Mike May and Cliff Jenkins Get Big Win on Kerr Lake!

Henderson, NC – The NC Bass Challenge made its stop at Kerr Lake this past Saturday, where a massive field launched from the Nutbush boat ramp and brought plenty of quality bass to the scales in what turned out to be one of the tightest finishes of the season.

130 teams competed in the event but when weigh-in was complete, Mike May and Cliff Jenkins claimed the victory with a five-bass limit weighing 15.94 pounds, edging out Tyler Little and Chase Crocker by just 0.06 pounds. May and Jenkins also anchored their bag with a 4.41-pound kicker to help secure the win. The pair took home $5,000 in prize money plus an additional $8,000 in Triton Gold contingency money, bringing their total payday to $13,000.

After the event Mike May spoke with us about their day on the water: “We were targeting spawning fish in main lake pockets, fishing several pockets as fast as possible to stay in fresh water. Around lunchtime, we switched things up and caught a few on docks. We were fortunate enough to get a key bite late in the day to secure the win. I’d like to thank Collins Inc. and White River Marine Group for a great Triton boat and the opportunity to win $8,000 in contingency money every weekend. I’d like to thank Jeffrey Davis and his crew for running a great tournament trail.”

Tyler Little and Chase Crocker brought a solid five-bass limit weighing 15.88 pounds to claim second place, just ounces behind the winners in a heartbreaking near-miss.

Rounding out the top three were Kevin Jones and Tyler Jones with 15.37 pounds.

The event produced an outstanding Big Fish as well. Steve Michaels and Derek Stanley, who finished fourth overall with 14.89 pounds, brought the tournament’s largest bass to the scales — a 5.56-pound largemouth that highlighted the quality of fish Kerr Lake is producing right now. Several other notable big fish were weighed in throughout the day, including Kevin Ross and Michael Williams’ 4.46-pounder, Mike May and Cliff Jenkins’ 4.41-pound bass, Marty Stone’s 4.29-pound fish, and Eric Galasso and Scooter Lilley’s 4.07-pound largemouth.

Kerr Lake showed out for the NC Bass Challenge, with an incredibly competitive field from top to bottom. The top 21 teams took home cash prizes, and the top ten were separated by less than two pounds. A total of 112 teams brought fish to the scales, with 107 of those teams managing to bring five-bass limits — a remarkable sign of the fishery’s health and the consistency of the bite throughout the day.

Top 10 Results
1. Mike May / Cliff Jenkins – 15.94
2. Tyler Little / Chase Crocker – 15.88
3. Kevin Jones / Tyler Jones – 15.37
4. Steve Michaels / Derek Stanley – 14.89
5. Ronald Jones / Zach Wallace – 14.84
6. Scott Canady / Glenn Elliott – 14.68
7. Grady Stanley / Kieren Stephenson – 14.62
8. Brandon Johnson / Wilson Johnson – 14.60
9. Ryan Harrell / James Joyner – 14.53
10. Thomas Craft / Spencer Barrow – 14.48

The depth of the field was evident with 21st-place finishers Mikey Anderson and Jay Wright still weighing in over 13 pounds with their five-bass limit. Competition on this level speaks volumes about both the talent on the NC Bass Challenge trail and the quality of the Kerr Lake fishery.

The NC Bass Challenge season continues to deliver exciting finishes, and if this event is any indication, anglers and fans alike are in for another thrilling year of competition.

Points standings from the Kerr Lake event are available through NC Bass Challenge.

Full Tournament Standings

Tournament Photos