April 6th Lake Wylie, York, SC. Mike and Kinzie Criminger of Bessemer City, NC won the American Couples Series South Carolina Division tournament presented by American Bass Anglers. Running out of Allison Creek Park in York, SC. Mike and Kinzie brought back 5 bass that locked in the scales at 16.39 pounds anchored by a 4.45-pound kicker. For the victory Mike and Kinzie took home a check for $475.
Kinzie shared, “We fished shallow all day and found all of our fish on lay downs. We were both fishing with spinner baits. We had our limit early in the day and were able to cull in the afternoon. We always have a great time fishing with such a great group of people! As always, a huge Thank You to Tom and Missy for all your hard work on this tournament trail!”
Second place was claimed by Harry & Kim Johnson with 5 bass weighing a total of 10.66 pounds. For their efforts Harry & Kim took home $300 in prize money.
Harry and Kim caught a limit by 9:00. Most of their fish were caught on soft plastics. After a long lull without catching fish, around 2:00 they caught several fish and were able to cull. Kim caught her ladies big fish on a Texas rigged creature bait.
Tom and Missy Bancroft took third with 5 bass and a total weight of 9.95 to earn $125 in prize money.
Tom and Missy targeted the shallows, docks and laydowns with small swimbaits and crankbaits.
The Ladies Biggest Bass of the tournament was caught by Kinzie Criminger. Her fish locked in the scales at 3.74-pounds, caught on a spinner bait and earning her $60.
The Men’s Biggest Bass of the tournament was caught by Mike Criminger. His fish was caught on a spinner bait and locked in the scales at 4.45-pounds earning him $60.
Tom and Missy Bancroft won the G-Line $100 Bounty for being the highest finisher with a G-Line Lithium Battery powering the trolling motor.
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. John and Susan Mills were the recipients of the Berkeley Outdoors $50 Smallest Limit Award with 5 bass weighing 6.47 lbs.
Thanks to our sponsors we can provide drawings for those teams that do not earn a paycheck. Our sponsor items for this event included Yo-zuri, Phantom Outdoors, Five Bass Tackle, McElveen Buick GMC, TruCarts, ALX Rods, Choo Choo Custom Baits, Gline Batteries, Berkley Baits, StrikeKing and JC’s Outdoors products.
The next tournament for the South Carolina Division will take place April 20th on Lake Hartwell out of Gum Branch Boat Ramp.
Top 5
For more information on this event or division please contact your local directors Tom Bancroft at (843) 697-6232 or Missy Bancroft at (843) 697-3441 or visit www.americanbassanglers.com
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 ABA Professional League 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, RT Outdoors, 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.
