North Carolina’s Souther targets herring spawn with topwater to win Phoenix Bass Fishing League event at Lake Hartwell

Bostic, North Carolina’s Killian tops Strike King co-angler division

April 29, 2024 • MLF • Phoenix Bass Fishing League

ANDERSON, S.C. – Boater T.J. Souther of Brevard, North Carolina, caught a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 13 ounces, Saturday to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hartwell. Hosted by Visit Anderson, the tournament was the third event of the season for the BFL South Carolina Division. Souther earned $10,247, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

Not surprisingly, Souther caught his fish targeting the herring spawn. This pattern is prevalent throughout Carolina lakes where blueback herring are present.

“I fished from Andersonville Island to the dam just covering a ton of water,” he said. “It was really, really tough. I only caught seven all day but just got the right bites.”

Souther rotated through 50 to 60 places. They’re mostly shallow, flat rocky points where the herring spawn, and his rotation included a few “sneakier” areas that he felt were getting less pressure.

“Really the key thing this morning was the wind was blowing for the first two or three hours,” Souther said. “Most of the good fish that I had, I had early. I did catch one late that helped me. Winning by an ounce, it definitely helped.”

That late fish weighed about 2 1/4 pounds and culled out a 1 3/4-pound fish.

“It was really just about hitting as many places as I could early,” he said. “I would pull up and make 10 casts, and if I didn’t get bit I was on to the next one just trying to run into some when they were feeding.”

Souther’s key lure was a chrome Ima Little Stik topwater bait. He also caught a couple on a 5-inch swimbait.

“It’s been a cool experience,” added Souther, who works as a boat mechanic. “It’s the first one I’ve ever won, so I’m super excited about it.”

The Top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st: T.J. Souther, Brevard, N.C., five bass, 16-13, $10,247 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Jayme Rampey, Liberty, S.C., five bass, 16-12, $1,623
3rd: Bradley Day, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 16-0, $1,082
4th: Darren Ashley, Calhoun Falls, S.C., five bass, 14-9, $1,148
5th: Scott Browning, Franklin, N.C., five bass, 14-8, $649
6th: Justin Raines, Easley, S.C., five bass, 14-7, $895
7th: John Parker, Gaffney, S.C., five bass, 14-4, $541
8th: Joe Anders, Easley, S.C., five bass, 14-0, $487
9th: Brad Benfield, Demorest, Ga., five bass, 13-13, $433
10th: Lane Clark, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 13-6, $379

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Darren Ashley of Calhoun Falls, South Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 15 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $390.

Trent Killian of Bostic, North Carolina, won the Strike King co-angler division and $1,818 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds, 3 ounces.

The Top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st: Trent Killian, Bostic, N.C., five bass, 16-3, $1,818
2nd: Gibson Huntley, Inman, S.C., five bass, 11-12, $812
3rd: Darren Jeter, Candler, N.C., five bass, 11-11, $541
4th: Brennan Gunther, Johns Island, S.C., five bass, 11-7, $379
5th: Wayne Smelser, Wytheville, Va., five bass, 10-12, $325
6th: Mark Lee, Gastonia, N.C., four bass, 10-9, $298
7th: Austin Leroy, Inman, S.C., five bass, 10-3, $271
8th: Dustan Hudson, Grover, N.C., five bass, 10-1, $244
9th: Thomas Pennell III, Boiling Springs, S.C., five bass, 10-0, $216
10th: Gregory Haverlock, Indian Trail, N.C., four bass, 9-15, $189

Killian also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $195 by catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 15 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After three events, Kevin Chandler of New London, North Carolina, leads the Fishing Clash South Carolina Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 718 points, while Todd Huntley of Inman, South Carolina, leads the Fishing Clash South Carolina Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 723 points.

The next event for BFL South Carolina Division anglers will be held June 22, at Clarks Hill in Appling, Georgia. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call 270-252-1000.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.