Gastonia, N.C. — A lady angler and a former Junior Bassmaster were the big winners at the North Carolina B.A.S.S. Nation Western Qualifier April 7-8 on Lake Wylie.
Angela Mayo barely missed making the N.C. Nation state team last year at Lake Norman, but she clinched a team berth this time by becoming the N.C. Nation’s first female ever non-boater champion of the Western Qualifier with a weight of 17.63 pounds of bass. She topped 46 other non-boaters to become the second female to make the N.C. Nation state team that will compete in the 2018 B.A.S.S. Nation Eastern Regional. Samantha Gay made the 2017 state team and will be competing in this year’s Nation Eastern Regional in June.
Former Junior Bassmaster Carson Orellana also made the state team by winning the boater side of the Western Qualifier with a five-bass limit weighing 26.74 pounds. This is the first time Orellana has won an adult championship and the third time he has made the state team as an adult. Orellana also fishes for Strayer University in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series.
Other boaters making the state team included Jody Wright, who finished second with 22.98 pounds, and Johnny Guffey, third, 22.60.
Mayo and two other non-boaters made the state team by finishing in the Top 3. Jerry Pruitt took second place with 14.55 pounds and Chet Beam placed third with 14.11.
N.C. Nation members who worked the tournament were Bob Bauer, Mike Carnes, Lori Murray, and Lenny and Vicky Smathers.
