EverStart Eastern tourney begins under heavy rain
MANNING, S.C. – Anglers took off from John C. Land boat ramp at 7 a.m. to begin the third EverStart Series Eastern Division tournament of the season in Central South Carolina Wednesday. While competitors struggled to stay dry as steady – at times torrential – rain fell on lakes Marion and Moultrie early this morning, there was a buzz among anglers about the prospect of some very big catches coming out of Santee Cooper lakes this week. The bass are spawning here this week, and that could lead to yet another record-setting tournament at Santee Cooper.
The last two years, the Eastern Division tournament at Santee Cooper has broken catch weight records. In 2000, pro winner William Smith of nearby Monck’s Corner, S.C., set an EverStart Series final-round five-bass weight record with 21 pounds, 3 ounces at Santee Cooper. Last year Ricky Shumpert of Lexington, S.C., who finished second here behind Smith in 2000, smashed that mark in the final round and won with a catch of 28 pounds, 2 ounces – a record that still stands.
Both Shumpert and Smith are competing here again this week, and both are expected to do well.
Record-setting catch weights like we’ve seen at Santee Cooper the last two years are most often the result of anglers being able to key on big, spawning females in the shallows. Historically, the spawn has petered out in this region by mid-April (this tourney was held here in March the last two years), but a late winter season has apparently held off enough spawning bass until April this year to ensure that this EverStart event will likely once again see some of the biggest and the best from the prolific Santee Cooper bass fishery. Doesn’t expect the rain forecasted throughout the week to affect the bass bite too greatly.
Day-one weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. at the John C. Land Boating and Sportfishing Facility south of Manning. The four-day $210,000 tournament ends Saturday, when the pro winner will receive $15,000 and a Ranger boat and the co-angler winner will receive $6,000.
Vital statistics
Sunrise: 6:57 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 63 degrees
Expected high temperature: 74 degrees
Wind: From the northeast 5 to 10 mph
Relative humidity: 100 percent
Day’s outlook: Cloudy with rain in the morning. Scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Day-one links: