December 13, 2025, Elberton, GA –Ben and Ashley Sutton from Gloverville, SC, secured their third win of the 2026 season at the fourth tournament of the South Carolina Couples Trail, Division 11, held on Lake Russell. The day turned into a beautiful day on the water with all twelve teams that braved the cold morning weighing in a 5-bass limit.
Ben and Ashley topped the leaderboard with a total weight of 13.90-pounds. Their bag was anchored by Ben’s 6.08-pound bass taking Men’s Big Bass of the tournament. First place earned the Suttons $475 in cash and 192 points to add to their lead in the National Standings. Ben also earned $55 for Men’s Big Bass.
Ben and Ashley started off in standing timber, catching his 6.08-pounder on a Berkley jerk bait using his AOY rod provided by Kissel Krafts Custom Rods. The rest came on a drop shot with one caught out of the back of a pocket on an A-rig.
The team of Zach Garner and Ashlyn Gordon took second place with a weight of 12.78-pounds earning them $300 in cash and 191 points. Zach and Ashlyn started the day chasing schooling bass on live scope throwing a minnow style baits and jerk baits before going up to dirty water for the rest of the day and catching the majority of their better fish on jigs in brush piles.
The team of Tom and Missy Bancroft ended up with a third-place finish, weighing in a 10.23-pound sack for 190 points and $125 in cash. Their bag was anchored with Missy’s 3.38-pound bass taking Ladies Big Bass and earning her $60. The Bancrofts started fishing the back of a creek to catch the majority of their weight on wacky worms and shaky heads. They finished in timber to cull up using same style baits. All bass were caught using ALX spinning rods and Lew’s reels.
We’d like to take a moment to congratulate one of our long-time Couples Teams on their 56th Wedding Anniversary. Congratulations to John and Susan Mills!
Final Results
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. Benny and Joyce Howell were the recipients of the Berkeley Outdoors $50 Smallest Limit Award with 5 bass weighing 5.93-pounds. The Howells squeaked by for the win with the McBrides weighing in 5.95-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, Choo Choo Custom Lures, Five Bass Tackle, JC’s Outdoors, Kissel Krafts Custom Rods, Lew’s, McElveen, Mule Skinner Baits, Phantom Outdoors, StrikeKing, and Yo-zuri.
Looking Ahead
The next event for the South Carolina Division 11 trail will take place February 21st out of Gateway Landing on Lake Greenwood. 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 with an optional $10 big bass 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 Couples Series 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.
