Welcome to the home of Union County's finest bass anglers! Founded in 1985, The Carolina Crankers are the oldest bass fishing club in the county. Many of our members have been with us for 25 years or better. With two separate circuits and no annual membership dues, our club offers something for everyone. Weekend warriors may enjoy our year-round Saturday Series while others enjoy a late bite with our Sportsman's Series. Every season brings new members to our ranks and new members will always be welcome!
That's all Folks!
Well, it's official. The 2014 season is now just daydreams and memories. While the fishing wasn't exactly lights out on Wylie, the competition was fierce! The top 5 spots were separated by 1lb or less. My wife Lisa and myself, found ourselves casting the colors off our favorite lures to secure a few bites while another member landed double after double on an Alabama rig! Even after numerous tandem catches, he only managed one keeper! As the day's sun started to fade, Classic competitors found their way to the scales. After the smoke had settled, Carolina Crankers President Wayne Snyder and partner Jeremy Pressley stood atop the mountain with 4lbs. and 6ozs. With a dry livewell half an hour to weigh-in, the pair secured two critical bites from a passing school. Only ounces behind, Terry Benton and Ronnie Rushing dropped a solo on the competition weighing 4lbs. to secure second place and the seasons final Big-Fish pot. Congratulations to Wayne and Jeremy as well as Terry and Ronnie! Thank you guys for a wonderful season! I would like to thank every member young and old that has followed us this season. Happy Holidays to everyone from "Team Pink" Lisa and Rodney May. We invite every angler looking for a club to call their own to join us for the 2015 season this January! Until then...keep 'em hooked!!!
2014 Carolina Classic Qualifiers
Mike Love 14 Ronnie Rushing 14
Terry Benton 12
Mark Tarlton 10 Tim Cauthen 10
Tim Helms 11 Andrew Helms 7
Tom Streater 12 Jimmy Sullivan 8
Rodney May 14 Lisa May 8
Wayne Snyder 10 Jeremy Pressley 8
Jeremy McCain 13 Chris Shockley 11
Jonathan Cook 13
Mike Love 14 Ronnie Rushing 14
Terry Benton 12
Mark Tarlton 10 Tim Cauthen 10
Tim Helms 11 Andrew Helms 7
Tom Streater 12 Jimmy Sullivan 8
Rodney May 14 Lisa May 8
Wayne Snyder 10 Jeremy Pressley 8
Jeremy McCain 13 Chris Shockley 11
Jonathan Cook 13
The Final Countdown!
The Carolina Crankers finished the 2014 regular season today on Badin Lake. If the 14 foot drawdown of High Rock lake gave any misconceptions about "dirty" water on Badin; they were wrong! Veteran anglers soon noticed the lake's "gin-clear" waters resembled that of a swimming pool. With 6 to 7 foot visibility and fish punished three times a week by extreme tournament pressure, minutes seemed like hours. With sore arms from endless casts, anglers made their way to the scales. Masters of Badin Lake, Mark Tarlton and Tim Cauthen managed the tournaments only limit. Tim and Mark sacked the bass and the competition with 11lbs. and 8ozs. The team drew on experience to pick a limit as other teams struggled with the conditions. Mark and Tim anchored their winning bag with today's big fish at 2lbs. and 14ozs. Congratulations guys! The Carolina Crankers would like to thank all our members, old and new, for making 2014 a great season! Good luck to our teams that have qualified for this year's Carolina Classic. See ya on Tuckertown on November 8th. Until then...keep 'em hooked!
Attention all members: The tournament scheduled for High Rock Lake has been changed! Due to NC Wildlife scheduling at High Rock in October, the tournament has been moved to Badin Lake. Tournament hours are from 8am to 4pm from the Alcoa boat ramp.
Fall Brawl!
After a week of gloomy skies and misting rains, anglers saddled up for a last stand at Lake Tillery today. Teams raced near and far as daybreak chased away the early bite. Topwater experts held to the shadows as the morning sun pushed bass out of the shallows. Patiently waiting, structure specialists welcomed the migration to the depths as the clearing skies drove the bite offshore. Several patterns produced fish for teams while the most productive spots were found on mainlake cuts and rock points at the mouths of mainlake channel openings. Topping the scales today was Collegiate National Champion Andrew Helms and his father Tim Helms. Tim and Andrew sacked a full limit with 13lbs. and 4ozs. Making a cleansweep of the competition, the pair dropped a 5lb. largemouth on the scales for today's big fish. Congratulations Tim and Andrew! Join The Carolina Crankers in two weeks as we wrap up the 2014 regular season on Badin. Until then...keep 'em hooked!
Smackdown on Tuckertown
If life is like a box of chocolates; Tuckertown has got to be the jelly-filled fruitcake this time of year! It's kinda like the old saying, "April showers bring May flowers" and Tuckertown brings rain! I'm no weatherman but the most important thing in the boat at Tuckertown has go to be a rainsuit. Overcast skies and driving downpours are not exactly ideal for a strong bite. Tie in a lake overrun with swamp moss and you have tournament time at Tuckertown! After a dicey launch from the aging boat ramps at highway 49, anglers braved the downpours and raced for their spots. Heavy tournament pressure put our best to the test as teams struggled to produce a limit. By the 3pm weigh-in, only one team had managed to bring home a five fish limit. Veteran members Mike Love and Ronnie Rushing called on experience as they pieced together five solid bites. Mike and Ronnie topped the scales at 12lbs. and 4ozs. with today's Big Fish anchoring their winning sack at 4lbs. and 4ozs. The Carolina Crankers would like to congratulate Mike and Ronnie for their win today. Great job guys! Join us in two weeks as we travel to Lake Tillery. Until then...keep 'em hooked!
Down South!
The Carolina Crankers headed south this month as we traveled to Lake Wateree. A cool calm morning with lingering cloud cover had anglers anxiously waiting for the 7am blast-off. 10 teams stretched Wateree from top to bottom in search of heavyweights. It didn't take long for the anxiety to dissipate as cast after cast anglers hauled water. Whether an influx of freshwater or early season dips into the 60's, the bite just wasn't there. As teams hit the scales with a solo or a pair of largemouth for the day, only one team emerged with a five fish limit. Just by chance, a visiting team from Fishing 4 Reel Outdoors Bass Club joined The Carolina Crankers for the event and they made it count weighing in a heavy sack of 11lbs. and 4ozs. to take the tournament's top spot. John Cambell and Derrick McBride with John's younger son Jordan, out for a fun day fishing, had taken 1st place! The pair anchored their limit with today's Big-Fish weighing 3lbs. and 12ozs. The Carolina Crankers would like to congratulate John, Derrick, and Jordan. Great job guys! Thank you for joining us this month at Lake Wateree. Your members are welcome to fish with us anytime! Catch The Carolina Crankers next month as we mix it up on Tuckertown Reservoir. Until then...keep 'em hooked!
Rarely does a small club of bass fisherman get the honor and privilege to call one of there own a National Champion! The Carolina Crankers happily congratulate our friend and fellow member Andrew Helms on winning The 2014 Carharrt College Series National Championship! Andrew and his partner Jake Whitaker stole the show and brought home a victory for UNCC. Andrew we are extremely proud of you! All we ask is that you remember us little guys when you go pro! I'm sure every member of the club will agree that we don't mind losing to such a fine young man! Congratulations!
Live From The Falls...
After a rocky couple of months, The Carolina Crankers returned to the lake this week. The clubs' second trip to Blewett proved to be much more difficult than last seasons'. Honestly, for an anglers' paradise with laydowns and standing timber as far as the eye can see, the largemouth bite at Blewett Falls is disappointing at best. The club managed only four keeper fish for the 1:00pm weigh-in. Two largemouth weighing 3lbs. and 4ozs. a piece brought the second tie of the season as Mark Tarlton and Tim Cauthen split Big Fish honors with Jonathan and Lindsey Cook. On a day decided by ounces, Tom Streater and Jimmy Sullivan weighed two fish for a total weight of 3lbs. and 8ozs. to take today's top spot. Congratulations to all of today's champions! Join The Carolina Crankers next month as we travel to Lake Wateree. Until then...keep 'em hooked!
The Thursday night series will resume this Thursday July 10th at 4:30pm on Lake Twitty
The Carolina Crankers would like to express our deepest sympathies to the families of Malique Streater and Tom Streater. In a tragic accident, Malique was called home while fishing with his grandfather Tom this Thursday night. Our memories of Malique on the lake will stay with us forever. He was a wonderful young man with a great personality and a smile that could light up the room. Tom is a very close friend to each of us and we ask that everyone please keep the families in their thoughts and prayers. Our club members are very close and we consider our group a family. Tom, you are our brother and we are here. We would also like to thank the Monroe, Unionville and Charlotte rescue squads for there continued efforts and respect for the family. If you would like to help with food and support for the families, please contact Lisa May at 704-226-7127.
Malique Streater's funeral services will be held at 2:00pm Saturday June 28th. Services will be held at Christ Bible Discipleship Worship Center in Marshville. The street address for the church is 1019 Unarco Rd, Marshville NC 28103
Attention all club members, Saturday's Tournament at Stumpy Pond has been cancelled due to a death in the family.
On the Road Again!
The Carolina Crankers made their longest trip to date this weekend as we traveled to Randleman Reservoir. The club has fished numerous lakes in many conditions for many years, but Randleman has got to be the most beautiful lake to date. As you enter the grounds you realize that this place is something different; something special. I'm sure most members will agree that it's like fishing in another state. Whether it's the geography or just a different state of mind, every angler owes it to themselves to make the journey to this wonderful impoundment. Standing timber is not necessarily new to most anglers that fish this region but 20 foot tall standing timber in depths reading 50 feet will make any angler salivate! Fish shallow, drag a rig deep, fish the numerous stickups on slowly sloping points that extend to deep water or just run and gun at the hundreds of laydowns, this lake is a bass anglers dream. Reminiscing aside, back to this week's results. Terry Benton and Tim Helms teamed up this week for our inaugural trip to Randleman and the pair didn't disappoint! Terry and Tim grabbed top honors with a five fish limit totaling 13lbs. and 8ozs. Although the lake has an unusual slot limit allowing only one fish above 20 inches in length, Tim and Terry were the only anglers able to sack a largemouth surpassing the mark. They anchored their first place limit with today's big fish weighing in at 4lbs. and 14ozs. Congratulations Terry and Tim! We would also like to thank all our members that made the trip with us this week. Join us in three weeks as we head south to everyone's favorite honeyhole Stumpy Pond! Blast-off is at 7am on June 21st. Until then...keep 'em hooked!
Birthday Boy!
It was a special day on Fishing Creek this Saturday. Veteran member Ronnie Rushing chose to spend his day chasing lunkers! No one knows for sure just how many years this is for Ronnie, but Union County is out of candles! All joking aside, we are proud to call Ronnie our friend and fellow club member. Happy Birthday Ronnie! Not that they needed any birthday luck, Ronnie and Mike Love took the cake today with 16lbs. and 8ozs. Ronnie's 5lbs. and 2oz. lunker, and big fish of the day, anchored their winning sack. New members Cody Ahistrom and Josh Reynolds grabbed second place in their first club outing. The " Young Guns " dropped a 15lbs. and 14oz. limit on the scales in an impressive finish. We would like to welcome Cody and Josh to our ranks. Great job guys! Congratulations to all of today's winners! Join The Carolina Crankers as we kick-off our Friday Night Sportsman's Series on Lake Tillery on May the 16th. Tournament hours are from 6:00pm to 12:00am. On May 31st our Weekend Series travels to Randalman Reservoir. See yall at the Lake! Until then...keep 'em hooked!
Moving on Up!
It's official, the bass have started moving to the beds! The Carolina Crankers team members have waited patiently this spring for the start of the spawn. In a tournament flurry spanning five of the last six weeks, the dark shadows in the shallows have eluded anglers until today on Lake Wylie. While many resident boat owners churned the waters on the main lake getting the first run of the spring on their rigs, anglers worked the skinny waters in the back of creeks where the glass-like waters were unaffected by the traffic. In the last opportunity before a three week break for anglers, the shallows produced; the bass were there! After one of the early season's most beautiful days on the lake, Mike Love and Ronnie Rushing managed the largest five fish limit. The pair grabbed today's top spot with 13lbs. and 3ozs. Congratulations guys! The Carolina Crankers would like to welcome back Buck and Rick, great to have you back in the ranks! Join us April 26th as we head south to Fishing Creek. Blast-off is at 7:00am from Fish Camp Road. For more info. check out our ramps page. Catch ya at the lake. Until then...keep 'em hooked!
Play Him!
Spring is in full swing as The Carolina Crankers hit Badin Lake this week. It seems that nasty weather kept team numbers down for The Carolina Crankers as well as the weekly series held by Bo Russell. But as any angler will tell you, a day fishing is always better than a day at work. As far as the rain, welcome to the Carolinas, if you don't like the weather...just wait 15 minutes! Continuing their dominate run on Badin, Mark Tarlton and Tim Cauthen once again relied on their knowledge of the lake to secure today's top spot. Mark and Tim had a five fish limit totaling 15lbs. and 0ozs. The pair anchored the victory with today's big fish weighing in at 5lbs. and 8ozs. Great job guys! Just for the record, If I fish with you, "Play Him" doesn't mean anything to me...do I look like Bill Dance! See ya next week at Lake Wylie. Until then...keep 'em hooked!
The Ocean!
With frost on the top rails of the boats, The Carolina Crankers blasted into the ocean named Norman. The club had plenty of company today on the lake as they were joined by the annual Ledbetter Tournament with more than 150 boats! Teams struggled with a slow bite as winter continued to hold the Carolinas. Known for an aggressive spotted bass bite, expectations once again fell short and turned to frustration. Today's bright spot came as Tim and Andrew Helms sacked 10lbs. and 8ozs. The pair worked the "hot hole" with crankbaits to secure the win. Wayne Snyder and Jeremy Pressley grabbed today's big-fish with a 4lbs. and 4oz. largemouth. We would like to congratulate today's winners on Lake Norman. Great catch guys! Join The Carolina Crankers March 22nd as we travel to Tuckertown Reservoir. Until then...keep 'em hooked!
Opening Day!
Every angler in Union County daydreams about opening day. For our three county lakes, March 1st marks the start of a new season. After a long four month break for the county's largemouth population, The Carolina Crankers overtook Lake Lee. Bringing 14 teams to the lunker hunt on this small impoundment, the club filled the lake to capacity. A late week drop in morning temperatures brought the early bite to a screeching halt. Teams struggled with 30 degree temperatures and misting rains till midday, then the game changed. Keying on the warming shallows, Tom Streeter, dropped the hammer tilting the scales at 17lbs. and 4ozs. for the victory. Only two ounces seperated the second and third place teams with Mike Love and Ronnie Rushing squeezing by with 14lbs. and 4ozs. over Todd and Sandy Moore. Mike and Ronnie anchored their second place finish with today's lunker weighing 7lbs. and 14ozs. Congratulations to today's tournament winners! Join The Carolina Crankers next week as we " Shake the Lake" on Norman. We will blast-off from the Queen's Landing at 7:00am. Until then...keep 'em hooked!
Finally!
It's official, the 2014 season is underway! After a postponed opener on Norman, this year's first stop was on Lake Tillery. Mid 20's at blast-off never slowed the 14 boat field. Anxious to shake the cabin fever from winter, anglers had high hopes for the season's first bite. Hopes soon diminished as anglers dealt with a very slow bite and frozen line guides. Only seven bass made the scales at weigh-in. Ronnie Rushing and his partner Mike Love brought home a 7lb. and 10oz. monster to take the season's first big fish title. On top for only moments, the heavyweight lunker slipped to second place as new members Cale Helms and Coby Price tipped the scales with three Lake Tillery largemouth totaling 7lbs. and 14ozs. Cale and Coby managed three solid keepers on a brutal day to secure the first victory of 2014. We would like to congratulate all of today's winning anglers. Now that's the way to kick-off the new year! Join The Carolina Crankers as we travel to Badin on February 15th. Until then...keep 'em hooked!