Littleton, N.C. — The six remaining spots on the North Carolina state team were determined Oct. 6-7 on Lake Gaston during the North Carolina B.A.S.S. Nation Wild Card tournament.
Forty-nine boaters and non-boaters were vying for the top three boater and non-boater spots on the 20-man state team that will compete at the 2018 B.A.S.S. Nation Eastern Regional.
Adam Richardson of the Hog Snatchers Bass Masters club went wire-to-wire to win the tournament with 28.54 pounds. He weighed in 16.17 pounds to take the lead the first day and clinched the victory with 12.37 pounds on Day 2. Richardson also won the boater division of the N.C. Nation Eastern Regional in May.
The other top three boaters qualifying for the Eastern Regional were Randy Groves and Chuck Murray, both of the Sandy Creek Bassmasters club. Groves finished second with 26.29 pounds and Murray took third with 25.74. Richardson double qualified for the B.A.S.S. Regional by winning the N.C. Eastern Regional and the Wild Card event so another spot was available in the boater division. JT Palmore claimed the spot by finishing fourth at the Wild Card with 25 pounds.
Mikey Anderson won his first non-boater championship with 17.84 pounds. Other non-boaters making the state team were Jeffrey Davis, who finished second with 13.95 pounds, and Aaron Digh, third, 13.39.
Triton Big Fish winners for Day 1 were boater Dale Luckey with a 5.99 pounder and non-boater Eric Lochner, 5.04. The Lowrance Big Bass awards for Day 2 went to boater Adam Haithcock, 6.16 pounds, and non-boater Ronnie Bridgers, 3.10.
Helping run the tournament were N.C. Nation members and spouses Lenny and Vicky Smathers, Lori Murray, Danny Hayes, Roger Thomas and Allison Wright.
