Wilson, Logan win CBC

Two NC pros in top 10 at Bassmasters Classic

Jason Wilson of Bessemer City and Kelly Logan of Morganton topped an impressive field of 168 teams and a cold, winter blast to win the Feb. 16 Carolinas Bass Challenge at Lake Norman. The two anglers had a 5-fish limit weighing 15.44 pounds to capture the first-place award of $10,000, plus a bonus of $5,000 from Skeeter.

Jerry Goble of Sherrills Ford and Todd Phillips made the contest close with five fish weighing 15.28 pounds for second place and $5,000.

Hunter Hicks and Mike Stevens finished third with 14.16 pounds and banked $3,000. Gordon Smith and Michael Smith took the fourth-place prize of $2,500 with 13.97 pounds. Jason and Keith Barnes placed fifth with 13.66 pounds and received $2,000.

Rounding out the top 10 teams were: Larry and Shane Lehew of Charlotte, sixth with 13.52 pounds for $1,300; David Wright of Lexington and Jeff Coble of Manson, seventh with 13.29 pounds for $1,000; Dave Snyder of Concord and Edward Markum of Statesville, eighth with 13.23 pounds for $900; Brian and Mike Tidwell, ninth with 13.17 pounds for $800; and Nathan Webber and Paul Rigsbee, 10th with 13.13 pounds for $750.

Lee Hoilman of Bakersville and Brent Barry won $1,000 for their 5.47-pound big fish.

Two NC pros finish in top 10 at Bassmasters Classic

Hank Cherry of Maiden and Tracy Adams of Wilkesboro, North Carolina’s two entries in the Feb. 22-24 Bassmasters Classic on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake, were among the leaders throughout, and both wound up with top-10 finishes.

Cliff Pace of Petal, Miss., a 32-year-old pro, won the tournament and the $500,000 first-prize money, leading wire-to-wire and finishing with 15 bass that weighed 54.12 pounds.

Cherry finished third with 49 pounds and won $40,000. Adams took sixth with 45.2 pounds and won $22,000.

Cherry was second after the first day with a 20-15 limit, then dropped to fourth with a 13-11 limit the second day. His third-day catch of 17-4 was the biggest of the day and moved him up a spot.

Adams was fifth after the first day with 19-10, then dropped to ninth after a second-day limit that weighed 9-12. He also had a big third day, coming in with 15-12 and moving up three spots.

SCTT ceases operation

The Southern Championship Tournament Trail under the direction of Tony Furr of Concord and Aaron Harwood has ceased operation.

The SCTT experienced the economic pinch, and the trail closed all of its divisions except the Yadkin Division and the Yadkin Winter Trail. The Yadkin Winter Trail was short-lived because of low turnout and poor winter fishing at most Yadkin lakes. The Yadkin Division had a loyal following of about 20 teams, but efforts to increase participation failed.

A devil of a bass for Catawba County preacher

The Master’s Angler Bass Club out of Catawba County fished Lake Hickory in the snow on Feb. 16, and club members caught two bass of note.

Brad Lawrence of Granite Falls won with 13.05 pounds, including a 9.03-pound lunker caught on a crankbait. Kenny Kanipe was second with 12.81.

Rev. Joel Frye of Oxford Baptist Church might have had the day’s most-interesting catch: a 6.66-pound bass — “666” being the number associated in the Bible with the “antichrist.”

“When I told him what it weighed, he looked at me a little funny,” said club president Andy Fox. “I asked him if he wanted me to put it down as 6.65 pounds, but he said no, he was saved and not worried.” ■

BASS TOURNAMENTS

Carolina Anglers Tournament Trail

Yadkin Division

Lake Tillery, Feb. 2

1. Ashton Woods-Dean Jacobs, 23.21, $834; 2. Tod Haynes (Concord)-Jeremy Talbert (Albemarle), 22.45, $225; 3. Rusty Bowers (Albemarle)-Roscoe Bowers, 17.91, $100. Big fish: Mike Cribb (Trinity)-John Rosenbaum, 7.35-pounds bass, $126.

Carolina Coach & Marine

Lake Norman, Jan. 20

1. Cliff Kirby (Catawba)-Rick Dunstan (Pinehurst), 13.7, $2,000; 2. Drew Montgomery (Concord)-Kenny Seagle (Salisbury), 13.65, $600; 3. Scott Hamrick (Denver)-Roger Hoover (Mooresville), 13.6, $500; 4. Johnny Allen-Bobby Gill, 12.2, $300; 5. Matt McBee (Concord)-Mark Weaver (Lexington), 11.15, $220; 6. Nick Miller (Charlotte)-Brandon Brickeeg-Mac McCormick, 11.15 $160; 7. Hank Cherry (Maiden)-Shane Lineberger (Lincolnton), 10.6, $120; 8. David Lynch-Richard Outlaw, 10.5, $100.

Saturday Trail Fish-off, Lake Norman, Feb. 2

1. Hank Cherry (Maiden)-Craig Chambers, 18.15, $2,500; 2. Pete Betje (Charlotte)-Doug Easton (Mooresville), 17.30, $1,000; 3. Dave Snyder (Concord)-Bryan O’Daniel (Kannapolis), 13.85, $600; 4. Kevin Toler-Rodney Lambert (Statesville), 13.45, $500; 5. Justin-Shawn Foster, 13.35, $300; 6. Scott Hamrick (Denver)-Roger Hoover (Mooresville), 12.40, $200; 7. Robert Stiltner (Mt. Mourne)-Alfred Kiesling (Mooresville), 11.65, $160; 8. Rob Digh (Denver)-Louie Hull (Casar), 11.50, $100. Big fish: Betje-Easton, 6.40-pound bass, $250.

Sunday Trail Fish-off, Lake Norman, Feb. 3

1.Hunter Hicks-Mike Stephens, 15.75, $2,600; 2. Alan Whitaker (Troutman)-John Miller, 13.95, $1,200; 3. Cliff Kirby (Catawba)-Rick Dunstan (Pinehurst), 13.45, $700; 4. Anthony Lutz (Denver)-Brian Morgan (Newton), 12.85, $580; 5. Kenny Seagle (Salisbury)-Drew Montgomery (Concord), 12.75, $460; 6. Shane Lineberry (Lincolnton)-Hank Cherry ( Maiden), 11.65, $300; 7. Rick White-Scott Tate, 11.65, $220; 8. Adam Waters-Shane Lehew (Charlotte), 11.60, $110. Big fish: Tyler Beam-Eric Self, 5.70-pound bass, $240.

Powers Swain Chevy Fishing Team Tournament

Shearon Harris Lake, Feb. 10

1. Bobby Williams (Salisbury)-Byong Lee (Stedman), 11.68; 2. Hal Abshire (Cameron)-Ethan Cox (West End), l1.10; 3. Craig MacDonald (Fayetteville)-Eugene Maynard (Morrisville), 7.88. Big fish: Williams-Lee, 7.27-pound bass.

STRIPED BASS TOURNAMENTS

Tarheel Striper Club

Lake Norman, Feb. 16

1. David Woodward (Charlotte)-Robert Steele (Lexington), 19.65 and big fish with a 9.55-pound striped bass; 2. Robert-Tyler Moss (Trinity), 16.20; 3. Bill Sharpling, 4.90; 4. David Lucas (Randleman)-Jerry Sykes (Asheboro), 3.50.

CATFISH TOURNAMENTS

NCCATS

Lake Tillery, Feb. 9

1. Dylan Fincher-Eric Fincher (Mt. Pleasant)-Mike Chandler, 39.7, $300; 2. Tim Caviness (Norwood)-Robert Palmer (Albemarle), 38.7, and big fish, 34-pound blue cat, $360 plus $200 side pot; 3. Alan Long (Team Fishbite), 36.5, $80.

CRAPPIE TOURNAMENTS

Carolina Crappie Association

Lake Greenwood, S.C., Jan. 12

1. Russell Riley (S.C.)-Joey Eudy (Granite Falls, S.C.), 10.71, $1,475; 2. Ellis-Jon Cannon (S.C.), 10.50, $737; 3. Marc Danque (Chapin, S.C.), 10.21, $360; 4. Allen Outlaw (Camden, S.C.)-David Hinson (Lancaster, S.C.), 10.04, $311; 5. Milton Dowey (S.C.)-Joe Cantey (Lugoff, S.C.), 9.78, $229; 6. Ed Duke-Keith Manus (Concord), 9.67, $163.

Santee-Cooper, S.C., Feb. 9

1. Allen Outlaw (Camden, S.C.)-David Hinson (Lancaster, S.C.), 17.45, and big fish with 2.89-pound crappie, $1,344; 2. Denny Potts (Mocksville)-Brian Shore (State Road), 14.27, $672; 3. Kevin Hawkins (Ramseur)-Wayne Neice (Biscoe), 13.84, $336; 4. Milton Dowey-Joe Cantey (Lugoff, S.C.), 13.66, $252; 5. Mike Berry-Tim Koone (S.C.),13.53, $196.