News

LAKE WYLIE

Rusty White knows sometimes people need more than they can pay for, which is why he started the charity tournament with his name in it. But this year he plans on adding something to the event, something not even money can buy.

The third annual Rusty White Charity Bass Challenge takes place from safe light to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, with blast off and weigh in both at Ebenezer Park in Rock Hill. Or, as maybe no other bass tournament on the lake can say, both weigh ins will be held at Ebenezer.

“We're going to weigh in the teams as they get there,” White said.

As in its first two years, the Rusty White event benefits Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. The entry fee for anglers is at least one nonperishable food item, with the collection then delivered to the group that serves 14 counties surrounding Charlotte, more than 600 agencies and up to 160,000 people just in children and seniors.

“We appreciate anyone in the community who wants to collect food for us,” said Kay Carter, executive director who added White has been a “tremendous” help the past two years. “Any time someone wants to step up and do what they can to help us out, we certainly welcome that.”

The same economy Carter credits with forcing so many people into need also made tournament sponsorships difficult this year, but White expects up to 150 boats competing anyway.

“I hope so,” he said. “I'm really excited this year even though the overall money is down a little bit, we're still guaranteeing $1,000 for first place and paying out eight or nine places.”

Plus, new this year is a prize that's “a heck of an opportunity to go fishing.” The six teams who donate the most food for their entry fees win a half day fishing with six world-class local anglers – Bassmaster Elite Series pros Todd Auten, Britt Myers and Jason Quinn along with FLW Outdoors pros Matt Arey, Andy Montgomery and Bryan Thrift.

“It's going to be a big deal,” White said. “Some of these guys don't guide. This gives people a chance to get time on the water with these guys who they might otherwise never have the chance to. Literally, you could not pay to spend a day with Todd Auten.”

Not only might anglers get to fish a half day with Auten or the other pros, but they might get to jostle atop the leader board with them, too. Auten plans to fish the upcoming event for the third time, after winning it with teammate Marcos Malucelli in 2007.

“For a lot of the guys who store their boats during the winter, this is kind of their last deal,” Auten said of the event.

Both the level of local competition and the tournament organization make the event a model in the area, as does its concept of fishing for a good cause, Auten said.

“It's a really well-run tournament,” he said. “We don't have many on Lake Wylie. I think we need more of the charity tournaments.”

Last year 136 boats participated, up 30 percent from the first year. Boats came from Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia and both Carolinas, including a Raleigh, N.C. fishing club arriving with entire crates of canned goods. This year White hopes for more, something Carter said her group would definitely appreciate.

“The need is absolutely astronomical,” she said.

For more information on the event, call 803-230-1906 or visit fishingwithrusty.com.