SUMMERTON, S.C. – The Walmart Bass Fishing League is headed to Santee Cooper April 9 for the third of five stops in the South Carolina Division. As many as 400 boaters and co-anglers will be competing for top awards of up to $9,500 and $3,000, respectively.
“It could take 25 pounds or more to win,” said FLW Tour pro Michael Murphy of Gilbert, S.C. “They’re definitely spawning. You’re talking the front side of a full moon and the fish will be coming in and the fishing should be pretty awesome, I would think.”
Murphy said anglers should be able to sight fish for spawning bass in the lower lake, but fishermen will also be able to find spawning bass in cypress trees upriver.
“Guys fishing the cypress trees will be able to throw a spinnerbait or a swimbait and cover a lot of water and have a good day of it,” Murphy said. “If you know there’s fish in the area you should slow down and Texas-rig the knobs of those cypress trees. If you catch a 2-pounder off of a cypress tree on a spinnerbait or something, I would definitely pick that tree apart because there may be a big one in there with it.”
Takeoff and weigh-in will be at John C Land III Landing on County Road 260 in Summerton, S.C. Takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. while weigh-in will begin at 3 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
The Santee Cooper BFL tournament is being hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce.
Bass Fishing League competition is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers offering bigger prizes to those who qualify for the regional championships and those who make it to one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American presented by Chevy. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
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About FLW Outdoors
FLW Outdoors is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world offering anglers worldwide the opportunity to compete for millions over the course of 191 tournaments in 2011. FLW Outdoors has taken fishing mainstream with the world’s richest fantasy sports game, FLW Fantasy Fishing presented by Straight Talk, where competitors can play for free as well as sign up for Player’s Advantage to gain an edge. For more information about FLW Outdoors and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com.