April 11, 2026 | York, South Carolina. Joey Outlaw and Abbigale Minors captured the win at the eighth event of the American Bass Anglers (ABA) Couples Series, South Carolina Division 11, held on Lake Wylie. The father‑and‑daughter duo brought a five‑fish limit to the scales weighing 14.31 pounds, earning $475 and 192 points for the victory.
Spending quality time together on the water is something Outlaw and Minors cherish, making the win especially meaningful. Despite having no official practice before the event, Outlaw drew on recent experience from fishing the NC BFL on Lake Wylie five weeks earlier. The team began the morning searching for a shad spawn using a Berkley Frittside crankbait and a Strike King spinnerbait, but the bite never materialized.
They then revisited areas that had produced in the previous tournament, catching only a few short fish. Their first keeper came at 9:30 a.m. off a dock using a stick worm. After spending 45 minutes unsuccessfully working a quality bedding fish, persistence paid off when they landed a key kicker around midday—another dock fish that became their second keeper.
With calm conditions and clear skies dominating the afternoon, Outlaw and Minors committed to dock fishing with stick worms for the remainder of the day. Their Lew’s spinning reels stayed busy as they landed approximately 25 fish. All of their productive bites came on Yamamoto Senkos and Berkley Generals in various shades of green, purchased from JC’s Outdoors. The team also offered a special thanks to PTG Outdoors, noting that their Mercury outboard and lithium batteries performed flawlessly throughout the event.
Second and Third Place Finishers
Finishing close behind in second place were Cole Taylor and Addyson Hale, who weighed in 14.13 pounds for $300 and 191 points. Their catch was highlighted by Taylor’s 3.86‑pound bass and Hale’s 3.12‑pound fish. The duo started their day with topwater action on a buzzbait and Whopper Plopper before Taylor transitioned to a Neko rig as conditions changed. Hale continued throwing the Whopper Plopper, and much of their success came while fishing an ALX ENOX Wizard Series spinning rod. Taylor and Hale expressed their appreciation to ALX Rods for supporting South Carolina Couples anglers.
Rounding out the top three were the veteran team of John and Susan Mills, who brought in 11.77 pounds. Their bag was anchored by Susan’s 3.41‑pound bass, which earned her Ladies Big Bass honors and a $60 award. The Mills relied on a variety of techniques—Carolina rigs on points, shakey heads, drop shots, and Senkos around docks—while “junk fishing” their way to a solid finish.
John and Susan shared that they love fishing the Couples Trail because of the friendships they build, with Susan especially enjoying seeing more women get excited about competitive fishing. They also praised the South Carolina sponsors for making each event enjoyable, regardless of the outcome.
The South Carolina sponsors make it so much fun to look forward to prizes even when we don’t do well fishing. A huge thank you to all of them because they don’t have to do it at all.
Awards and Highlights
- Men’s Big Bass: Joey Outlaw – 4.97 pounds ($60)
- Ladies Big Bass: Susan Mills – 3.41 pounds ($60)
- Berkeley Outdoors Smallest 5‑Fish Limit Award ($50): Bryan and Sharon Waddell – 5 fish weighing 9.24 pounds
Thanks to generous local sponsorships, prize drawings were also held for teams that finished outside the payout positions. Thank you JC’s Outdoors, Phantom Outdoors, Berkeley Outdoors, Yo-zuri , ALX Rods, Five Bass Tackle, Kissel Krafts Custom Rods, Lew’s, McElveen, StrikeKing, and Berkley Baits,
Looking Ahead
The next event for the South Carolina Division 11 ABA Couples Trail is scheduled for May 2 out of Clearwater Cove on Lake Wateree. Stay tuned for continued excitement as the season progresses.
For more information about upcoming events, visit the South Carolina ABA Couples Trail Facebook page or learn more about American Bass Anglers at 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 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.
