Andy Wicker and his dad, Steve, make a pretty formidable fishing team in local South Carolina bass tournaments, but so far this year they have had a hard time getting on track in the South Carolina Division of the Carolinas Bass Challenge.

They fished the first CBC-SC tournament in early February but did not weigh a fish, and then they missed the second tournament on Lake Wylie because of a conflict with a wedding.

They hoped to practice on Lake Wateree last weekend for the third CBC-SC tournament this Saturday, but that rule about being in more than one place at a time got in the way.

Steve fished the Walmart BFL on Santee Cooper last Saturday, placing 16^th. Andy, who is leading the points in the Weekend Bass Series, finished third in the WBS tournament on Lake Russell – his second 3^rd place in the two tournaments held so far this year.

So, because the Carolinas Bass Challenge puts tournament lakes off-limits for a week starting the Sunday before a tournament, they did not get to practice on Lake Wateree.

“I am no local expert on Wateree,” said Andy, who hails from Pomaria, S.C., halfway between Lake Murray and Lake Monticello and grew up bass fishing both lakes with his dad. “But, we have fished it before. I caught some decent fish there in a Weekend Series tournament last year.”

The Wicker Team, he said, will probably do Basic Spring Fishing 101 at Wateree Saturday.

“Wateree definitely sets up for shallow water fishing. You’ve got that grass to fish and it’s an awesome dock lake, too,” he said.

“That’s a spinnerbait lake and every spring some big fish are caught there on a spinnerbait. Grass, docks and spinnerbaits all go together,” he said. “We might also throw an Alabama Rig and try to catch a couple of big fish.”

 

Carolinas Bass Challenge – South Carolina Division

Sat, Mar 29, 2014

Lake Wateree

Clearwater Cove Marina

Call Brett Collins 803-413-7521

www.carolinasbasschallenge.com