Get ready for an exciting and unpredictable fishing tournament! Despite weather delays, the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 2 is generating high expectations. With a fascinating start on the Harris Chain, anglers are now heading to Santee Cooper, where they'll compete over two days in what could be an iconic event.
Practice sessions have been nothing short of remarkable, with anglers catching impressive weights. One house even saw all six anglers catch over 30 pounds in a single day! But here's where it gets controversial: some anglers believe that these practice catches might not be indicative of the actual tournament. After all, there are only so many big fish to go around, right?
"If I don't have 30 pounds a day, I'll be disappointed," said Kyle Austin. New York's Alec Morrison agrees, adding, "This place is insane. If we could use sonar all day, it would take 35 pounds a day to win."
However, it's not just about the big catches. The weather plays a crucial role too. The first and last days of practice were windy, which could have both protected and concentrated the fish. Now, with another day off due to wind, the fish might be ready for a feast, but anglers might need to quickly adapt and find new schools.
Local angler Skeeter Crosby is particularly excited for this event. He believes the fish are in a pre-spawn mode, making them more susceptible to various baits and techniques. According to Crosby, the abundance of bait in the lake provides the fish with numerous options, and with the right conditions, Santee Cooper could become even better than Guntersville.
"It's going to be 100% prespawn. We'll see a lot of big and fat fish weighed in. The abundance of bait gives these fish so many choices. In a couple of years, this lake will be even better than Guntersville," Crosby predicts.
But winning won't be easy. The winner will need a massive weight, and historically, Santee Cooper hasn't given up big bags easily. Pressure on the fish is also a concern, as Crosby explains: "When pressure gets on the fish, they turn off. They won't take a trolling motor and a minnow shaking at them forever."
So, what are the records at stake? With this event now being two days long, we need to adjust our expectations. While three-day events are more common, two-day tournaments are typically limited to fall Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournaments.
In April 2019, Bradford Beavers won a Toyota Series event on Santee with a canceled day, weighing in an impressive 54-9. His total weight is now under threat, as the top weights through two days in MLF history are incredibly high. Falcon Lake and the 2008 Walmart FLW Series East-West Fish-Off dominate the stats, and to beat Greg Hackney's record, someone would need to average over 35 pounds a day - an almost impossible feat.
While breaking total weight records might be a stretch, the potential for massive single-day catches is very real. The top 10 single-day limits in MLF history don't include Santee Cooper, but that could change soon.
As you read this, anglers are likely already weighing in some impressive catches. Buckle up and get ready for an incredible tournament, with wild weigh-ins and an unforgettable experience on MLFNOW!
Follow the action at Stop 2 Presented by Star brite at Santee Cooper on MLFNOW! and stay tuned to MajorLeagueFishing.com for more updates, stories, and galleries.
