CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — Drew Cook has a 7-pound, 10-ounce lead after two days of the scheduled four-day Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes. Today’s weather-related cancellation of Day 3, created mixed emotions for the tournament leader.
Working with National Weather Service, B.A.S.S. has decided due to today’s projected forecast of 15 to 25 miles per hour winds with gusts up to 30 and the possibility of severe thunderstorms that could include lightning and large hail that Day 3 will be canceled. The tournament will be shorted to three days. All 47 anglers will fish Championship Sunday. Santee Coopers Lakes will be off-limits today.
Cook had 56 pounds, 9 ounces after two days. He was on track to top the 100-pound mark and earn one of the coveted B.A.S.S. century belts. With the tournament shortened to three days, his shot for a century belt is gone.
“I wish we were fishing Sunday and Monday for the chance at a century belt,” Cook said after Saturday’s cancelation was announced. “But obviously the odds of me winning are better now.”
Cook understood the decision to keep the anglers off of Santee Cooper’s 170,000 acres of water, which is also known as South Carolina’s “inland sea.”
“They definitely made the right call,” he said. “If it blows over 20 here it’s nasty. We saw a little of that yesterday and it was only blowing 10.”
This has increasingly evolved into a spawning bed tournament. As to how the fishing will be affected, Cook said, “They’re not going to leave, but the wind will muddy up a lot of areas. They haven’t been easy to catch this week. They haven’t been really been locked on the beds. In the areas that are protected from the wind will be fine (Sunday).”