“Lake Wylie is usually one of our best draws, with around 180 boats usually,” said Collins who noted that registrations were up to more than 150 on Tuesday evening, more than 24 hours before the cut-off at midnight Wednesday. “We have teams from Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland fishing the NC CBC Division,” Collins said.

Fishing is heating up at just the right time for the tournament, too, he added.

“In the past few weeks as much as 24 pounds has won local events on the lake. The weather is much improved this week, though some fish will still be deep. But if the rain comes later in the week and puts some color in the water this could be our best Wylie event yet as far as weights,” Collins said.

He noted that Thomas Hardwick and Tommy Williams who won the inaugural 2015 NC Division tournament on Lake Norman Feb. 14 will be looking to extend their hold on the top spot in the points standings – and the odds could be in their favor. “Lake Wylie is their home lake,” Collins said.

Hardwick and Williams topped the 184-boat field on Lake Norman with a five-fish limit at 18.75 pounds, including the tournament big fish at 6.4 pounds, earning a total of $15,500 for the day. Their win money included $3,000 in Skeeter Real Money and $2,500 as the highest finishing Skeeter in the tournament.

The CBC North Carolina Division schedule includes: Lake Wylie March 21, Jordan Lake April 4, Lake Hickory May 9 and then to High Rock Lake for a double-points tournament June 20. The North Carolina State Championship will be held Oct. 10, with the CBC Classic Oct. 23-24 on Clarks Hill Lake out of Wildwood Park.

The CBC operates a full tournament schedule in South Carolina and North Carolina with outstanding payback and rewards. First place in every CBC tournament is guaranteed a minimum of $8,000, more depending on the number of entries, Collins said. The big fish winner in each tournament earns a check for $1,000 and there is a $5,000 Skeeter Bonus for each tournament for registered owners of Skeeter Boats.

“The Skeeter Bonus is split three ways, $2,500 for the highest finishing Skeeter, $1,500 for the second highest finishing Skeeter and $1,000 for the third highest finishing Skeeter,” Collins said.

Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Foothills Marine Center in Morganton, N.C., Marshall’s Marine Center in Lake City, S.C., and Palmetto Marine Center in Greenville, S.C., teamed up to support the 2015 Carolinas Bass Challenge.

The top teams of the 2015 South Carolina and North Carolina State Championships will both win a Skeeter TZX190/150 with a Yamaha 150. A ZX200/200 Yamaha SHO will be awarded to the winning team in the 2014 CBC Classic.

The big payouts in both the state qualifying tournaments, the state championships and the CBC Classic are drawing a lot of attention from anglers all over, Collins said.

 

Carolinas Bass Challenge – NC Division

Sat, Mar 21, 2015

Lake Wylie

Ebenezer Access Area

Call Brett Collins 803-413-7521

www.carolinasbasschallenge.com