Stringer of three big flatheads wins at High Rock

Justin Barger (left) and Brandon Miller hoist three High Rock Lake flatheads that weighed a total of 122 pounds. The giant yellow flathead weighed 46.9 pounds.

Big flathead anchors winning 122-pound stringer.

About 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Justin Barger of Hickory and Brandon Miller of Salisbury brightened the night sky by dragging a 46.9-pound yellow-hued flathead catfish into their boat from High Rock Lake. The huge fish anchored a 3-fish catch of 122 pounds to give the two anglers the win at the May 25 N.C. Catfish Association Tournament Series (NCCATS) nighttime event.

Barger and Miller received $340 for first place, $440 for the side pot, and $230 for the big fish of the evening.

They took the big cats from rip-rap banks in eight feet of water with Carolina-rigged live bream.

Steve Cutting and Kolt Whitley, both of Lexington, and Max Newell of Greensboro claimed the second-place prize of $330 with a 3-fish catch totaling 95.9 pounds that included a 35.6-pound flathead.

The Southmont team of Mike Kearns and Scott Briggs had 86.4 pounds for third place, winning $100. Dennis Leonard of Harrisburg and Chris Fraley of Mount Holly placed fourth with 81.5 pounds, collecting $50.

BASS TOURNAMENTS

CATT Yadkin Division Tournament, Tuckertown Lake, May 25

1. Bob Jennett (Kernersville)-Derek Crumbley (High Point), 24.40, $1,010; 2. David Wright-Chris Brown (Lexington), 20.95, $330; 3. Scott Threadgill (Troy)-Jason Threadgill (Norwood), 20.55, $288; 4. Jack Vanderford-Phillip Hedrick (Salisbury), 19.85, and big fish, 7.15 pounds, $292; 5. Wayne Lawson-Dale Hege (Ramseur), 19.05, $100.

Bassmaster Weekend Series N.C. Division 5, Kerr Lake, May 25

1. Rob Digh (Denver), 14.18, $1,656; 3. Mike Miller (Archdale), 13.08, $828; 4. Robert Stump L. Morrison Jr. (Winston-Salem), 11.95, $386; 5. Scott Hamrick (Denver), 11.74, $331. Big fish: Kent Goat Medlin (Jacksonville), 4.50-pound bass, $135. Co-anglers: 1. Leo Gizzard (Middlesex), 6.40, $766; 2. Robert Wells (Kill Devil Hills), 6.30, $383; Robert Vaow (Cornelius), 6.04, $255; 4. Michael Jessup (King), 5.61, $179; 5. Jeremy Bogard (Wilkesboro), 5.54, $153. Big fish: Shane Sharpe (Charlotte), 3.50-pound bass, $63.

Fishers of Men N.C. East Division, May 25

1. Kirk Wall-Charles Reed, 15.79, $1,430; 2. David-Stephen Parker, 15.30, $510; 3. Daryl Johnson-Peter Lorsong, 13.92, $340; 4. John Kellett-Adam Baldwin, 13.66, $385; 5. Kennet-David Buchannan, 13.28, $260. Big fish: Bryan-Nathan Hendricks, 6.13-pound bass, $125.

Fishers of Men Legacy Tournament N.C. Central Division, Falls Lake, May 251. Ron Duffy-Matt Johnson, 15.40, and big fish, 5.54 pounds, $413; 2. Keith-Alden Patterson, 13.29, $190; 3. Lonnie-Justin Whitfield, 12.78, $142; 4. Brian-Wade Ellis, 11.75, $114; 5. Joey-Emily Davis, 9.43, $95; 6. Richard-Andy Vaughn, 9.39, $76.