LINCOLNTON — Brantley County High School’s bass fishing team had six more members qualify for the state finals here during the GHSA state bass fishing tournament March 8 at Clarks Hill Lake.
The two-person teams of Randy Johns-Payton Hanchey, Hayden Hickox-Brysen Chancey and Saybree Niece-Waylon Thomas will join Benjamin Carter and Carter Reed in the May 3 finals to be held at Lake Lanier.
The qualifier at Clarks Hill Lake was the second of three on the schedule after poor weather conditions from Winter Storm Enzo forced the cancellation of the January 25 tourney scheduled for Lake Seminole.
The final qualifier is scheduled for Saturday, April 5 at West Point.
There were 233 teams consisting of 446 student anglers competing for spots on Clarks Hill Lake. A total of 128 teams landed at least one bass with 105 being shutout.
A total of 424 fish were caught weighing a combined 874 lbs., 13 oz. The biggest bass weight seven lbs., with a big sack of 19 lbs., 3 oz., by winners Maddox Ferrell and Finley Edwards from the South Forsyth War Eagles.
The Carter-Steed duo earned a spot after placing 25th with five bass weighing 10 lbs., 11 oz., during the season-opening qualifer held February 8 on Lake Oconee.
They improved 12 spots to 13th turning in a five-catch limit weighing 14 pounds.
Johns and Payton (five fish) finished 26th improving 51 spots catching five fish with a weight of 10 lbs., 10 oz.
The duo of Hickox and Chancey (five) tied for 53rd overall with a weight of 7 lbs. 2 oz. They were seventh for those who had registered for the opening qualifier.
Niece and Thomas (five bass) tied for 55th with a weight of seven pounds. The pair did not fish at Lake Oconee.
Eli Crawford and Kolby Mc-Ceod (two fish) finished in a three-way tie for 93rd with a weight of 2 lbs., 13 oz. The team of Ryder Todd and Memphis Stewart finished 126th with one fish weighing one pound.
