On December 30, 2023, Hartwell, Georgia, played host to the American Fishing Tour Division 25 – South Carolina Northwest tournament held at the Gum Branch Tournament Facility near Hartwell, Georgia. This tournament saw the participation of twenty-six dedicated anglers, braving the elements of a cold and windy day for a day of competitive fishing. Ultimately, the day’s winner was Brody Manley, hailing from Pickens, South Carolina.
Manley’s brought in a haul of five substantial bass, that weighed an impressive total weight of 21.22 pounds. The highlight of his catch was a 6.60-pound largemouth bass. For the win, Brody Manley took the first-place title and $640. Brody’s 6.60 big bass also won the big bass pot for $130. In addition, took first place in the option pot and earned another $150.
The second-place was claimed by Justin Raines, a resident of Easley, South Carolina, who exhibited his angling prowess with a limit of five bass, amounting to a cumulative weight of 15.16 pounds. As a result of his performance, Raines was awarded second place and $389 in cash. Raines also took second place in the option pot, adding $100 to his earnings.
Bradley Day, hailing from Anderson, South Carolina, secured the third place with a five-fish catch that weighed in at 14.23 pounds, earning him $137 in cash.
In fourth-place was Lane Clark, also a resident of Anderson, South Carolina. Clark’s catch of five fish weighed in at 13.69 pounds, earning him a cash prize of $108.
The top 10 finishers in the tournament were as follows:
| wdt_ID | PL | Angler | Fish | BB | Total | Pnts | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Brody R. Manley | 5 | 6.60 | 21.22 | 200 | $640 |
| 2 | 2 | Justin K. Raines | 5 | 15.16 | 199 | $389 | |
| 3 | 3 | Bradley Day | 5 | 14.23 | 198 | $137 | |
| 4 | 4 | Lane Clark | 5 | 13.69 | 197 | $108 | |
| 5 | 5 | Brady M. Kimbrell | 5 | 13.67 | 196 | ||
| 6 | 6 | Joe W. Anders | 5 | 12.99 | 195 | ||
| 7 | 7 | Brad C. Benfield | 5 | 11.60 | 194 | ||
| 8 | 8 | Billy J. Ballard | 5 | 11.47 | 193 | ||
| 9 | 9 | Richard Presnell | 5 | 11.18 | 192 | ||
| 10 | 10 | Chad Hart | 5 | 10.51 | 191 |
The forthcoming tournament in this division is scheduled to take place on Sunday, January 14, 2024, at R. B. Russell, with the launch occurring at the Hwy. 72 ramp in Elberton, Georgia.
For further information about this event or the division, please get in touch with the local director, Zach Green, at (478)733-6473 or visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
These anglers earn valuable points toward the divisional angler of the year title. The points champion from each division will compete in the annual American Bass Anglers AFT Angler of The Year Final Round at the AFT Championship. In addition, the top 500 anglers from the various divisions will earn the right to compete in the three-day ABA, AFT National Championship tournament.
American Bass Anglers is sponsored by Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, T-H Marine, Power Pole, RT Outdoors, Optima Batteries, Hotel Planner.com, and LurePartsOnline.com.
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low-cost, close-to-home tournaments for the weekend angler and, at the same time, offering each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression.
For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Open Series, the American Fishing Tour, the American Couples Series, the annual Military Team Bass Tournament, and the Top 150 Solo Tour, all presented by Caymas Boats, visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406
