2023 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes: Robertson Claims Lead!

Canadians: Chris Johnston 15th, Gustafson 48th, Gallant 60th &  Cory Johnston 67th

Matt Robertson of Kuttawa, Ky., is leading after Day 1 of the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes with 28 pounds, 1 ounce. ( Photo:Seigo Satio) 

BASS PRESS RELEASE

CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — Capitalizing on an early start, Matt Robertson of Kuttawa, Ky., caught a five-bass limit of 28 pounds, 1 ounce to lead Day 1 of the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes.

 

Coming off a Top 30 finish at last week’s Elite Series event at Lake Murray, Robertson heads into Friday’s second round leading rookie Bryant Smith of California by just over a pound.

 

Noting that he's fishing the way he likes to fish, Robertson said he focused mostly on postspawn bass. He spent time in Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie and caught bass in two different areas.

 

“I’m running a shad spawn early and then later in the morning, I’m going fishing for postspawners,” Robertson said. “I was done by about 10:30 or 11.”

2013 Walmart FLW Beaver Lake Day 2: Coulter in Lead at Alabama Rig Fest!

Johnson leads co-anglers by 3 pounds
by Kyle Wood

FLW Press Release

ROGERS, Ark. – With this being the second day after a front, most people figured the bite would slip on Beaver. To degree that was the case with several of the top pros from day one failing to match their catches. But day two of the Walmart FLW Tour on Beaver Lake was highlighted with consistent catches, some big stringers and the Alabama rig.

Coming into this tournament a lot of the focus was on how big of a factor the A-rig would become. The general consensus was the rig could hold up early in the derby but would slowly dwindle throughout the event. Today was a case of several anglers making huge moves on the leaderboard including Brandon Coulter who has utilized nothing but the rig to move into the lead.

With 17 pounds, 3 ounces on day one, Coulter went back to work to haul in 14-12 today. The Tennessee resident kept the same three rods on his deck consisting of umbrella rigs and now holds a total weight of 31-15 and the lead by 1-12.

All smiles as Coulter takes lead on difficult day.
(Photo: FLW)

“I think the momentum I have really started at the beginning of the year for me,” said Coulter. “My son told me to just go out and catch 12 pounds on the second day of Okeechobee and just cash a check. That made me realize all I have been doing for the past few years is just trying to cash a check and not win. Since then I have been fishing much more relaxed, calm and comfortable – I put no pressure on myself.”

With a less than favorable track record on Beaver, Coulter opted to arm himself with three different umbrella rigs and target transition areas. So far the decision is paying off.

“I went to a lay-down this morning that I caught my second biggest bass on yesterday,” the Knoxville, Tenn., native said. “I figured I could start there and catch a limit quick like I did yesterday, but it was nothing but crickets this morning. I went back there later and caught a solid fish off it. On my next cast back at the lay-down I got hung up and one eats one of the free swimbaits and pulls it off the tree. On my very next cast after that I caught a 4-pounder. You can’t create stuff like that; sometimes things just go your way.”

2013 Walmart FLW Beaver Lake Day 1: Benton Take Lead with 18 Pounds

FLW Press Release

ROGERS, Ark. – Rookie pro Drew Benton of Panama City, Fla., brought a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce to the scales Thursday to lead day one of the Walmart FLW Tour at Beaver Lake presented by Kellogg’s. Benton holds a 14-ounce lead over Brandon Coulter of Knoxville, Tenn., who caught five bass weighing 17-3 in a tournament of the world’s best bass-fishing pros competing in the four-day event with a top cash award of up to $125,000.

“I was pleasantly surprised with how my day went,” said Benton, who was the FLW Tour season opener champion at Lake Okeechobee. “I caught over 20 keepers today. I had some bites in the last day of practice that I had shook off and I didn’t really know how big they were. I went back to that area today and they were a little bigger than I had expected.

“I’m fishing in some stained water, doing what I’m used to doing,” Benton continued. “I’m running a long way up the river. I have seen some boats, but no one is fishing close to me.”

Benton said that all of his fish that he caught Thursday came on a Yum Yumbrella rig, but said he was fishing it differently than his competitors.

Drew Benton 2013 Walmart FLW Lake Okeechobee Champ!

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Consistent week helps Benton on
cold front last day.
(FLW Photos)

CLEWISTON, Fla. – Twenty-four year-old rookie Drew Benton of Panama City, Fla., was fishing in his first event as a professional this week and caught a 7-pound kicker bass with only seven minutes to spare to win the Walmart FLW Tour on Lake Okeechobee presented by Mercury on Sunday. That fish pushed Benton’s day 4 weight to 13 poounds, 4 ounces and his total four-day weight to 75 pounds, 7 ounces and was enough to best 174 of the top bass anglers in the world to earn him a $100,000 paycheck. Finishing in second place was Keystone Light pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, Calif., who weighed in 20 bass totaling 70 pounds, 8 ounces.

“Fishing in my first ever Tour event, I never expected this,” said Benton, whose previous high finish was a 14th-place effort in EverStart competition on Lake Seminole. “I have to pay my entry fees all on my own, so this is such a big step for me. Now I can actually relax and fish for the rest of the year and not have to worry about just making a check.”

Like Saturday, Sunday’s fishing conditions were windy and tough. Benton made several runs back and forth to areas in South Bay and Turners Cove and burned through ¾ of a tank of gas by scrambling to try and catch enough weight.

“It was such a grind,” Benton said. “I started the day in South Bay, then went to Turners. Nothing was happening there, so I went back to South Bay and checked it again. I fished there for three hours and was only able to catch two keepers. So, I ran back to Turners and was able to finish out a small limit. I didn’t catch my limit of fish until 1:45 p.m. I told the camera man that I had to run and try and catch a big one. So I made the run back down to South Bay, and that’s when I got the kicker.”

Benton said the kicker – a 7-pound Okeechobee behemoth – came while throwing an entirely different bait than he had used all week.

“I had thrown a PGM Lures bladed swimjig all day and not had one bite on it,” Benton said. “I decided to try a Hildebrandt white and gold-bladed spinnerbait, and it bit.”

2013 FLW Lake Okeechobee Day 3: Huge Flip Flop Lands Benton in Lead

By Luigi De Rose

Strong north wind wrecks havoc with the Top 20 anglers on day 3 of the first stop of the 2013 FLW tour. Day 2 leader Rick Cotton, only lands 3 bass for 7 pounds, dropping him to second. A far cry from his 30-03 bag yesterday,  Cotton remains optimistic as the wind will shift from the north to south east. He feels it will help productive areas remain sheltered and clear.

Consistency has propelled Florida angler Drew Benton into first. He only brought 15 pound to the scales today but on the back of two 23 pound days, today' limit was enough to push him pass all others. He was unsure how day 4 will unfold but is glad to be leading.

Tremendous fishing pressure and two cold fronts seemed to take their toll but on everyone except Brent Ehrler. He's sitting in 3rd with the day's best catch of 20-02 pounds. As for the rest of the Top 20, many had dismal results scattering the leader board. Brent is sharing his main area with Chad Grigsby might succumb to over fishing. Chad's catch of 10 pounds dropped him all the way to 8th place.  Wade Henricks and Mike Neil, both of Tennessee round out the rest of the top 5.

Sunday, the last day, will be very interesting. A wind switch, more large spawning bass advancing toward top anglers and a limited field should make for a nail biting final weigh-in.