{"id":7166,"date":"2025-05-12T15:35:54","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T15:35:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gpstrianglenews.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/12\/cayces-andy-wicker-wins-national-fishing-championship-on-lake-murray\/"},"modified":"2025-05-12T15:35:54","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T15:35:54","slug":"cayces-andy-wicker-wins-national-fishing-championship-on-lake-murray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpstrianglenews.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/12\/cayces-andy-wicker-wins-national-fishing-championship-on-lake-murray\/","title":{"rendered":"Cayce\u2019s Andy Wicker Wins National Fishing Championship on Lake Murray"},"content":{"rendered":"

CAYCE, <\/span>S.<\/span>C.<\/span><\/strong> – <\/span>Local <\/span>angler <\/span>Andy <\/span>Wicker <\/span>brought <\/span>home <\/span>a <\/span>major <\/span>victory <\/span>last <\/span>week, <\/span>winning <\/span>the <\/span>2024 <\/span>American <\/span>Fishing <\/span>Tour (<\/span>AFT) <\/span>National <\/span>Championship<\/span><\/strong> on <\/span>Lake <\/span>Murray<\/span><\/strong> and <\/span>earning <\/span>the <\/span>prestigious <\/span>title <\/span>of <\/span>Angler <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Year<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wicker, <\/span>a <\/span>Cayce <\/span>native, <\/span>topped <\/span>a <\/span>field <\/span>of <\/span>skilled <\/span>weekend <\/span>anglers <\/span>from <\/span>20 <\/span>states <\/span>during <\/span>the <\/span>three-<\/span>day <\/span>tournament, <\/span>which <\/span>concluded <\/span>Friday, <\/span>May <\/span>9, <\/span>at <\/span>Dreher <\/span>Island <\/span>State <\/span>Park<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>His <\/span>total <\/span>catch <\/span>weighed <\/span>in <\/span>at <\/span>71.64 <\/span>pounds<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>including <\/span>the <\/span>tournament’s <\/span>largest <\/span>fish<\/span><\/strong> at <\/span>6.84 <\/span>pounds<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>win <\/span>earns <\/span>Wicker <\/span>more <\/span>than <\/span>just <\/span>bragging <\/span>rights—<\/span>he <\/span>also <\/span>received <\/span>a <\/span>brand-<\/span>new <\/span>Caymas <\/span>boat<\/span><\/strong> powered <\/span>by <\/span>a <\/span>Mercury <\/span>Marine<\/span><\/strong> engine, <\/span>loaded <\/span>with <\/span>high-<\/span>performance <\/span>gear <\/span>from <\/span>T-<\/span>H <\/span>Marine<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This <\/span>year’s <\/span>championship <\/span>brought <\/span>the <\/span>American <\/span>Bass <\/span>Anglers <\/span>tour <\/span>full <\/span>circle, <\/span>returning <\/span>to <\/span>Lake <\/span>Murray <\/span>25 <\/span>years <\/span>after <\/span>the <\/span>first <\/span>national <\/span>championship <\/span>was <\/span>held <\/span>there <\/span>in <\/span>2000. <\/span>Local <\/span>communities <\/span>turned <\/span>out <\/span>in <\/span>force <\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>daily <\/span>weigh-<\/span>ins, <\/span>with <\/span>food <\/span>trucks, <\/span>sunshine, <\/span>and <\/span>plenty <\/span>of <\/span>cheering <\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>competitors.<\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>addition <\/span>to <\/span>Wicker, <\/span>several <\/span>other <\/span>South <\/span>Carolina <\/span>anglers <\/span>placed <\/span>high <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>rankings, <\/span>including <\/span>Justin <\/span>Raines <\/span>of <\/span>Easley <\/span>and <\/span>Bradley <\/span>Day <\/span>of <\/span>Anderson.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“<\/span>This <\/span>year’s <\/span>championship <\/span>was <\/span>a <\/span>special <\/span>one, <\/span>returning <\/span>to <\/span>Lake <\/span>Murray <\/span>25 <\/span>years <\/span>after <\/span>the <\/span>inaugural <\/span>event <\/span>in <\/span>2000,” <\/span>said <\/span>tournament <\/span>organizers. “<\/span>The <\/span>competition <\/span>was <\/span>intense, <\/span>and <\/span>Andy <\/span>Wicker’s <\/span>performance <\/span>was <\/span>outstanding.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In <\/span>addition <\/span>to <\/span>fishing, <\/span>the <\/span>tournament <\/span>honored <\/span>America’s <\/span>military <\/span>community <\/span>with <\/span>a <\/span>flag <\/span>ceremony<\/span><\/strong> on <\/span>opening <\/span>day, <\/span>paying <\/span>tribute <\/span>to <\/span>ABA <\/span>anglers <\/span>and <\/span>attendees <\/span>who <\/span>have <\/span>served.<\/span><\/p>\n

Top <\/span>5 <\/span>Final <\/span>Tournament <\/span>Results:<\/span><\/h3>\n