The Carolina Anglers Team Trail Summer Final on the Santee Cooper lakes Saturday should be a real shootout, according to tournament director Brett Collins.

“Brett Mitchell and Jerry Montjoy have been on top most of the Summer but last year’s Santee Summer Final winners Chris Brunson and Nelson Walker are also in the field,” said Collins. “When you add in longtime Santee fishermen Joe Avins and Larry Avins and there will be some stiff competition Saturday.”

Mitchell and Montjoy, who won three of the four summer tournaments, finished the regular season as points champions and will receive a free entry in the final Saturday, Collins said. Mitchell and Montjoy won both June tournaments, then Mitchell teamed with Jeff Bunch to win the July 9 tournament. Mitchell and Montjoy finished third in the final regular season tournament July 23.

“The winners in the final Saturday could possibly take home more than $2,000 if at least 90 percent of the teams eligible for the summer final show up to fish,” Collins said.

Although winning weights in June averaged over 17 pounds, the consistently hot weather in July brought the weights down to around 14 pounds, but Collins said fishing should be pretty good on Saturday.

“Grass is back in a big way at Santee and topwater early could produce. The guys fishing in the upper parts of Lake Marion may hold an edge with the water temperature a little cooler in that area. Flipping cypress trees this time of year with worms seems to be popular,” Collins said.

Saturday’s Summer Final will mark the end of CATT activity on Santee Cooper for this year as Collins announced he will not hold a Fall Series, but he did reveal plans for increased tournament scheduling in 2012.

“In 2012 we will run the regular CATT Santee Spring Trail but we plan to add a TOM CATT Trail also. Entry fee is $120 for each TOM CATT tournament which will consist of 6 to 8 events,” said Collins, “plus $25 for the optional Big Fish pot.”

“The 2012 Santee TOM CATT Point winners will fish the 2013 Santee TOM CATT free. Point winners also will receive $250, 2nd in the points $150 and 3rd in the points $100.”

Collins said the TOM CATT Trail, which will be scheduled on different dates than the regular CATT Trail tournaments on Santee, will have a higher entry fee than the regular CATT Trail, but will offer anglers a chance to win even more cash. The regular CATT rules apply to the TOM CATT Series.

Collins debuted a six-tournament TOM CATT Trail on Lake Wateree July 30, with the next Wateree TOM CATT scheduled Aug. 20.

Jimmy McFarland and Calvin Griggs won the inaugural TOM CATT on Lake Wateree July 30 with a limit that weighed 18 pounds, 15 ounces. They won $780 for 1st Place, $140 for the Big Fish which weighed 5 pounds, 3 ounces, plus the bonus of of $240.00 giving them a total of $1,160.

 

Carolina Anglers Team Trail 2011 – Santee Summer Final

Sat, Aug 6, 2011

Santee Cooper Lakes

John C. Land III Landing

Call Brett Collins 803-413-7521

www.catttrail.com