March 21, 2026, Seneca, South Carolina – Cole Taylor and Addyson Hale claimed victory at the 7th tournament of the American Bass Anglers Couples Series, South Carolina Division 11, held on Lake Keowee. With a strong field of returning couples and new faces, the event crackled with excitement as anglers worked the water in pursuit of big bites and bragging rights.
Cole Taylor and Addyson Hale tied both the divisional and national points lead by securing first place with a total weight of 16.99 pounds. The team focused on docks leading into spawning flats with a Neko rig and drop shot. Their standout catch included Cole’s biggest of 4.27 pounds and Addyson’s biggest weighing in at 3.21 pounds. Their first place finish earned them 200 points and $895.
In second place, Joe Anders and Shianne Parker brought in a total of 15.21 pounds, highlighted by Joe’s biggest at 3.71 pounds. Their efforts earned them 199 points and $413. Joe shared that he and Shianne always enjoy the couples tournament and had a great trip to Keowee, especially with the weather- it felt like June in March. I think that had the fish sitting up higher in the water column and we had to figure them out as the day went on. Joe caught his better spotted bass throwing a Zoom Horny Toad and Yum Money Minnow around boat docks on the lower end of the lake. The bass seemed to be biting better when it warmed up and the wind got going in the afternoon.
Harry Johnson, fishing solo for the team of Harry and Kim Johnson, weighed 12.51 pounds to take third-place finish, earning them 198 points and $248. Harry credited his catch to drop shot around docks, skipping docks and bed fishing.
Ben and Ashley Sutton secured the final payout with 12.46 pounds for fourth place. Ben and Ashley began their day targeting schooling fish, but those efforts produced only smaller catches. They shifted to the bank in search of bed fish and were fortunate to locate a few quality bites. Thanks to all our sponsors for their continued support
Top 10 Results
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Pl | Name | F | MBB | LBB | Total | Pnts | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | 1 | Cole Taylor-Addyson Hale | 5 | 4.27 | 3.21 | 16.99 | 200 | 825 |
| 2 | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | 2 | Joe Anders-Shianne Parker | 5 | 3.71 | - | 15.21 | 199 | 413 |
| 3 | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | 3 | Harry Johnson-Kim Johnson | 5 | 3.08 | - | 12.51 | 198 | 248 |
| 4 | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | 4 | Ben Sutton-Ashley Sutton | 5 | 3.26 | - | 12.46 | 197 | 168 |
| 5 | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | 5 | John Mills-Susan Mills | 5 | - | 3.32 | 12.32 | 196 | - |
| 6 | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | 6 | Don Goodfellow-Martha Goodfellow | 5 | - | 3.44 | 12.14 | 195 | - |
| 7 | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | 7 | Brian Tidwell-Nicole Tidwell | 5 | 2.83 | 1.71 | 11.95 | 194 | - |
| 8 | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | 8 | Aaron Martin-Kristian Martin | 5 | 3.34 | - | 11.43 | 193 | - |
| 9 | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | 9 | David Lanier-Lexi Moncus | 5 | 3.38 | - | 11.41 | 192 | - |
| 10 | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | dhagood | 03/30/2026 01:37 PM | 10 | Gregg Boggs-Marybeth Thomas | 5 | 2.9 | - | 10.92 | 191 | - |
Lady’s Big Bass was awarded to Martha Goodfellow for her 3.44-pound catch earning $90
Men’s Big Bass was awarded to Shaun Honea for his 4.87-pound catch earning $110.
Everyone has those days on the water when you catch fish but they all seem to be fanners or you just never get that kicker you’ve been looking for. Well, thanks to Berkeley Outdoors, one of our generous sponsors, our couples can still get a payday if they weigh in the smallest 5-fish limit. Eric & Alicia Simpson were the recipients of the Berkeley Outdoors $50 Smallest Limit Award with 5 bass weighing 8.89-pounds.
Thanks to our local sponsors we can provide drawings for those teams that do not earn a paycheck.
The South Carolina ABA Couples trail is honored to be sponsored by ALX Rods, Berkeley Outdoors, Berkley Baits, Five Bass Tackle, JC’s Outdoors, Kissel Krafts Custom Rods, Lew’s, McElveen, Phantom Outdoors, StrikeKing, and Yo-zuri.
Looking Ahead
The next event for the South Carolina Division 11 trail will take place April 11th out of Allison Creek on Lake Wiley. Stay tuned for more exciting action and updates. For more information about the South Carolina American Bass Anglers Couples Series and upcoming events, visit the Facebook page: South Carolina ABA Couples Trail.
In the American Couples Series, anglers pair up for a team effort. Most teams consist of a husband and a wife, but that’s not a rule. Teams can consist of a boyfriend and girlfriend combination, a father and daughter duo, or any combination of one male and one female.
The teams compete in several regional or state divisions throughout the year. Once a pair forms a team, however, the two must fish together as a team throughout the season to be eligible to accumulate points and qualify for the annual national championship.
The entry fee for the American Couples Series one-day events is $100 and the top teams are invited to compete in the championship each fall.
About American Bass Anglers
American Bass Anglers, committed to providing low-cost, close-to-home tournaments, offers an exciting platform for individual angler progression. With the support of industry-leading companies, ABA continues to advance the sport of bass fishing.
For more information about the American Fishing Tour and other series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406.
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is dedicated to organizing affordable, local tournaments for weekend anglers while offering opportunities for individual angler advancement. To learn more about American Bass Anglers, please visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406.
