Chandler Flipped Shallow Bushes

Forsee nets co-angler title on High Rock Lake

Kevin Chandler of New London, North Carolina, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 20 pounds, 12 ounces, Saturday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) North Carolina Division tournament on High Rock Lake presented by Navionics. Chandler took home $6,119 for his victory.

Chandler spent his day flipping mid-lake bushes on the main-lake channel. He says he preferred bushes that were shallow, specifically in 12 to 14 inches of water.

“A lot of anglers were fishing the backs of creeks, so the bushes were overlooked,” says Chandler, who earned his fourth win in FLW competition. “All of the fish I weighed in came from two areas. They were prespawn, just about ready to spawn.

“I used one bait to catch my limit – a green-pumpkin-brown Dirty South Lures jig with a green-pumpkin Zoom Super Chunk trailer,” says Chandler. “I flipped directly to the middle of the bush. Most of the fish bit as soon as it entered the water.”

Chandler caught approximately 10 keepers throughout the event.

“I caught a 4½-pounder on my second flip,” says Chandler. “I had everything I brought to the scale by 10 a.m.”

The top 10 boaters:

1^st:          Kevin Chandler, New London, N.C., five bass, 20-12, $4,119 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2^nd:         James Blankenship, Siler City, N.C., five bass, 16-15, $2,359

3^rd:          Russell Corry, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 15-2, $1,374

4^th:          John Farmer, Sherrills Ford, N.C., five bass, 13-12, $961

5^th:          Chad Poteat, Mount Airy, N.C., five bass, 12-14, $824

6^th:          Jeff Queen, Catawba, N.C., four bass, 12-6, $720

6^th:          Richard Bradford, Hoffman, N.C., five bass, 12-6, $720

8^th:          Carson Orellana, Mooresville, N.C., five bass, 12-4, $618

9^th:          Tony Holliday, Piedmont, S.C., five bass, 12-2, $549

10^th:        Charles Bowman, Kernersville, N.C., three bass, 12-1, $480

Complete results can be found here.  

Ryan Deal of Indian Trail, North Carolina, caught a 6-pound, 12-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $565.

Forsee wins co-angler title

Bryan Forsee of Statesville, North Carolina, weighed in two bass totaling 12 pounds, 7 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,341.

The top 10 co-anglers:

1^st:          Bryan Forsee, Statesville, N.C., two bass, 12-7, $2,341

2^nd:         Michael Smith, Lexington, N.C., four bass, 9-2, $1,030

3^rd:          Wayne Smelser, Rural Retreat, Va., three bass, 8-8, $687

4^th:          Chip Crews, Trinity, N.C., three bass, 8-1, $480

5^th:          Tristen Trull, Mount Holly, N.C., two bass, 7-5, $412

6^th:          Kurt Moser, Max Meadows, Va., one bass, 6-4, $378

7^th:          Louis Kraft, Salisbury, N.C., one bass, 5-15, $343

8^th:          Eddie Cook, Clemmons, N.C., two bass, 5-13, $274

8^th:          Greg Deal, China Grove, N.C., two bass, 5-13, $274

8^th:          Kyle Richardt, Raleigh, N.C., three bass, 5-13, $274

Forsee also caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $282.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 27-29 Regional Championship on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.