South African Varkevisser Grabs Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Championship On Lake Hartwell

Justy Varkevisser of Johannesburg, South Africa is in first place after Day 2 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship with a two-day total of 22 pounds, 5 ounces. 

                                                                                                 Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.

November 7, 2019

 

 

ANDERSON, S.C. — Justy Varkevisser missed the cut in his eight previous trips to the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.

The South African broke the trend — with emphasis — on his ninth try.

Varkevisser caught a five-bass limit Thursday that weighed 10 pounds, 15 ounces. Coupled with his Day 1 total of 11-6, he not only made the cut, but he grabbed the lead heading into the final day of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Lake Hartwell.

Varkevisser is fishing offshore and targeting spotted bass on this 56,000-acre fishery in the northwest corner of the Palmetto State. He only had six bites Thursday, but the five bass he caught were good enough to vault him to the top of the leaderboard.

“It’s been a very slow catching process for me,” Varkevisser said. “I’m trying to capitalize on the slightly bigger fish, but it’s been a bit of a nerve-wracking situation because you’re not sure you’re going to going to get your limit. The windows of opportunity come along, and you have to make sure you take advantage of them when they come.”

He’s hoping he can make the most of his chances Friday, too, now that he’s finally in position to win a B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.

“I’m very excited,” said Varkevisser “I’ve been trying to make the cut in this tournament for many years. It’s an awesome accomplishment for me.”

Varkevisser is one of 12 anglers in the field of 115 that survived the cut and will fish Friday’s final round. The three anglers with the heaviest overall totals will qualify for the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, which is set for March 6-8 on Lake Guntersville and Birmingham in Alabama.

The overall leader on Friday also will receive an invitation to fish the 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series and paid entry into the Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens division of the angler’s choice.

The final-round group is composed of Tennessee’s Nobuyuki Terajima, second place, 21-5; Montana’s Tim Johnston, third, 21-1; Australia’s Matthew Langford, fourth, 21-1; New Hampshire’s Cam Sterritt, 20-11; Idaho’s Taylor Smith, sixth, 20-8; South Dakota’s Brock Belik, seventh, 19-12; Washington’s  Kelly Kellogg, eighth, 19-2; Portugal’s Pedro Rodrigues, ninth, 19-1; and Oregon’s Cody Hollen, 10th, 19-0.

They are joined by nonboater champion Stanley Beebe of California and Greg Alexander of Team Delaware, who finished 13th overall in the boater field. Alexander made the cut by virtue of finishing in second place among tournament anglers who qualified through the Eastern Regional.

B.A.S.S. Nation rules dictate that the top two boaters from each region make the cut if they don’t finish in the Top 10 heading into the final day of the Championship. Seven of the Top 10 making the cut qualified for the Championship via the Western Regional, two qualified in the Central Regional and one came from the Eastern Regional.

Beebe, who hails from San Luis Obispo, Calif., won the nonboater division of the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship with a two-day total of 17-13 He caught 6-13 Wednesday and 11-0 a day later.

Beebe’s 11-pound sack was the second-heaviest caught by a nonboater in the tournament. He fished Thursday with Sterritt, who caught the biggest bag of the tournament (13-8).

Beebe collected a $10,000 Skeeter/Yamaha cash award and entry into the 2020 Basspro.comBassmaster Opens division of his choice.

“We were just on them all day long,” Beebe said. “I thought everyone would be on them with the way we were catching. I thought I had about nine pounds, so I feel pretty lucky. I made a last-minute cull that probably gave me an extra pound.”

New Mexico’s Brad Hauf finished second in the nonboater division with 17-8.

Scott Perrine, a nonboater from Bonneau, S.C., maintained the lead for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award with the 6-1 he caught Wednesday. The angler who catches the heaviest bass of the tournament will collect $1,000.

Anglers from 47 states and 11 foreign countries are competing on Lake Hartwell this week for a total of $140,300 in prize money.

Takeoff and weigh-in for the final round will be held Friday at Green Pond Landing in Anderson, S.C.

Visit Anderson is hosting.

 

2019 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship Lake Hartwell 11/6-11/8
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Justy Varkevisser      Johannesburg SOUTH AFRI 10  22-05    0
Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   10-15
2.  Nobuyuki Terajima      Hermitage, TN           10  21-05    0
Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 5   10-10
3.  Tim Johnston           Kalispell , MT          10  21-01    0
Day 1: 5   11-13     Day 2: 5   09-04
4.  Matthew Langford       Kingaroy Queensland AUS 10  21-01    0
Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   10-08
5.  Cam Sterritt           Newfields, NH           10  20-11    0
Day 1: 5   07-03     Day 2: 5   13-08
6.  Taylor Smith           Spokane Valley, WA      10  20-08    0
Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 5   10-08
7.  Brock Belik            Orchard, NE             10  19-12    0
Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   07-13
8.  Kelly Kellogg          Kelso, WA               10  19-02    0
Day 1: 5   08-04     Day 2: 5   10-14
9.  Pedro Rodrigues        Evora Portugal PORTUGAL 10  19-01    0
Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 5   08-07
10. Cody Hollen            Beaverton, OR           10  19-00    0
Day 1: 5   09-02     Day 2: 5   09-14
11. Randy Pierson          Oakdale, CA             10  18-14    0
Day 1: 5   07-15     Day 2: 5   10-15
12. Steve Lund             Glendale, AZ            10  18-07    0
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   07-06
13.  Greg Alexander        Hebron, MD              10  18-07    0
Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 5   07-09
14. Ricardo Gonzalez       Monterrey MEXICO        10  18-03    0
Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 5   08-03
15. Al Gambardella         North Haven, CT         10  18-01    0
Day 1: 5   08-03     Day 2: 5   09-14
16. James Biggs            Euless, TX              10  17-14    0
Day 1: 5   08-04     Day 2: 5   09-10
17. Steve Tosh             Modesto, CA             10  17-13    0
Day 1: 5   07-03     Day 2: 5   10-10
18. Ted Prisbe             Harsens  Island, MI     10  17-12    0
Day 1: 5   09-08     Day 2: 5   08-04
19. Jason Pittman          Covington, MS           10  17-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-12     Day 2: 5   10-14
20. Matthew Robertson      Kuttawa, KY             10  17-07    0
Day 1: 5   10-06     Day 2: 5   07-01
21. Nate Caldwell          Fort Collins, CO        10  17-05    0
Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   08-11
22. Keith Glasgow          Guin, AL                10  16-15    0
Day 1: 5   10-12     Day 2: 5   06-03
23. Thomas Nokes           Riverton, UT            10  16-13    0
Day 1: 5   09-00     Day 2: 5   07-13
24. Ramiro Ruben Tarazona Sicilia Tarazona SPAIN          10  16-11    0
Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 5   06-12
25. Levi McNeill           West Valley City, UT    10  16-05    0
Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   08-00
26. Laurence Hogue         Kennebunk, ME           10  16-04    0
Day 1: 5   07-13     Day 2: 5   08-07
27. Ken Carter             Enterprise, FL          10  16-03    0
Day 1: 5   07-06     Day 2: 5   08-13
28. Kenny Hansel           Los Alamos, NM          10  16-01    0
Day 1: 5   08-15     Day 2: 5   07-02
29. Chris Sperling         Cato, NY                10  16-00    0
Day 1: 5   06-11     Day 2: 5   09-05
30. Timothy Klinger        Boulder City, NV        10  15-13    0
Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   07-03
31. Brandon Morris         Harrisonburg, VA        10  15-10    0
Day 1: 5   10-01     Day 2: 5   05-09
32. Keith Cowan            Mt Ephraim, NJ          10  15-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-12     Day 2: 5   08-14
33. Kris Bosley            Amarillo, TX             9  15-06    0
Day 1: 4   05-11     Day 2: 5   09-11
34. Nicholas Prvonozac     Warren, OH               7  15-02    0
Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 2   04-03
35. Gary Schild            Mundelein, IL            7  14-09    0
Day 1: 2   02-13     Day 2: 5   11-12
36. Kenny Mittelstaedt     Minnetonka, MN          10  14-06    0
Day 1: 5   06-13     Day 2: 5   07-09
37. Liam MacDonald         Glen Lorne  Harare ZIMB  9  14-05    0
Day 1: 4   07-09     Day 2: 5   06-12
38. Katsutoshi Furusawa    Kanagawa JAPAN           8  14-04    0
Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 3   06-04
39. Jeremy Montgomery      Overland Park, KS        9  14-01    0
Day 1: 4   05-08     Day 2: 5   08-09
40. Jay Phillips           Bancroft, WV            10  13-15    0
Day 1: 5   07-02     Day 2: 5   06-13
41. Greg Walker            Manning, SC              8  13-12    0
Day 1: 5   06-07     Day 2: 3   07-05
42. Chris Moody            Brooks, GA               7  13-09    0
Day 1: 5   10-08     Day 2: 2   03-01
43. Andrew Sams            Easton, MD              10  13-09    0
Day 1: 5   07-09     Day 2: 5   06-00
44. Dylan Welch            Castleton, VT            7  12-12    0
Day 1: 2   03-11     Day 2: 5   09-01
45. Eduardo Trevino        South Elgin, IL          8  12-12    0
Day 1: 5   08-04     Day 2: 3   04-08
46. Enrico Zancanaro       Rovigo ITALY            10  12-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-12     Day 2: 5   05-14
47. Mike Wallis            Hallsville, MO           8  12-02    0
Day 1: 4   06-09     Day 2: 4   05-09
48. Howard Hartley         Patterson, LA            7  11-14    0
Day 1: 2   02-04     Day 2: 5   09-10
49. Andy Smith             Jacksonville, FL         7  11-09    0
Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 2   02-03
50. Josh Cotier            Clinton, MA             10  11-05    0
Day 1: 5   06-04     Day 2: 5   05-01
51. Kenneth Reed           Buck, IN                 6  11-02    0
Day 1: 3   06-00     Day 2: 3   05-02
52. Douglas Savino         Tyrone, PA              10  10-14    0
Day 1: 5   05-01     Day 2: 5   05-13
53. Tony Puelz             Garnavillo, IA           8  10-04    0
Day 1: 3   03-11     Day 2: 5   06-09
54. Mark Borchers          Akron, IA                7  09-13    0
Day 1: 3   04-09     Day 2: 4   05-04
55. Allan Reaves           Pottsville, AR           7  09-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-08     Day 2: 2   03-02
56. Thinus Williams        Windhoek NAMIBIA         7  09-08    0
Day 1: 2   02-04     Day 2: 5   07-04
57. Mike Wolfenden         Warwick, RI              8  08-08    0
Day 1: 5   05-02     Day 2: 3   03-06
58. Rick Eller             Taylorsville, NC         7  08-06    0
Day 1: 5   06-02     Day 2: 2   02-04
59. Mark Cavanaugh         Port Perry ONTARIO CANA  5  06-13    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   06-13
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        47       268       455-15
2        47       268       450-13
———————————-
94       536       906-12

 

 

2019 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship Lake Hartwell 11/6-11/8
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Stanley Beebe          San Luis obispo, CA      9  17-13    0  $10,000.00
Day 1: 4   06-13     Day 2: 5   11-00
2.  Brad Hauf              Elephant Butte, NM      10  17-08    0   $7,500.00
Day 1: 5   07-04     Day 2: 5   10-04
3.  Taylor Burgin          Palo, ID                10  17-05    0   $5,000.00
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   07-14
4.  Kyle Graham            North Ogden, UT         10  17-00    0   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   10-03     Day 2: 5   06-13
5.  Gary Schipporeit       Westminster, CO         10  16-11    0   $2,000.00
Day 1: 5   08-04     Day 2: 5   08-07
6.  David Stafford         Sanger, TX               9  16-08    0   $1,000.00
Day 1: 4   08-00     Day 2: 5   08-08
7.  Devin Pino             Kansas City, KS         10  16-07    0   $1,000.00
Day 1: 5   07-13     Day 2: 5   08-10
8.  Barry Ward             Louisville, KY          10  16-02    0     $500.00
Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   04-12
9.  Jonathan Bryson        Las Vegas, NV           10  15-15    0     $500.00
Day 1: 5   07-05     Day 2: 5   08-10
10. Aaron Russell          Hoschton, GA            10  15-14    0     $500.00
Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 5   07-14
11. Austin Johnson         Noxon, MT                9  15-13    0     $500.00
Day 1: 4   05-13     Day 2: 5   10-00
12. Scott Seros            Bend, OR                 9  15-13    0     $500.00
Day 1: 5   09-09     Day 2: 4   06-04
13. Chris Morrison         St. Mary’s, WV          10  14-14    0
Day 1: 5   06-06     Day 2: 5   08-08
14. Jordan Schwartzkopf    Peoria, AZ              10  14-12    0
Day 1: 5   07-02     Day 2: 5   07-10
15. Luis Vilar             Madrid SPAIN             9  14-10    0
Day 1: 5   09-01     Day 2: 4   05-09
16. Michael Duell II       Syracuse, NY            10  14-09    0
Day 1: 5   05-14     Day 2: 5   08-11
17. Ruan Wahl              Witbank South Africa SO  9  14-09    0
Day 1: 4   06-14     Day 2: 5   07-11
18. Aaron Cherry           KINSEY, AL               8  14-04    0
Day 1: 3   05-03     Day 2: 5   09-01
19. Jurgen Geiger          Windhoek Namibia NAMIBI 10  14-03    0
Day 1: 5   07-02     Day 2: 5   07-01
20. Mike Szczechowski      Strafford, MO            6  14-01    0
Day 1: 2   06-13     Day 2: 4   07-04
21. Ryan Gutierrez         Weiser, ID              10  13-13    0
Day 1: 5   07-05     Day 2: 5   06-08
22. JR Clark               Milton, DE               9  13-12    0
Day 1: 4   05-01     Day 2: 5   08-11
23. Kuniaki Taga           Aichi JAPAN             10  13-10    0
Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   05-05
24. Marcus Futter          Harare ZIMBABWE         10  13-06    0
Day 1: 5   06-05     Day 2: 5   07-01
25. Kelvin Grubbs          Pryor, OK                9  13-05    0
Day 1: 4   03-09     Day 2: 5   09-12
26. Mark Melega            Rice Landing, PA         9  13-04    0
Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 4   04-08
27. Curtis Hughes          Greenwood, IN            7  12-12    0
Day 1: 4   07-02     Day 2: 3   05-10
28. John Jasper            Lemont, IL              10  12-12    0
Day 1: 5   06-12     Day 2: 5   06-00
29. Justin Foster          Bude, MS                 9  12-08    0
Day 1: 4   05-15     Day 2: 5   06-09
30. Addam Gross            Pendleton, OR           10  12-02    0
Day 1: 5   06-06     Day 2: 5   05-12
31. Zach Yarnes            Lakeville, MN            8  11-11    0
Day 1: 4   04-13     Day 2: 4   06-14
32. Justin Hymel           Norco, LA                8  11-10    0
Day 1: 3   03-08     Day 2: 5   08-02
33. Eduardo Fouto          Montariguil Portugal PO  8  11-08    0
Day 1: 5   07-12     Day 2: 3   03-12
34. Austin Pittman         Maumelle, AR             9  11-08    0
Day 1: 4   04-07     Day 2: 5   07-01
35. Rj  Ricci              Cranston, RI             8  10-14    0
Day 1: 3   03-08     Day 2: 5   07-06
36. Scott Perrine          Bonneau, SC              4  10-08    0
Day 1: 2   07-00     Day 2: 2   03-08
37. Greg Chesnut           Bedford, VA             10  10-05    0
Day 1: 5   05-09     Day 2: 5   04-12
38. Dan Posey              Niles, MI                8  10-04    0
Day 1: 3   04-01     Day 2: 5   06-03
39. Casey Marshall         Frederick, MD            6  08-14    0
Day 1: 2   02-09     Day 2: 4   06-05
40. Jordan Trainor         Erin, TN                 6  08-01    0
Day 1: 5   06-14     Day 2: 1   01-03
41. Eduardo Olalla         Col. Lomasn Del Tecnolo  6  07-08    0
Day 1: 4   04-02     Day 2: 2   03-06
42. Todd Stiehl            Winner, SD               7  07-05    0
Day 1: 5   04-15     Day 2: 2   02-06
43. Brock Gullixon         Lola, WI                 4  06-13    0
Day 1: 2   04-06     Day 2: 2   02-07
44. Angela Mayo            Maiden, NC               5  06-06    0
Day 1: 3   02-14     Day 2: 2   03-08
45. Brenda Swett           Auburn, ME               4  06-04    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 4   06-04
46. Bryan McCleary         Watertown, CT            5  06-02    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   06-02
47. John Foster            Byfield, MA              5  05-13    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   05-13
48. Gregory Decell         Bridgewater, VT          3  05-06    0
Day 1: 2   02-12     Day 2: 1   02-10
49. Ray Rios               Budd Lake, NJ            3  04-13    0
Day 1: 2   03-04     Day 2: 1   01-09
50. Brian Jarvis           Coventry, RI             2  03-13    0
Day 1: 1   02-08     Day 2: 1   01-05
51. Vincent Scaillerez     Bedarrides FRANCE        3  03-11    0
Day 1: 2   02-03     Day 2: 1   01-08
52. Greg Pink              Montrose, CO             7  03-03    0
Day 1: 5   01-03     Day 2: 2   02-00
53. Phillip Rummel Jr      Mount Vernon, OH         1  01-13    0
Day 1: 1   01-13     Day 2: 0   00-00
54. Scott Blaesi           Hershey, NE              1  01-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-00
55. David Cohen            St Augustine, FL         1  00-14    0
Day 1: 1   00-14     Day 2: 0   00-00
56. Ed Vienneau            Shelburne, OR            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00