41.8-pound fish earns top honors at catfish competition

ROCKINGHAM — Brian Elam and Aaron Locklear didn’t let an early vehicle malfunction deter them from claiming the top prize at the first round of the “Civil War: Battle on the Pee Dee” catfishing competition this weekend.

“Hopefully we have 60, 70 pounds in the morning with two fish,” they said eagerly before the 7:00 p.m. kickoff Saturday evening. The team members were busy replacing a tire on their trailer.

Their words came true as the Dream Team NC earned first place with a total of 69 pounds, the larger fish weighing in at 41.8 pounds. It earned them $3,365. The pair finished third at the 3rd Annual Lake Tillery Catfish Classic on August 13.

The second place team, Wicked Cats NC, earned even more money than the winning team by claiming the largest fish at 44.6 pounds for $1,672, which pushed their cumulative total to 66.6 pounds for $3,792.

This was the third iteration of the catfishing competition, which is a battle between North and South Carolina. NC had 36 teams sign up this weekend, while SC currently has 17 teams competing next weekend at Allison’s Landing in Johnsonville, SC.

Director Kevin Lambert said the total weight for the two states is added up in a friendly contest between the two. The payout for the total tournament was $8,000.

“It’s a long time to be on the water,” Lambert said with a laugh. “Make sure you have plenty of bait, drinks.”

This year’s event had the most teams sign up in their history. Registration was conducted at the MadKatz Outdoors facility.

“You better be mentally prepared,” said Adrian Blanks of Robeson County. “You got to love it. I’m looking for a state record tonight. We’re in a tournament, we came to win.”

Team Mims SC won the youth prize, $100, with a 38.2 pound blue. Team Busting Knuckles won the veteran prize ($200) with 44.4 pounds.

Teams of two to three participants loaded their boats into the water at 7 p.m. Saturday, hours before dark would arrive. Competitors said that visibility, as well as the cold conditions, factor into the event. The event ran for thirteen consecutive hours, concluding at a weigh-in at 8 a.m.

Everett Mathis drove ten hours from Toledo, Ohio for the event. He competed alongside MadKatz owner Matt Knight.

His largest fish in his career is a 33 pound flathead, but his goal for the event was 40+. Participants could only catch catfish; any other fish had to be returned to the water.

“You’d be lucky to catch one,” Mathis said. “But that one can do you some justice. If you catch the big fish, you’re all good.”

Mathis documented the event for his YouTube channel of six years, ALOF TV (A Lot Of Fishing.) Mathis has been catfishing since 2004.

He added that dusk, for him, is the best time to get a bite, but some competitors get their best fish at 4 or 5 in the morning. At night, the conditions are “misty.”

Tyler Hart of Winston-Salem has been catfishing his entire life. Florida and Oklahoma are some of his top destinations, but Knoxville, Tennessee remains his favorite.

“It’s peaceful and relaxing,” said Hart.

He’s been impressed by the MadKatz rods he has recently started using, saying that they handle well.

Lexi Ann, the owner of Wicked Fishing Company with three years of fishing experience, said lots of coffee is preparing her for the event.

While the 13 straight hours of fishing didn’t seem enough to phase Team Wicked as they were loading their boat in the water, their 8-and-a-half hour car ride from Pennsylvania certainly didn’t help.

“The fishing is the adrenaline,” she said, acknowledging there probably wouldn’t be any sleeping on their boat. “You never know what you’re going to catch. It’s like winning a million dollar lottery ticket.”

One of her favorite aspects of the sport is the promotion of conservation and the importance of CPR: catch, photo, release.

When her team of three (plus Pickles the Catfishing Chihuahua) departed minutes before the start of the event, she had one final reminder.

“Have fun, be happy,” Lexi Ann said.