Lake Wylie – May 5th 2018
The Southeastern Catfish Club hosted its 9th and final tournament of the 2017-2018 season on Lake Wylie Saturday, May 5th. Registration started earlier than usual because blast-off was 6am. The early start didn’t stop anglers from showing up ready to go. One team had a special surprise waiting on them. Thanks to our good friends Alan and Lynn Long with Fish Bite Rod Holders. As part of their awesome sponsorship, they paid the entry fee for the 17th team that signed up. Blake and Jamie Williams of Team Backland Outdoors were the lucky winners! Thank you Alan and Lynn for all you do for us!
At blast-off, 41 teams and 101 anglers were ready to compete for the $4,100 purse!
Our May tournaments on Lake Wylie are right on the cusp of pleasure boat season, and with forecasts in the mid 80s, teams were sure to battle with the boat traffic. Teams that had a chance to pre-fish reported an excellent bite throughout the week, and total weights at the end proved it. In the end, Aaron Buchanan and Matt Hall of Team Buchanan brought home their first win on the tournament trail with an impressive 105.65lb stringer and collected a whopping $2,105!
Season vets Jeff Manning and Michael Paciocco of Team Reelin’ the Blues finished in 2nd place with 99.45lbs and collected $1,050. Right on their heels were Richard Warskow and Chris Lunsford of Team Keepin’ It Reel with a 98.10lb stringer. They finished in 3rd place and collected $350. It doesn’t happen often, but the teams that had the two biggest fish of the tournament didn’t place in the top 3. To make things even more interesting, it was a battle between father and son, and the father ended up teaching the son a lesson! Steve Whitley and Shane Owenby of Team 2nd String had Big Fish of the tournament with a 48.55lb monster flathead and collected $505. Brandon Whitley, Wayne Langley, and Jeremy Wright of Team Ain’t Got A Clue had 2nd Big Fish with a 45.40lb bruiser and collected $215.
Congratulations to Aaron Buchanan and Matt Hall of Team Buchanan on their first win on the SCC trail!
Going into the day, Steve Whitley and Shane Owenby of Team 2nd String already had the season’s points race wrapped up, but their 5th place finish put a stamp on their dominating performance throughout the year. They finished with 210 points, which was 52 points ahead of the field, and collected $2,280! Brian Snipes and Bubba Branch held off the pack and finished 2nd in the points collecting $980! Congratulations to Steve, Shane, Brian, and Bubba for taking the top spots on the 2017-2018 season!
Finally, we want to give a special THANK YOU to all the generous folks who donated to the USSA charity tournament. We raised $473 in less than 5 minutes! Your donations will go such a long way to assist families that are traveling from out of town to participate in an awesome event for the children!
We look forward to seeing everyone next month at the Award’s Banquet at Catawba Fish Camp on June 2nd!
Tight Lines!
Brian Snipes and Josh Coggins
Total Weights
| Place | Team | Members | Total Weight | Big Fish | Tournament Points |
| 1 | Team Buchcanan | Aaron Buchanan, Matt Hall | 105.65 | 35.95 | 30 |
| 2 | Team Reelin’ the Blues | Jeff Manning, Michael Paciocco | 99.45 | 34.75 | 28 |
| 3 | Team Keepin’ It Reel | Richard Warskow, Chris Lunsford | 98.10 | 37.30 | 26 |
| 4 | Team In God We Trust | David Faulkenberry, Reece Holley | 96.05 | 43.10 | 24 |
| 5 | Team 2nd String | Steve Whitley, Shane Owenby | 92.50 | 48.55 | 22 |
| 6 | Team Ain’t Got A Clue | Brandon Whitley, Wayne Langley, Jeremy Wright | 91.60 | 45.40 | 20 |
| 7 | Team Drifters | Aaron Hodge, Arnold Hodge, Joey Humphries | 81.00 | 42.05 | 19 |
| 8 | Team Rusty Reels | Ken Kennamer, Clay Holcomb, Mike Holcomb | 80.85 | 34.20 | 18 |
| 9 | Team SC Slime Time | Anthony Dallas, Tony Dallas | 69.70 | 30.85 | 17 |
| 10 | Team Carolina Blues | Joshua Coggins, Tim Coggins, Jimmy Holbrook | 67.30 | 23.60 | 16 |
| 11 | Team Let Em Pull | Evan Martin, Larry Godwin | 64.85 | 29.05 | 15 |
| 12 | Team Jamie K Outdoors | Clay Henderson, Jason Henderson, David Henderson, Landen Loftin | 64.35 | 24.85 | 14 |
| 13 | Team Tightline | Brian Snipes, Bubba Branch, Mason Brakefield, Jimmy Harbert | 63.35 | 28.90 | 13 |
| 14 | Team Zero | Brian Crook, Dillan Crook, Matt Bass | 60.30 | 33.45 | 12 |
| 15 | Team Backland Outdoors | Blake Williams, Jamie Williams, Madison Reynolds, Kaleb Page | 57.70 | 21.45 | 11 |
| 16 | Team Hard At It | Anthony Williams, Josh Christopher, Cameron Christopher, Layne Christopher | 57.05 | 32.20 | 10 |
| 17 | Team Rip Lipp | Ashley Campbell, Jennifer Campbell | 55.90 | 24.20 | 9 |
| 18 | Team Wicked Kitties | Devin McKinney, Tyler Murks, Trey Strickler | 55.55 | 24.20 | 8 |
| 19 | Team Chasing Whiskers | Kyle Hefner, Caitlin Propheter, Larry Hefner | 54.60 | 19.65 | 7 |
| 20 | Team DMT | David Catoe, Mike Rape, Tony Canthen | 54.50 | 20.40 | 6 |
| 21 | Team Trophy Hunter | John Terry, Joe Phoenix | 51.95 | 25.15 | 5 |
| 22 | Team Adversity | Jeff Outz, Kenny Sudderht | 49.20 | 19.80 | 5 |
| 23 | Team Cat Snatch Fever | Phil Rollings, Wesley Rollings, Michael Thomas, Chris Cook | 48.80 | 20.80 | 5 |
| 24 | Team Cattin’ Around | Robert Couick, Anthony Smith, Steve Brooks | 48.75 | 19.40 | 5 |
| 25 | Team Rod Down | Gene Gaston, Jonathan Brunet, Allison Brunet, Jennifer Gaston | 47.25 | 19.10 | 5 |
| 27 | Team Polekat | Benji Brown, Riley Brown | 45.70 | 20.20 | 5 |
| 26 | Team All For One Outdoors | Michael Anderson, Samuel Edwards | 45.70 | 18.20 | 5 |
| 28 | Team River Monkeys | Chan Oakley, Justin Brown | 44.90 | 15.35 | 5 |
| 29 | Team Whisker Gitters | Sam Williams III, Amy Williams, Sam Williams IV | 41.20 | 14.55 | 5 |
| 30 | Team Knot Workin’ | Andy Pitts, Rylan Debruhl, Chris Debruhl | 35.50 | 15.55 | 5 |
| 31 | Team Smokin’ Blues | David Carter, Jamie Carter, Brian Carter | 20.65 | 8.10 | 5 |
The other teams did not weigh in.
Total Weights
| Finish – Team – Anglers – Big Fish – Total Weight |
| 1. Team Buchcanan: Aaron Buchanan, Matt Hall – 35.95 & 105.65 |
| 2. Team Reelin’ the Blues: Jeff Manning, Michael Paciocco – 34.75 & 99.45 |
| 3. Team Keepin’ It Reel: Richard Warskow, Chris Lunsford – 37.3 & 98.1 |
| 4. Team In God We Trust: David Faulkenberry, Reece Holley – 43.1 & 96.05 |
| 5. Team 2nd String: Steve Whitley, Shane Owenby – 48.55 & 92.5 |
| 6. Team Ain’t Got A Clue: Brandon Whitley, Wayne Langley, Jeremy Wright – 45.4 & 91.6 |
| 7. Team Drifters: Aaron Hodge, Arnold Hodge, Joey Humphries – 42.05 & 81 |
| 8. Team Rusty Reels: Ken Kennamer, Clay Holcomb, Mike Holcomb – 34.2 & 80.85 |
| 9. Team SC Slime Time: Anthony Dallas, Tony Dallas – 30.85 & 69.7 |
| 10. Team Carolina Blues: Joshua Coggins, Tim Coggins, Jimmy Holbrook – 23.6 & 67.3 |
| 11. Team Let Em Pull: Evan Martin, Larry Godwin – 29.05 & 64.85 |
| 12. Team Jamie K Outdoors: Clay Henderson, Jason Henderson, David Henderson, Landen Loftin – 24.85 & 64.35 |
| 13. Team Tightline: Brian Snipes, Bubba Branch, Mason Brakefield, Jimmy Harbert – 28.9 & 63.35 |
| 14. Team Zero: Brian Crook, Dillan Crook, Matt Bass – 33.45 & 60.3 |
| 15. Team Backland Outdoors: Blake Williams, Jamie Williams, Madison Reynolds, Kaleb Page – 21.45 & 57.7 |
| 16. Team Hard At It: Anthony Williams, Josh Christopher, Cameron Christopher, Layne Christopher – 32.2 & 57.05 |
| 17. Team Rip Lipp: Ashley Campbell, Jennifer Campbell – 24.2 & 55.9 |
| 18. Team Wicked Kitties: Devin McKinney, Tyler Murks, Trey Strickler – 24.2 & 55.55 |
| 19. Team Chasing Whiskers: Kyle Hefner, Caitlin Propheter, Larry Hefner – 19.65 & 54.6 |
| 20. Team DMT: David Catoe, Mike Rape, Tony Canthen – 20.4 & 54.5 |
| 21. Team Trophy Hunter: John Terry, Joe Phoenix – 25.15 & 51.95 |
| 22. Team Adversity: Jeff Outz, Kenny Sudderht – 19.8 & 49.2 |
| 23. Team Cat Snatch Fever: Phil Rollings, Wesley Rollings, Michael Thomas, Chris Cook – 20.8 & 48.8 |
| 24. Team Cattin’ Around: Robert Couick, Anthony Smith, Steve Brooks – 19.4 & 48.75 |
| 25. Team Rod Down: Gene Gaston, Jonathan Brunet, Allison Brunet, Jennifer Gaston – 19.1 & 47.25 |
| 27. Team Polekat: Benji Brown, Riley Brown – 20.2 & 45.7 |
| 26. Team All For One Outdoors: Michael Anderson, Samuel Edwards – 18.2 & 45.7 |
| 28. Team River Monkeys: Chan Oakley, Justin Brown – 15.35 & 44.9 |
| 29. Team Whisker Gitters: Sam Williams III, Amy Williams, Sam Williams IV – 14.55 & 41.2 |
| 30. Team Knot Workin’: Andy Pitts, Rylan Debruhl, Chris Debruhl – 15.55 & 35.5 |
| 31. Team Smokin’ Blues: David Carter, Jamie Carter, Brian Carter – 8.1 & 20.65 |
The remaining teams did not weigh-in.
