HENDERSON, N.C. – Moo Bae of West Friendship, Md., won the Co-angler Division of the Stren Series event on Kerr Lake with a four-day total of 32 pounds, 15 ounces.
Since Bae is a Ranger owner, his top prize consisted of a Ranger Boat plus $5,000 cash.
Bae began day four in third place and spent the day with crankbait legend David Wright of Lexington, N.C.
At one point, Wright actually cut a crankbait off his line and lent it to Bae who proceeded to boat three of his biggest keepers on it to round out a five-bass limit weighing 11 pounds, 4 ounces for the win.
“This is unbelievable,” Bae said after his win. “I still can’t believe this is happening – I’m on cloud nine – it’s a dream come true. The stars just lined up right for me this week, and I drew the right pros.
“I can’t thank David Wright enough – he is the king of crankbaits,” Bae continued. “He handed me his crankbait, and I caught three of my bass on it. The last 30 minutes of our fishing day was the best fishing I’ve ever experienced.”
During the week, Bae also relied on a Zoom finesse worm on a 3/16-ounce shaky head rigged on 8-pound P-Line to make the finals.
“The shaky head is my go to lure,” he said. “When I’m feeling pressured, I pick it up and it helps me relax, get focused and catch a few fish.”
Hayden runner-up
Jerry Hayden of Charlotte, N.C., finished second in the Co-angler Division with 31 pounds, 7 ounces worth $2,662.
Hayden relied on a 4-inch Senko in green-pumpkin rigged wacky style and sweetened with a pair of rattles in the tail to catch a majority of his fish this week.
Carroll third
Billy Carroll of Fayetteville, N.C., finished third with a four-day total of 29 pounds, 2 ounces for $2,164.
Carroll’s lure lineup included a Texas-rigged Trick Worm, a Senko fished on both a Texas rig and a Carolina rig, and a Rat-L-Trap.
Rest of the best
Matthew Jennings of Suffolk, Va., finished in fourth place with a four-day total of 28 pounds, 1 ounce and collected $1,663.
Mike McDonald of Randleman, N.C., finished fifth with a four-day total of 26 pounds, 9 ounces worth $1,331.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the Stren Series event on Kerr Reservoir:
6th: Chris Sims of Virginia Beach, Va., four-day total of 22-9, $1,263
7th: Adam Straub of Pittsburgh, four-day total of 22-1, $1,198
8th: Justin White of Slippery Rock, Pa., four-day total of 20-10, $1,133
9th: William Dorton of Church Road, Va., four-day total 20-3, $1,064
10th: Tony Dorman of Springville, Pa., four-day total 17-5, $998
Coming up
The fourth and final Stren Series event of the Northern Division will take place on the Potomac River Oct. 15-18.