Special to the Lake Murray News
By Thomas Grant, Jr.
June 15, 2024 – The Midlands Striper Club held the first of two summer tournaments at Clark’s Hill Lake, drawing 12 teams of enthusiastic anglers. The event was a remarkable success, yielding a total of 23 striped bass weighing in at 223.81 pounds, averaging 9.73 pounds per fish. Eleven of the teams proudly presented a full two-fish creel at the weigh-in.
Team Catchall, captained by Lee Thomas, dominated the competition, securing first place with a combined weight of 31.44 pounds. Notably, Team Catchall also claimed the Team Wildman Big Fish Award, sponsored by The Nichols Store, for their impressive 21.72-pound striper.
Team Well Hung, with Jason Tarlton, Bret McDowell, and Sligh McDowell at the helm, finished in second place with a total weight of 23.59 pounds. Team Fish Whistle, led by Mitch Craps and Tim Schumpert, closely followed in third place with a total weight of 23.09 pounds.
Notable Winners:
- Lady Angler Award: Amelia Keller of Team Knot Right
- Youth Angler Award: Slight McDowell of Team Well Hung
- Middle of the Pack: Team Hardcore with a total weight of 21.42 pounds
- Smallest Creel: Team Carolina River Rats with a total weight of 3.39 pounds
- TWT Winner: Team Well Hung
The next Midlands Striper Club tournament is scheduled for July 20, 2024, at Dreher Island State Park.
