How anglers from Horry and Georgetown counties dominated this SC fishing event

Anglers from Horry and Georgetown counties dominated the leaderboard in the 2nd annual Brody Bates Youth Redfish Open held out of Buck Hall landing near Awendaw.

But this event was about more than just catching the heaviest two-fish limit of red drum for the middle school and high school anglers — there was some serious scholarship money at stake all for a good cause.

The tournament is in honor of Brody Bates, the 2-year-old son of Kayce and Coleman Bates who died in a tragic accident in 2019. For more information, visit www.brodybatesfoundation.org.

A total of $26,000 in scholarship money was awarded to the youth anglers thanks to the generosity of sponsors such as Sportsman Boats, Yamaha and Garmin.

Russ Tomlinson, General Manager of Sportsman Boats, and Coleman Bates, Brody Bates father, were on hand to pass out the awards to the anglers.

Aden Day of Conway won the Middle School Division with a two-redfish limit weighing 8.81 pounds. Day’s aggregate was the heaviest in the tournament and included the largest redfish weighed in, a 4.47-pounder. Day earned $6,000 for his efforts.

Clara Harry and Tripp Inabnit of Conway finished second in the Middle School Division with two fish weighing 7.61 pounds. The duo claimed $4,000.

Conrad Beglin and Hampton Eirvin of Waccamaw were third with two fish weighing 6.38 pounds and earned $3,000.

Ashton Rouhselang of Conway won the High School Division with two redfish weighing 7.96-pounds including the Big Fish of the division, a 4.05-pounder. Rouhselang won $6,000.

Ruby Moore of Conway finished second in the division with two fish weighing 7.02 pounds, good for $4,000.

Eli Johnson of Conway was third with two fish weighing 6.78 pounds, earning $3,000.

SALTT Event

The Student Angler League Tournament Trail held recently out of Georgetown blessed the youth anglers with one of the best weather days in the seven-season history of the series.

The trail, dubbed SALTT, features three tournaments each semester of the school year with each staged out of the Carroll Campbell Marine Complex on the Sampit River in Georgetown. The student anglers, from elementary to high school, can target bass or red drum in SALTT events.

A total of 31 teams fished in near-perfect conditions in the first event of the spring semester.

The winners in each division follow:

• Elementary School Redfish Division: Sisters Rylee and Alaina Clark with the biggest redfish of the day at 4.36 pounds. The sisters got it done on their first tourney.
• Middle School Redfish Division: Cubby Weaver of Georgetown won with 2 fish weighing 8.56 pounds including the Big Fish of 4.09 pounds. Conrad Beglin and Hampton Irvin of Waccamaw were second with 2 fish weighing 7.62 pounds. Aden Day of Conway was third with 2 fish weighing 6.53 pounds.
• High School Redfish Division: Christa Edmonds of Carolina Forest won with 2 fish weighing 8.81 pounds. Elliott Miller of Georgetown was second with 2 fish weighing 7.98 pounds including the Big Fish of 4.26 pounds. Ashton and Ayden Rouhselang of Conway were third 2 fish weighing 6.51 pounds.
• Elementary School Bass Division: Elijah Norris of Loris with 1 fish weighing 3.43 pounds.
• Middle School Bass Division: Cody Wilder and Dalton Williams of Conway won with a record weight of 18.56 pounds for 5 fish including a 5.08-pound Big Fish. Devin Thompkins of Georgetown was second with 5 fish weighing 12.54 pounds. Dawson Hawley of Green Sea Floyds was third with 5 fish weighing 8.56 pounds.
• High School Bass Division: Gavin Porter of Loris won with 5 fish weighing 12.61 pounds. Andrew Ackerman and Jeremy Owens of Georgetown were second with 5 fish weighing 12.07 pounds. Mason Hardee and Will Hardee McGuirt of Conway were third with 5 fish weighing 11.54 pounds.

The next SALTT event will be held May 1 with the final event of the school year to follow on May 15. For more information, visit www.SALTTFishing.com.