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National Bass
Fishing Trail tourney held at Lake Keowee
By Griffin Glaze
 Twenty-two-year-old
Gentry Gordy of Salem, Ala., won the National Bass Fishing Trail
national title on Lake Keowee Friday afternoon.
Weighing in with 27.63 pounds,
Gordy received $5,500 as his prize.
“It hasn’t hit yet,” Gordy said
shortly after the win was announced at South Cove Park.
Following close behind Gordy
with a score of 25.34 was Richard Cobb of Richmond, Ky. In third
place was Mike Raney and in fourth was Donald Storrey. Aside from
winning this year’s nationals, Gordy also was named Angler of the
Year and received an extra $250.
“The lake was all right,” Gordy
said. “It was very sensitive, too deep, and very clear.” Then,
laughing with his buddies, he added, “I want muddy water … and
stumps!”
The lake was very different for
most of the competitors, but that didn’t seem to be a problem for
Brad Vice, who won the Junior Division, with a total weight of
18.51. Vice, 15, received $1,000 for placing first. Every junior
competitor, however, received a $100 savings bond for participating
in the event.
The NBT puts a great emphasis on
encouraging young people to fish.
“Our philosophy,” says Mike
Raney, NBT president, “is that every day a youth is in a boat, they
are off the streets.”
The NBT started their program
just this year and the June championship was their first event on
Lake Keowee.
“It went great!” Raney said.
“The community was wonderful, Seneca was great, and it was the most
beautiful lake I’ve seen in my life.” The NBT is working to
establish a district in South Carolina and the tournament was the
first step.
Patrick Lee, president of the
Seneca Chamber of Commerce, said the tournament was a success for
the Seneca area as well.
“The tournament brought in
people from Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and many more,”
Lee said. “We had many first-time people to visit Lake Keowee, and
it also helped to showcase the area. Hopefully the juniors will
return to fish again.”
The three-day tournament ended
with the awards ceremony June 27 at South Cove Park.
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