Midwestern anglers dominate King Kat tournament on Santee Cooper

Two-day catch of 130 pounds wins first prize by more than 20 pounds.

Hot weather and high water greeted 30 teams for the Aug. 2-3 Cabela’s King Kat catfish tournament on the Santee Cooper lakes, and a pair of Midwestern fishermen came out on top with a two-day total of 130 pounds, worth $4,300.

Jerry Walker of Omaha, Neb., and Kenneth Luttrell of LaPlace, Ill., dominated the tournament, winning by more than 20 pounds with two limits from Lake Moultrie.

Walker and Luttrell caught 57.55 pounds on the first day and 72.45 pounds on the second, bringing their second bag in early while all their fish were still alive.

“We caught all our fish between 8:30 and 11, and we didn’t really even get bit after that, so around 1 o’clock, we decided to head in and weigh our fish. We didn’t feel like the possibility of losing a fish was worth the risk of trying to catch another one” Luttrell said.

Walker and Luttrell spent the tournament fishing between mile markers 12 and 13, focusing on a 36-foot hump. They caught their fish on Omaha Blood Bait, an unconventional bait for the local area, but commonplace in the midwest.

Clay Henderson of Charlotte, N.C., teamed up with Ridgeway’s Jason Knight to take second place with 108 pounds, winning $2,000. They fished in Lake Marion near the  mouth of Taw Caw Creek and focused on shellbanks in three to six feet of water, using white perch for bait. After catching 47.85 pounds the first day, they brought in 60.85 pounds the second day.

Prosperity’s Joey Hawkins and Harris Hawkins joined Little Mountain’s Jim and Glenn Austin, finishing with 97.30 pounds and winning $1,000. The Iowa team of Jason Burgus and Dennis Warrick caught 91.30 for fourth place, winning $700. Lake Wylie angler Tim Farris fished solo and took fifth place with 79.70, pocketing $500.

Neil Faucette and Neil Lee of Manning won big-fish honors with the only fish they caught the first day, a 32.95-pound blue catfish that netted them $200.

Brawdy bass tournament scheduled

The Outdoor Dream Foundation will hold the Brandon Brawdy Memorial Bass Classic on Lake Hartwell on Sept. 13.

A pre-tournament “Celebration” will take place the night before, with Jimmy Houston as host. An Ranger Apache 1652 duck boat and trailer will be up for raffle at the event.

All money raised will go to help fight DSRCT, the rare childhood cancer that claimed Brandon Brawdy’s life. For more information on these events, visit www.teambrawdy.com or call Brett Brawdy at 864-546-1651.

OTHER TOURNAMENTS

American Bass Anglers Division 96, July 14, Lake Greenwood

1. Steve Wicker (Pomaria), 18.65 pounds, $585; 2. Jeffrey Woods (Waterloo), 17.02, $362; 3. Mark Richardson (Irmo), 15.50, $123; 4. Andy Lake (Batesburg), 13.67, $97; 5. Mark Abbott (Ninety Six), 13.07, $55. Big Fish: Mark Abbott, 7.48 pounds, $200.

CATT Trail, Waccamaw River, July 27, Waccamaw River

1. Carlton Thompkins (Myrtle Beach)-Joel Barfield (Conway), 15.85 pounds, $688; 2. John Proctor (Conway)-Lee Cannon (Conway), 11.20, $200. Big Fish: Thompkins-Barfield, 6.35 pounds, $90.

T.O.M. CATT Series, Lake Wateree, July 27

1. Mack Kitchens (Sumter)-Emmett McCauley (Manning), 21.14, $690; 2. Billy McIntosh (Sumter)-Rick McLean (Sumter), 19.67, $225. Big Fish: Tony Truitt-Mark Healon, 6.23, $90.

Lake Wylie Thursday Night Trail, Aug. 1

1. Lee Endicott (Belmont, NC)-Josh Morton (Mt. Holly, NC), 14.71, $350; 2. Matt Queen (Charlotte, NC)-Adam Filmore (York), 14.51, $260; 3. Todd Garner (Clover)-Shane Hartman (York), 14.28, $160; 4. Josh Featherstone (Charlotte, NC)-Dave Snearly (Ft. Mill), 14.06, $76; 5. Rick Carson (Gastonia, NC)-James Clemmons (Columbia), 12.45, $40. Big Fish: Carson-Clemmons, 4.58, $100.