2019 Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay

a beautiful place coastal South Carolina this is the second of two stops in the Palmetto State for the Bassmaster Elite Series after a huge bang-up tournament at Lake Hartwell we are moving to a completely different place mark zona with a completely different set of problems that you have to solve no doubt about it in really every time that we've been to win yabai there is one story line here do you stay close to Georgetown South Carolina or do you gamble do you go down to Charleston which is ballpark about ninety minutes to two hours and really roll the dice but if you looked at the last time we were here making that run paid off will that happen this time around yeah that's the big question that one decision you make that big turn you make when you come out of the launch there and we'll see as Jayson Williamson of South Carolina gets things started on day number one look out watch the scale five fish for Jay Willie here on day number one 15 pounds 11 ounces 15 11 and Jason Williams when yabai Jason Williamson from the other side of South Carolina I'm too far from Clarks Hill Lake he's won one of his Bassmaster Elite Series wins at Clark's Hill the other one down at Lake Amistad many years ago longtime veteran of the Bassmaster Elite Series with a slim lead over Hunter Shryock both of those anglers staying closer by not making the long run to the Cooper River that is the big decision that these guys are gonna be facing today the long run the short haul - nearer fishing and more time fishing we'll get into that as we gather here the full field again here on day number two getting ready for the take off and that that decision is a tough one I mean it's a gamble if you go but last time around it was one up there the Cooper River like we said off the top of this show that is the number one factor when we fish win yabai and that's gonna be our Yamaha unlock the lake and you look at your leader you look at your leader Jason Williamson you say well heck he's only running 15 to 20 miles and you say yourself well heck yeah I'm gonna maximize my fishing time instead of making this run down to the Cooper River where you're looking at about a hundred to a hundred and twenty miles oh and by the way you've got to stop and get gas and then continue running but here's the reason why you go to the Cooper River if you looked at day number one if you looked at the last tournament here it has the most consistency for top 20 finishes and obviously after day number one that's exactly where the consistency was bill Lowen one of those anglers making that run we join him with four fish already in the live well come on fish guys I need this one bad so big come on please yeah boy yeah yes yeah Wow Oh trailer hook look at that look at this barely any yeah that's what I'm talking about that fish right there gets me gonna go in tomorrow blowin the bill Lewin has been with his Bassmaster Elite Series since the very beginning around 14 years ago to his best finishes very second events in at Lake Rayburn back in those days and still looking for his first blue trophy would this be the one for Bill Lowen would he be able to uh take its day number two lead and translate that into a victory on the Bassmaster Elite Series you see his lead not much over the likes of Luke Palmer lead liveth see Jason Williamson again our day 1 leader there Jesse Takoradi has put himself in the conversation and all the rest and all of a sudden we are down to 35 anglers day number three and we're ready to go and really looking at day number three and that leaderboard so much consistency yet again with the anglers that made that hour and a half to two are a run and what's amazing is they do their work quick they only have four to four and a half hours of fishing time they got to make their way back to Georgetown one angler though that is not making that one right there Stetson Blaylock Stanton Blaylock coming up a strong second place finish last week at Lake Hartwell trying to make first this time sitting in 6th right now and that's that was totally unexpected here you know I've made the last two top tens and just you know really just fishing good and you know coming here never been here before and I was kind of afraid that there was only enough fish for one day but being able to get them again yesterday kind of lets me know that there's more there the goal is to get 10 pounds and make championship Sunday again it'd be pretty special just to just to be able to make that top 10 for sure let's go make some good TV it has been a good tournament so far for Stetson Blaylock and Blaylock one of those anglers not making that trip to the Cooper River there are your rules of the game it is a four day tournament we got one more day after this one eight hours to fish and five bass per day that's your limit 75 anglers on our first two days now we're down to 35 and the top ten will compete on championship Sunday and again Stetson Blaylock staying closer exactly right fishing up the Waccamaw River and he has maximized his fishing time really only has about a 15 to 20 mile run the other side you heard Stetson Blaylock say hey let's make some good TV and that's exactly what he did well just a week ago up on Lake Hartwell and the amazing thing Stetson Blaylock fishing almost the same way here as he did last week oh my gosh got you yes inside the mouth way down dude that's him oh my oh my goodness think he wanted that that's a big last week it was unbelievable there at Hartwell and I didn't even change setups I had no idea what to do here didn't didn't do a whole lot of research here it's really easy fishing place like this to fall in that trap of just going through the motions that's a good one I'm keeping buttoned up cow I need this one bad come here gotcha hey now hey now that'll work yes fished all that sand right there and as soon as we get back to where the thickest of the thickest cover is I throw in there and as soon as I throw in there my line takes off down I can see it but I can tell it's over a tree so I leaned up on that fish and he was definitely behind the limb and I think the good Lord he stayed on we got him in the boat so it's a slow process and it's it's painful to to put up with but it works that'll work mmm good one right there for Stetson Blalock and everything well lately pretty much lining up right for him absolutely Stetson Blalock really good at digging in in one place look at it started the day in sixth place at effort right there put him all the way up into third plenty of fish and yet to come on day number three we'll have that for you when we come back the best pro shops Bassmaster Elite and when you Bay is brought to you by Triton boats Berkeley Abu Garcia and by night rowboats you Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite a win nabe here in coastal South Carolina Ports top of the year for the Bassmaster Elite Series a beautiful place a complicated place to make something happen in the world of fishing hunter Shryock has so far fought the good fight find himself in the top 10 to start this day he's fishing the Santee River which played pretty big last time so much water in it this time around though it's even more difficult beggin beggin oh my gosh Lord please Lord please that's why we're up here thank you lord oh my gosh everybody I'm sorry for screaming you have no idea how jacked up right in right now about emotion right there can show you what a quality pass you can do to your entire tournament here at win ya Bay but really like the last time we were here in a Santee River you don't have many shots on goal but the quality lives here and little adjustments for hunter Shryock has been key ohmygosh ChatterBait yes baby mmm big slimy kiss right on his lips fish in the moment gosh this is what they talk about yes oh thank you I can throw ChatterBait boys golly I can throw ChatterBait hmm I ain't caught a fish on a ChatterBait all week this is why we go fishing this makes everything worth it shaking Savannah came to time everything you nail deserve yes a lot of enthusiasm out there on the part of hunter shrine let's get to Corey Johnson Corey Johnston made the big trip to the Cooper River it's super consistent 11 pounds and change each day giant yeah baby hmm here we go those are the ones we're looking for right there yeah baby that's a baby that's exactly right it's exactly what it is and really a lot of the guys that are down in the Cooper like Corey Johnston are having to go through a lot of numbers to get to that and this time around it's been a cold spring in the southeast and even though a lot of these guys down in the Cooper they're not looking at them a lot of these fish they're sifting through a lot of spawners a lot of fish that are well maybe post spawn a lot of pre spawn fish and Cory Johnston so far has proved that run to the Cooper losing a lot of time paying off so far in this event until absolutely has been so consistent there and it's been a great season for him we look in the background his performance on the st. Johns River started out on fire Corey Johnston preseason was one of the favorites to do very well in Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the year and look at him sitting right there in 4th place not too far behind our almost co-leaders Patrick Walters and Scott Canterbury we're gonna head back up towards win yaver with Stetson Blaylock who's really worried that he burned this area and it almost looks like here on day number three that it is getting better that's a big one a big one oh gosh stay on stay on stay on oh my gosh stay on there baby stay on there baby yes yeah mmm thank you lord hey get you a load of that vast nation we're gonna call that dude a four-pound even stood it's a stud cut along that fish is how many day long digging that's what I'm talking about right there just when you think it's over just when you think your stuffs dried up the biggest bite I've had all week got him in the boat everything was perfect he got around a limb out here the limb broke all these thousands of limbs I've hung in all week long and that one right there was weak enough it broke with that big fish that I don't like using this term but that fish is a game-changer no doubt about it doing work man all week long last week at Hartwell you got to see it I mean sometimes fishing is about being simple and not overthinking it it doesn't get more simple than that right there let's do it again I'm fixing to rerigged this whole deal though I want to be crisp and clean that simple little rig he showed us right there is played in just about every tournament this year so [ __ ] though stetson Blalock doing a good job of keeping it simple that's his plan got him in fifth place so far Clint Davis of Alabama on top right now followed by Coby Krieger we're coming back with the remainder of day number three when we return to the Bassmaster Elite Series [Music] you oh they call it moving day day number three here on the Bassmaster Elite Series this one the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite a twin yacht Bay here in coastal South Carolina a lot of big decisions for all of these anglers to make one who decided to stay a little closer Stetson Blalock exactly right and one of the things that has transpired here on day number three with the warming trend that's going on few of our anglers finding off shallow spawning and Stetson Blaylock has found a giant when I'm not throwing it up there she swims off so I don't know if I need to catch him and just put him in the box maybe she'll go ahead and lock on or if I need to leave him in there dang it not what I wanted to do right there at all inside the mouth [Music] that could be a bad mistake or it could be the greatest move I've ever made she's been at one time but then she just kind of sits out there and acts like she don't care but it's definitely one that would give me a really really nice bag and a and a pretty good shot to have a run tomorrow I think it's that big I mean it's a it's a jim-dandy giant those big big ones won't actually get up there and lock on you just got to get it in front of them at the right second to where they're mad enough to bite and you can catch them even if they're not locked on yeah be in the mouth baby oh I come out dude I've had her in the top of the mouth right there's the hook Cole got her that is a five-pound stud donkey that is so crazy she never would bite it and I skipped my bait up there past her and it spooked her off the bed she went to the right side of the pole and I pulled my bait down on the left side of the pole and she came around and met it face to face and I just popped it right up in front of her face and she sucked it all the way in 100% what you want well he spent a lot of time on that fish and the reward totally pleased with that I feel like Stetson Blaylock knows he is set for the final day let's get out to quarry justify fish and his live well at this time and like a lot of these anglers in the Cooper River he's having a more of an opportunity and guys like Stetson to go through numbers exactly right where guys like you Stetson Blaylock has the quality and he has the time on his side you look at Corey Johnston who's about call it three hours south of where Stetson Blaylock is and he has caught over 20 vas and basically three hours of fishing and the whole key when you run to the Cooper you have to filter through a lot of fish and that's exactly what Corey Johnston has done so far in this event but if you look in the background there is a lot of traffic in this area and basically Corey Johnston has just out fished every one of those anglers Oh God giant yeah baby whoa so you win tournaments what those babies right there few moments ago we saw Stetson Blaylock with a four pound cull this is not gonna be in that neighborhood but still a fitting way to round out a great limit for Cory Johnson let's take it back to the weigh-in and see who's going on to championship Sunday our very first angler all the way from Peterborough Ontario Canada Tory Johnston at 22 pounds 14 ounces lookout 5 fish 17 pounds 6 ounces and the Johnston juggernaut moves north to the border with 40 pounds and 4 ounces we have a brand new leader from Arkansas Stetson [Applause] 23 pounds and 13 ounces he's looking for sixteen eight to take the lead 17 pounds ceptin Blaylock dominating the South Carolina swing with 41 pounds 12 ounces the area that I'm fishing it's the only spot that I found and I was just hoping to cash a check out of there make a top 35 and it just seems to keep getting better or you know better for me and I'm gonna go back out there again and just hope I can get five more and who knows I found that biggest one on a bed late in the day and I was able to get her to bite there at the end so we'll see what happens with a story of Stetson Blaylock making something big out of a very very small area there a little corner in Winnipeg exactly right and really the scary thing going into championship Sunday the weights are actually going up which nobody saw coming so it will be Blaylock Johnston Davis Krieger Cruz Palmer Williamson Canterbury Tucker Aunty and Walters championship Sunday we come back the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at when yabai is brought to you by mercury Talon Minn Kota [Music] and by hummingbird well this is it we have reached the final day three days in the book already here in Georgetown South Carolina this Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Wynn yabai will be decided today and you see Arkansas Stetson Blalock on top a slim lead over Cory Johnston Clint Davis Kobe Krieger and all the rest and of course the big question all week long is do you make the big trip to the Cooper River sacrifice fishing time for the promise of bigger bass or you do you fish closer at home Stetson Blaylock one of these anglers who is fishing much much closer at home we're down to Tim anglers on this final day and they're getting ready to go out to know one of these anglers will hold that blue trophy at the end of it all but we are a long way from there right now and of course we can see the difference definitely many many approaches mark zona as we look at these anglers prepare exactly right Tommy Sanders and really if you're to go off of the history of any tidal fishery that we go to the difference about this place when you go to win yeah Bay these guys are in very confined areas and they have throttle bees they're not just the guys that have made our final day cut there's been so much pressure in these areas the interesting thing on our Skeeter boats taste the bait it's fair to say it should be plural and taste the baits the reason why it is all over the map whether you're looking at creature baits or stick worms there have been some bonus site fish throughout this tournament but really if you kind of look at the most of the title fisheries that we've gone to it's way more fun se when we come to win yabai one of the reasons why is that pressure but if you go off for the last time we were here it's gonna be the guy that Gamble's and makes an adjustment on this final day well Stetson Blaylock again with the lead and let's get right out on the water and Stetson Blaylock getting pretty close he's early to his fishing spot we're definitely going to have company in here today I would say three to five guys the best part about today is you hear people always say that you don't want to be the leader you want to be the one chasing but on this place I disagreed because it's so hard to catch them those guys know they have to catch them so if I can just do my job today put the pressure on them who knows exactly right when you're on wind yeah BAE pretty much every ounce will count going in the championship Sunday and really only making the 15 to 20 mile run maximizing his time but something to note there definitely is a lot of other anglers in there that also have qualified to this final day well that never happened yesterday but I'm gonna bet you that ones on a bed and I can probably catch him just part of the game but it sucks you know I lost that fish it's probably a you know it's over a two pounder it's a good one that's the kind you got to have you know especially with nothing in the box it would definitely you know help calm me down just to kind of have something in there to go off of it's gonna be slow it's gonna be hard it's just got to get those right ones in the boat and hopefully have an opportunity when the day ends get in here that'll work that'll work that'll help gosh it feels good to get one in the boat even if it is a little one huh I think we're gonna call him today I'm gonna stay optimistic and put my coal tag on it I mean even though it's small it feels good to get one in the box I'm telling you the way they're biting that every one of them is just barely hooked which I don't mind that as long as I'm getting them in the boat guys stay calm and confident and just keep on plucking away things going in the right direction so Stetson Blaylock already on the board fishing close to the launch right there haven't made the long run in fact the longest run of anyone I believe is Scott Canterbury it's got Canterbury who has started the season off in fine form on the st. Johns River having a great tournament here exactly right and if you look at his daily catch right there he slipped up a little bit on day two but rebounded in a big way but really coming into this final day the scary thing about Scott Canterbury one of the best shallow-water anglers on the elite series and he's on house money really he's only got room to rise and he could gamble throughout this championship Sunday a little bit better a little bit better Canterbury 3 fish in the Live Well nothing of any size but everyone knows it's gonna be a grind today so that is a good first step for Scott Canterbury farther away from the launch than anyone else in this field let's go down the Cooper River where we find young Patrick Walters starting in 10th now in seventh ok there's a big old rice field there's a little or depression run across with my fish yesterday put in practice this one my motors so muddy actually I got stuck back in there on minutes if you you could stay too long in an area like this it was like 7:30 in the afternoon or like 7 o'clock I was about to take out and I was like I'm gonna go check a little more spot and there was like 20 minutes left in low tide and I thought I was gonna beaten dinner out there in the rice field tide fluctuation of a couple feet or more at times here in the Cooper River and one of the interesting things coming into this tournament Patrick Walters probably more experienced than most of the field and he will tell you this entire body of water is all timing so what you call cutting it close let's not do that again got a rush three close call right there for Patrick Walters but that one will count towards his bottom line by the end of the afternoon right all of our anglers chasing the leader Stetson Blaylock it's going to be tight at the end of the day and young Patrick Walters what a season already for him went top for the very first tournament of the year has not been higher than 20 second place and Patrick Walters we talked about him leading Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the year also our Dick's Sporting Goods Rookie of the Year leader is young Patrick Walters so we are seeing definitely one of the superstars of the future in the world of professional bass fishing operating here on the Cooper River trying to pick up his first win on the Bassmaster Elite Series got a lot of fish in between now and that decision will be back [Music] - Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite a twin yabai what a beautiful beautiful place a terrific one-of-a-kind natural setting here this coastal South Carolina country the floor of the fauna and the ficient all bring enough much joy to a lot of people on a yearly basis from the other side of the state of South Carolina over to the Georgia border is Jason Williams some two-time winner on the Bassmaster Elite Series and not having a bad day here trying to catch up with five fish in the live well but boy what a big month it's been for him the recent birth of young Bristol Keegan Williamson the newest addition to the Williamson family certainly on everyone's mind brush hog strikes again I weighed in almost 1/4 pound her off of that tree right there and then went off of that back tree she should be four or close to it good fish right there for Jason Williamson here on championship Sunday and from where he's fishin as the crow flies just as the crow flies you're looking at about a hundred and thirty miles down to the Cooper River Scott Canterbury is doing big work that's what we're talking about [Applause] one cat whoa that's what we're talking about Scott Canterbury makes a small move makes one fire and puts a giant Cooper River bass in the boat yeah he's made a big move overall way up the leaderboard Clint Davis started this day in third place today it's been a little rough on him only two fish in the live well and Clinton having fallen all the way down into the 10th spot the man from montevallo Alabama exactly one of the finest shallow water anglers on the elite series from their Kissimmee Florida out of this water looks pretty much identical to fishing in Florida just teka Ronnie and truly just TECA Ronnie five fish in his live well has probably caught more keepers than anybody in the field colgate Oklahoma's Luke Palmer and out of one of the great rookies Bassmaster Elite Series really coming into his own this week in South Carolina having some good luck started the day but he has fallen a couple of spots as well and now Kobe Krieger there his daddy I seen him boil up come on baby now hooks good no that's great we got it yes important fish right there for Kobe Krieger to keep pace with what's going on among the ten on this final day and a big day three for John Cruz and trying to keep the momentum going today I'm just slinging the jerk bait down ahead yeah this is the first day you've been able to throw a jerk bait there's been so much of that moss I feel like these fish haven't seen one and plus the conditions they're setting up Oh more weight there there we go here we go wasn't talking about I'm talking about better fish for John Kruse and a better result now he moves up the leaderboard two spots so John Kruse on his way anyway but has he got enough time to get it done well these guys have definitely leaned on the Cooper River and we're seeing guys that are definitely making the right adjustments and putting bigger fish in there live well here on championship Sunday now all the way back up to the Waccamaw River Stetson Blaylock who really said coming in this tournament this area that we're seeing him dominate in he was hoping for a top 35 finish and somehow has mind this little deeper canal for all it's worth a little bit slower today for Stetson Blaylock before fish in his live wall right now just needs one more big one to seal the deal potentially little one it's not even a pound but it's a keeper [Music] he's not gonna let that one get out of my hand finally a decent one one two three four God we thank you Lord we just need a couple of big ones I mean that's all it gives me confidence knowing that I left that area and came in here and caught a decent one right off the bat so that is a good thing a very good thing Dustin Blaylock knew it would be a struggle a grind today and having a limit that means a lot to him right now he holds on to it a shade over a one-pound lead over Cory Johnston Scott Canterbury's a guy who's been streaking today of course Jason Williamson and Coby Krieger are right around the corner from Stetson so he's still got a ways to go he wants to close it out the best pro shops Bassmaster Elite and when you Bay is brought to you by power pole Skeeter boats [Music] Yamaha and by Toyota final day championship Sunday at this Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite a twin yabai stetson Blalock started the day with a slim lead fell out of it moved back into it barely and now Cory Johnson our first look at him today and I know he's the guy you feel responsible for one of our big awards of the day I'm afraid it is Tommy Sanders it's the mercury official engine a move of the day move of the tournament 11 pounds days 1 & 2 with just under 18 pounds on day 3 if there's somebody to keep your eye on on the Bassmaster Elite Series the next few years is Corey Johnston from Canada or more lolz it's a big one from the Cooper River for Corey Johnston right there was in second place and now he's taken over the lead again from Stetson Blaylock exactly right in every single day Stetson Blaylock is found one or two solid ones on bed really if you look at the standings right now every ounce will count in this championship Sunday this one ain't very big but it was for sure help thought it was gonna bop my wacky rig but he didn't think he's scared of this the he'd help but I don't think he's gonna make a difference in the end just wish he'd bite get on with it you bet it right then just don't think he's worth spending time on though I'm gonna do it no I can catch him but I don't think he's gonna even be enough to make a difference today you eat that much bigger than what I got and there might be a 6 pounder up here somewhere made a big decision to leave that bad fish and not too many minutes later catches this one doesn't look like a giant but it calls a tiny one that he has in the live well that's gonna put the lead back in the hands of Stetson Blaylock really the most scary angler on this championship Sunday Scott Canterbury down in the Cooper River just minutes left to go Scott Canterbury sitting in third place looking for one more shot across the bow [Music] got you that's right smoking it I can't remember which side I put that little bitty one now we're talking about tore my bait it Canterbury Pro buzz coming through the biggest call of the entire tournament right there for Scott Canterbury absolutely Scott Canterbury starting this day in eighth place that far back makes the run nonetheless the farthest run of the Cooper River it's a whole lot done will it be enough we're about to find out back at the way sixteen pounds two ounces Canterbury Rockets all the way into first place here at the Bass Pro Shop Bassmaster Elite a twin yeah baby let's hear it for m'lady 's and gentlemen wow what a bag of fish and championship Sunday South Carolina let's roll through one of your very oh here's the tower of power she will Jason Williamson 35 pounds of three ounces start today looking for 15 411 pounds even he moves into second place South Carolina let's celebrate one of your very own nitro mercury Pro she will let's keep him rolling from Peterborough Ontario Canada Corey Schatz ten nine pounds and an ounce he moves into second place one pound and short of the overall lead but let's celebrate another incredible young star of our sport he left and the doc in the lead this morning are you guys ready for this let's do it welcome to the stage steps in let's get side-by-side 41 pounds 12 ounces he's looking for 811 9 pounds 3 ounces 93 and 150 15 steps and Blaylock is a Bassmaster Elite Series champion I don't have any words to describe how it feels to go through finishing second and just being thankful for it and just keeping your head down I've never been here before so I went to where I knew there was some fish and that's all hi God thank you lord we're gonna bring out our tournament director Tripp Weldon to make it official your 2019 [Applause] Stetson Blaylock his third here on the Bassmaster Elite Series still a very young man but he's got a lot of years put in in this professional bass fishing game here's the big payoff for him on the Bassmaster Elite Series in his third year out here starting with a pound and a half lead today not much of a lead we went out there but he got the job done slim victory over a streaking Scott Canterbury Chris Johnston checks in at third place Jason Williamson another South Carolinian and fourth and John Cruz rounding out the top five a great hotly contested tournament which it turns out was one a little bit closer to home the trip to the Cooper River didn't pay off for everyone in mark zona I have no notion that Stetson had any high tea he had this thing won today his family looked very surprised on stage but the one person more surprised was with Stetson Blaylock that he won this really coming into this event he wanted to survive and somehow ended up holding that trophy and really in all honesty this is what we expected from Stetson over the years and right now he is backing it up one of the hottest fishermen in the country absolutely what a great trip to South Carolina for Stetson Blaylock once again hats off to him when we see you next time the Bassmaster Elite Series hits midseason we are going to legendary Lake fort in Texas with a Toyota Bassmaster Texas best back we'll be great

Channel: Bassmaster

Views: 154,332

Rating: 4.8207998 out of 5

Keywords: BASS, B.A.S.S., Fishing, bass fishing, Bassmaster

Id: rUk7cHYV11g

Length: 45min 43sec (2743 seconds)

Published: Fri Sep 06 2019