June 20, 2024, ATHENS, Ala. – American Bass Anglers is excited to announce the details of the 2025 ABA American Team Series Championship tournament, presented by Caymas Boats and hosted by SANTEE COOPER COUNTRY. The tournament will be held on Santee Cooper in Santee, South Carolina, on April 16, 17, and 18, 2025.
“This is the inaugural Team Series Championship, and we are excited to hold it on Santee Cooper,” said Morris Sheehan, Owner of American Bass Anglers. “This is the absolute best time to fish Santee Cooper, and the team will really enjoy the challenge and the experience. The community support is overwhelming, and we are proud for the Championship to be hosted by SANTEE COOPER COUNTRY.
The championship tournament will take place from April 16, 17, and 18, and will launch from John C. Land Landing. Registration for the event opens on December 2, 2024, and will remain open until April 7, 2025.
Participants should be aware of the off-limits period from Monday, March 3, 2025, through 6:00 am local time on Saturday, April 12, 2025. Official practice will be permitted from Saturday, April 12, 2025, 6 am local time, through Tuesday, 3 pm April 15, 2025. A mandatory check-in will be held on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, 5 pm local time at (LOCATION TBD).
The top 250 Teams by points nationally will be invited to the ABA Team Championship, provided the Teams have finished a minimum of four of their Divisional one-day qualifying events and one two-day Divisional Championship. Teams in the top 250 by points standings must confirm their intent to attend by registering not later than the date provided in the invitation to secure their position. After the date provided in the invitation, if any of the top 250 points holders have not registered, the remaining slots will be filled from a waiting list of qualified and pre-registered boaters by points. Each team will complete all three days of the event with no field cuts.
What’s on the Line
The event will pay a guaranteed $7,500 to first place and pay the top 20% of the field, with 130 qualified teams. Big Bass could be worth $1300 per day with a 130-boat field. (2025 will have a max of 130 teams who have qualified)
Also, there is a competition for the Team of the Year. Divisional AOYs will be invited to compete in the National Championship event for the ABA Team Series of the Year. The highest-finishing Divisional AOY Team at the National Championship will be the ABA Team Series Team of the Year. The 2025 Team Series Team of the Year will be awarded their entry fees for the 2025 season.
2025 Qualified Teams
| Captain | Hometown | Partner | Hometown |
| Jonathan Adams    | Phenix City AL | Jim English  | Gordon AL |
| Augustus Adcock   | Adairsville GA | Caleb Bennett  | Cartersville GA |
| Patrick Anderson | Ardmore AL | Michael Brown    | Madison AL |
| Austin Barnes   | White GA | Matthew OShields | Acworth GA |
| Scott Barnes   | Schellsburg PA | Steven Beard    | Manns Choice PA |
| Zach Barnes   | Franklinton LA | Bucky Adams    | Bogalusa LA |
| Jess Beihoffer | Soddy Daisy TN | Roy Massengale | Soddy Daisy TN |
| Kevin Benefield | Fayetteville GA | Jackson Benefield | Fayetteville GA |
| Andrew Blunier  | Roanoke IL | Cory Schirer  | Benson IL |
| Garrett Bowers   | Toccoa GA | Eran Bowers   | Toccoa GA |
| Wayne Boyd     | Rome GA | Thomas Womack   | Langston AL |
| Joe Bridges  | Northport AL | Philip Junkin   | Gordo AL |
| Mark Brinkman | Cumming GA | Sterling Roberts  | Cleveland GA |
| Jack Brown    | Ooltewah TN | Dylan Brown    | Ooltewah TN |
| Brian Calloway | Danville VA | Ray Toombs   | Drakes Branch VA |
| Rick Camp     | Ringgold TN | Jamie Hatcher  | Hixson TN |
| Julio Candelario | Midland GA | Hector Vasquez  | Columbus GA |
| Marshall Cash     | Anderson SC | Ronnie Harrison | Greenville SC |
| Ro Castillo | Birmingham AL | Chad Heller   | North Augusta SC |
| Hojin Chang    | Windermere FL | Walter Swafford | Winter Garden FL |
| Clayton Chasteen | Colbert GA | Logan Grimes   | Comer GA |
| Al Cleghorn | Fitzgerald AL | Josh Guy      | Ocilla GA |
| Burkitt Deacon Collins  | Tyrone GA | David Brown    | Fort Valley GA |
| Randall Collins  | Umatilla FL | Alicia Collins  | Umatilla FL |
| Gregory Crisp    | Harriman TN | Conner Nichols  | Kingston TN |
| Michael Crowe    | Kennesaw GA | Aaron Crowe    | Cartersville GA |
| Otis Darnell Jr | Linden VA | Ron Jennings | Bentonville VA |
| Joel Davis    | Saucier MS | Hiram King     | Biloxi MS |
| Henry Delancey | Biloxi MS | Luke Parker   | Biloxi MS |
| Patrick Dobbins  | Opelika AL | Chad Newbolt  | Opelika AL |
| Russell Dobbins  | Easley SC | Wayne Davenport | Pelzer SC |
| Michael Donaldson | Thorsby AL | Anthony Ellison  | Thorsby AL |
| Arnold Duck Jr  | Williamsport PA | Mark Giza     | Enola PA |
| Dustin Elrod    | Jasper GA | Timothy Logan    | Jasper GA |
| Jaiden Fincher  | Kiln MS | Hunter Ladner   | Diamondhead MS |
| John Fogleman | Durham NC | Doug Stallings | Stem NC |
| Jack Fowler   | Cuthbert GA | Larry McDonald | Cuthbert GA |
| Larry Franks   | Wilsonville AL | Larry Franks Sr | Wilsonville AL |
| Alexander Funke    | Oviedo FL | Josh Wolf     | Oviedo FL |
| James Gammons  | Ridgeway VA | Gary Gammons  | Ridgeway VA |
| Justin Goen     | Tate GA | Hannah Goen     | Woodstock GA |
| Douglas Goodall  | Wetumpka AL | Gene Townsend | Deatsville AL |
| Glenn Goodson  | Lagrange GA | William Goodson  | Prattville AL |
| Jamareon Green    | Canton GA | Justin Timme    | Canton GA |
| Zachary Green    | Elberton GA | Jeff Kepner   | Elberton GA |
| Paul Gring    | Ferrum VA | Billy Cunningham | Hurt VA |
| Stephen Haley    | Columbus OH | Eric Stewart Jr | Akron OH |
| Ethan Hall     | Sparta TN | Edward Hall     | Sparta TN |
| William Hallford | Enterprise AL | Stephen Tucker   | Eufaula AL |
| Chris Hamby    | Harriman TN | Justin Hackworth | Harriman TN |
| James Harper   | Abbeville AL | David Koon     | Abbeville AL |
| Jimmy Harrison | Marianna FL | Hubert Stafford | Colquitt GA |
| Cory Henry    | Watkinsville GA | Travis Mulkey   | Bethlehem GA |
| Roger Holtsclaw | Suffolk VA | Mike Holtsclaw | Limestone TN |
| Jonathan Houpt    | Buford GA | Paul Ellis    | Cumming GA |
| Joseph Hunter   | Cartersville GA | John Hunter   | Meansville GA |
| James Inabnett | De Leon Springs FL | John Kremer   | Orange City FL |
| John Ingram   | Hattiesburg MS | Donnie Tisdale  | Petal MS |
| Joe Jackson  | Newnan GA | Michael Popwell  | Suwanee GA |
| Elvin Jennings | Nathalie VA | Cathy Eades    | Evington VA |
| Rance Jiles Jr | Marietta GA | Rance Jiles Sr | Marietta GA |
| Bryan Johnson  | Lafayette GA | Carter Day      | Bryant AL |
| Nick Johnson  | Long Beach MS | Michael Johnson  | Pass Christian MS |
| Phil Johnson  | Cumming GA | Chuck Thrasher | Dallas GA |
| Grover Jones    | Starr SC | Wayman Coleman  | Abbeville SC |
| Donald Kneece   | Saluda SC | Phil Morris   | Saluda SC |
| George Kunkle III | Albertville AL | Clifton Holt     | Lillington NC |
| Mitchell Liss     | Grand Island FL | Joe Moore    | OBrien FL |
| Albert Little   | Aragon GA | Justin Still    | Flowery Branch GA |
| Floyd Long     | Harriman TN | Chad Payne    | Kingston TN |
| Joseph Lynch    | Waverly Hall GA | Joseph Lynch Jr | Waverly Hall GA |
| Brett Matthews | Cumming GA | Joe Woody    | Marietta GA |
| Billy McCarty  | Ware Shoals SC | Christopher Helton   | Greer SC |
| Daryl McClellon | Cornelia GA | Corey Buckner  | Toccoa GA |
| John McGuffee | Gulfport MS | Scott Press    | Gulfport MS |
| Gary Menninger | Scio OH | Adam Pearch   | Massillon OH |
| Brian Metcalf  | Pensacola FL | Michael Roush    | Huntsville AL |
| Kyle Metzger  | Pearl River MS | Joshua Dillon   | Slidell LA 70461 |
| Donald Miller   | Harlem GA | Mike Guilbeau | Evans GA |
| Payton Morgan   | Woodstock GA | Joe Morgan   | Woodstock GA |
| Daryl Morris   | Vernon FL | David Sharp    | Chipley FL |
| Kenneth Mott     | Gainesville GA | Brian Mott     | Gainesville GA |
| Douglas Myers    | Owens Cross Roads AL | Ryan Myers    | Owens Cross Roads AL |
| Michael Nix      | Liberty GA | Randy Webb     | Woodruff SC |
| Billy Norris   | Spring City TN | Joshua Norris   | Dayton TN |
| Tim OConnor  | Nokesville VA | Timothy OConnor  | Nokesville VA |
| Brady ONeil    | Springfield MO | Randy Chapman  | Springfield MO |
| Alex Pearce   | Resaca GA | Michael Keeney   | Cartersville GA |
| Todd Pearson  | Anderson SC | Johnny Hancox   | West Union SC |
| Austin Phillips | Cartersville GA | Josh Britton  | White GA |
| Michael Pierce   | Parma OH | Nick Prvonozac | Warren OH |
| Michael Rasmussen | Petersburg IL | Richard Rasmussen | Willowbrook IL |
| Alan Ray      | Georgetown GA | Bill Murdock  | Coleman GA |
| Chandler Ray      | Bainbridge GA | Bradley Enfinger | Donalsonville GA |
| Brian Reeves   | Benson IL | Cory Koch     | Roanoke IL |
| Lance Richards | Cartersville GA | Chad Davis    | Adairsville GA |
| Ernest Riddling | Melrose FL | Theodore Schwiegerath | Apopka FL |
| Robert Rouse    | Bradford IL | Riley Griffin  | Cherry IL |
| William Rutkowski | Riverview FL | William Rutkowski | St Augustine FL |
| Shane Salisbury | Alpharetta GA | Jack Uselton  | McDonough GA |
| Peter Saraf    | Kissimmee FL | Thomas Reeves   | Land O Lakes FL |
| John Sarfas   | Greenville SC | Timothy Kohler   | Greenville SC |
| Ryan Schario  | North Canton OH | Doug Schario  | North Canton OH |
| Noah Scott    | Tega Cay SC | Nathan Price    | Charlotte NC |
| Kyle Sellers  | Lumpkin AL | Douglas Beaver   | Richland GA |
| Jeff Shenk    | Rileyville VA | Brian Rhinehart | Luray VA |
| Chase Smith    | Atlanta GA | LaDonna Smith    | Atlanta GA |
| Joseph Smith    | Moody AL | Michael Ramsey   | Riverside AL |
| Scott Smith    | Crossville TN | Jerry Wood     | Crossville TN |
| Rick Southerland | Leesburg FL | Stephanie Nemkovich | Lake Panasoffkee FL |
| Roger Springs  | Osage Beach MO | James Stanford | Willard MO |
| Vaughn Stephen  | Lamar MO | Nikolas Stephen  | Lamar MO |
| Mike Strickland | Athens GA | Cory Mcgaha   | Danielsville GA |
| Jobe Stutzman | Millersburg OH | Jonathan Miller   | Dundee OH |
| Damian Szlachta | Center Valley PA | Nick Treadwell | Powder Springs GA |
| Randy Thornburg | Dallas GA | Ray Thornburg | Douglasville GA |
| Bryan Thurman  | Chipley FL | Bradford Hambric  | Leesburg GA |
| Jared Trimboli | Strongsville OH | Ben Mott     | North Royalpon OH |
| Richard Troncatti | Hagerstown MD | Zachary Schrock  | Williamsport MD |
| Bob Vosbury  | Gadsden AL | Gary Coe      | Pleasant Grove AL |
| Eric Weaver   | Strasburg OH | Michael Weaver   | Beach City OH |
| Jeff Wentink  | Chippewa Lake OH | Kerri Johnson  | Chippewa Lake OH |
| Tony Wilbert  | Cleveland TN | Mark Shugdinis | Athens TN |
| Steven Willard  | Acworth GA | Brandon Willard  | Acworth GA |
| Colton Wilson   | Hartwell GA | Michael Wilson   | Hartwell GA |
| George Wilson   | Donalsonville GA | John Givens   | Donalsonville GA |
| Charles Wood     | Chappells SC | Billy McCarty Jr | Chappells SC |
| Troy Woodham  | Prattville AL | Kevin Dickinson | Pike Road AL |
| Tim Worley   | Locust Grove GA | Guy Worley   | Woodstock GA |
| John Young    | Vancleave MS | Craig Jackson  | Poplarville MS |
Santee Cooper Country
Santee Cooper Country encompasses a rich natural and cultural heritage, providing visitors with an array of outdoor activities, historical sites, and local cuisine. The area is famous for its diverse wildlife, making it a haven for fishing, boating, bird watching, and other recreational pursuits. Anglers visiting for the tournament can take advantage of the region’s scenic beauty and the warm hospitality of its residents.
In addition to the competitive fishing, the event will provide participants with opportunities to enjoy the Santee area’s hospitality and natural beauty. The host hotel, Best Western Plus in Santee, SC, offers comfortable accommodations for participants and easy access to the tournament site.
Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie
Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie are the two primary reservoirs that make up the Santee Cooper system in South Carolina. Together, these lakes offer extensive recreational opportunities and are renowned for their excellent fishing.
Lake Marion:
- Size: Lake Marion is the largest lake in South Carolina, covering approximately 110,000 acres.
- Depth: It has a maximum depth of about 76 feet.
- Shoreline: The lake features 315 miles of shoreline with numerous shallow flats, drop-offs, points, and coves.
- Fishing: Known for its largemouth bass population, Lake Marion is a premier destination for bass fishing. It also supports a variety of other species, including catfish, crappie, and bream.
- Wildlife: The lake’s diverse ecosystem supports abundant wildlife, making it a great spot for bird-watching and other outdoor activities.
- Recreational Use: In addition to fishing, Lake Marion is popular for boating, kayaking, and camping, offering visitors a range of outdoor experiences.
Lake Moultrie:
- Size: Lake Moultrie covers about 60,400 acres.
- Depth: It has a maximum depth of around 75 feet.
- Shoreline: The lake boasts 210 miles of shoreline, characterized by clear waters and numerous underwater structures.
- Fishing: Lake Moultrie is famous for its trophy-sized catfish and also provides excellent opportunities for catching largemouth bass, striped bass, and crappie.
- Wildlife: Similar to Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie is rich in wildlife, making it a haven for nature enthusiasts.
- Recreational Use: The lake supports a variety of recreational activities, including boating, fishing, swimming, and camping. It is also known for its scenic beauty and tranquil environment.
- Safety: Unlike Lake Marion, most of Lake Moultrie was timbered before impoundment. However, caution is urged when navigating in shallow water on Lake Moultrie, as many submerged stumps are present on its gently sloping shorelines.
Both lakes are interconnected by a canal, allowing for easy navigation between them. The Santee Cooper region’s natural beauty, abundant wildlife, and diverse recreational opportunities make it an ideal location for the 2025 ABA American Team Series Championship.
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 Team Series and other series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406.
American Bass Anglers is proud to be sponsored by Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, T-H Marine, Power Pole, Optima Batteries, Hotel Planner.com, and LurePartsOnline.com.
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, including the Team Series, American Fishing Tour, American Couples Series, annual Military Team Bass Tournament, ABA Team Series, Top 150 Solo Tour, and Pro League, all presented by Caymas Boats, please visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406.
