success of the CBC.

“We will also send another big number of teams to the Bassmaster Team Championship on Lake Guntersville later this year. Last year we sent 22 teams and it looks to be about the same this year,” he said.

Collins also said he will try to have the 2016 schedule out late this summer so anglers can start making their plans for next year.

 

Carolinas Bass Challenge – South Carolina Division

Sat, May 30, 2015

Lake Hartwell

Portman Shoals Marina

Call Brett Collins 803-413-7521

www.carolinasbasschallenge.com