Coming into the National Professional Fishing League season opener at Santee Cooper Lakes, estimates suggested that 75 pounds would be enough to claim victory. But Santee Cooper – Lakes Marion and Moultrie – had other plans, delivering big bass throughout the event. Despite changing temperatures and high winds, Oklahoma’s Jason Christie set a new NPFL three-day weight record of 82 pounds, 12 ounces, surging from sixth place after Day 2 to earn his first NPFL win and the $100,000 top prize.
As the Top 10 lined up to weigh in, Caleb Kuphall briefly set a new NPFL three-day total weight record, but his time at the top was short-lived. Christie surged ahead with a massive 32-5 bag on the final day, claiming the hot seat. The last angler to weigh in, Day-2 leader Corey Casey, had his toughest day of the tournament, managing just 15-5. Despite tying Kuphall in total weight, Casey finished second due to the tiebreaker.
Christie stuck to his strengths, locking in a BOOYAH Covert Spinnerbait and going to work on Santee Cooper. He kicked off the tournament with 31-6 on Day 1, followed by 19-1 on Day 2. His second 30-plus-pound bag was the biggest of Day 3.
All week, Christie focused on cypress trees in Lake Marion, in a well-known area referred to as “The Brickyard.” Searching for the coldest water temperatures he could find, he keyed in on isolated trees in 2 to 5 feet of water.
“Throughout practice and during the tournament, I looked for the coolest water in the area because I didn’t want my fish to leave and try to spawn,” said Christie. “Some parts of the lake were further along, but where I was focusing, the cooler water kept them positioned where I could catch them.”
Fishing just north of Eutaw Springs, he slow-rolled a 1/2-ounce spinnerbait, rotating between chartreuse/white/blue and chartreuse/white.
“I opted to fish the NPFL this season because I wanted to fish more,” he said on stage. “When I’m back home in Oklahoma, I don’t fish a whole lot, so this keeps me focused and hungry. Anytime you can get a victory, it’s special. When you do this long enough, you never know when it’s going to be the last one.”
Changing conditions finally caught up with runner-up Casey, as he struggled to find quality fish on Sunday. He had 27-3 and 30-4 bags in the first two rounds.
On Day 2, strong winds forced Casey to abandon his main area and move to a more protected deep weed point. While he had confidence in the spot, he was surprised to find quality fish staging to spawn.
“I wanted to jump around and hit a few places where I could actually fish,” said Casey. “The first spot I got to had them. It was a one-cast spot, and that cast was producing 30 pounds—I definitely didn’t expect that.”
Still, Casey had a gut feeling that fishing the same spot back-to-back wouldn’t pan out, and he was right. He landed no keepers and moved on. Working his way back down the lake, he jumped between spots and slowly built a small limit. When the camera operator left at 2 o'clock, it was game on—Casey caught his entire Day-3 bag in short order.
For Casey, competing at a high level on his home waters is more than just personal pride—it’s also a reflection of the knowledge he’s built as a full-time guide on Santee Cooper.
“I salvaged the day,” he added. “And honestly, it’s nice to lose by almost 10 pounds rather than making it close. Even if Christie hadn’t caught a big one late, he still would have edged me out. It was a phenomenal week, and to start the season like this at home is incredible.”
Here's a look at the final Top 10:
1. Jason Christie: 82-12
2. Corey Casey: 73-0
3. Caleb Kuphall: 73-0
4. Bill Lowen: 71-12
5. Hank Cherry: 71-3
6. Patrick Walters: 71-0
7. Keith Bardolf: 68-12
8. Greg Hackney: 67-13
9. Buck Mallory: 67-12
10. Buddy Gross: 67-4
