COLUMBIA, S.C. — It wasn’t damaged, so Jake Coucoules didn’t repair it.
That call to stay along with his space helped the Maple Shade N.J., professional publish a Day 2 rating of 89 inches and win the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series at Lake Murray scored by TourneyX. His two-day complete of 188.75 edged Ryan Matylewicz of Tunkhannock, Penn., by 4.75 inches and took dwelling the $13,400 prime prize.
“That is fairly surreal, however it’s one of the best second of my life,” Coucoules mentioned. “I’ve to thank God as a result of that’s the one method this weekend was attainable. I don’t know the way every part labored so completely for me.”
After main Day 1 with 99.75 inches, Coucoules’ High 5 Day 2 bass measured 19.5, 19, 17.5, 16.5 and 16.5.
Day 1 noticed Coucoules make a spontaneous resolution to fish an space he had not initially supposed to go to. Doing so gave him the lead by a 3.75-inch margin. Coucoules returned to the realm for the ultimate spherical and located what he wanted to shut the deal.
Fishing from a 12-foot Hobie Outback pedal drive, Coucoules opted to fish Lake Murray’s mid-lake area, as he had developed essentially the most confidence in that space throughout his three prior visits to this Saluda River reservoir.
Coucoules described his key space as a sequence of islands, which provided leeward safety from the weekend’s massive winds. Coucoules fished the primary island on Day 1 and switched to the second for Day 2. Concentrating on principally grass and wooden, he fished in 7 to eight ft the primary day and 9 to 10 the second.
“That second island was somewhat steeper and the primary one was flatter,” he mentioned. “Additionally, that second island had stumps [on the perimeter] and that’s principally what the fish have been regarding.”
Coucoules mentioned he caught all of his bass each days with power-fishing methods. His bait choice included a River2Sea Tactical DD Crank within the bluegill colour, a Rapala DT-10 in demon, a 3/4-ounce Soiled Jigs wobblehead with a inexperienced pumpkin Strike King Rage Craw and a 3/4-ounce Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer with a Hog Farmer Spunk Shad trailer.
Describing a novel presentation fashion, Coucoules mentioned, “I used to be principally yo-yoing that JackHammer like we do for fluke in Barnegat Bay (New Jersey).”
Regardless of coming into the ultimate spherical with a lead of three.75 inches, Coucoules mentioned a slower second day proved traumatic till the waning hours.
“I caught my largest fish (19.5) with an hour and a half left to fish,” he mentioned. “That was the primary time I assumed I had an opportunity to win.”
Coucoules mentioned his victory was the fruits of dedication and sacrifice impressed over 20 years in the past by a fellow New Jersey angler who’d turn out to be an trade icon.
“This has been my life since I used to be 5 years previous,” he mentioned. “I noticed (Bassmaster Elite Collection professional) Mike Iaconelli win the (2003) Bassmaster Traditional and that is actually all I’ve ever wished to do.
“I skipped events and proms for this. I’ve slept in my automobile and I didn’t eat for days to afford the entry charges. I’ve put my complete life into this, so for it to all work out is wonderful. It’s gotta be God watching over me. I’m simply so blissful.”
Matylewicz completed second with 184 inches. Including to his first-round complete of 89.25, Matylewicz recorded Day 2 catches of 19.5, 19.5, 18.75, 18.5, and 18.5 for a complete of 94.75.
Mentioning that the massive winds proved difficult for traversing open water and staying on his spots, Matylewicz mentioned his Outdated City Auto Pilot, which integrates Minn Kota’s Spot-Lock expertise proved invaluable.
“It was no joke,” Matylewicz mentioned. “It was Nice Lakes-style waves on the market. That Autopilot made me really feel protected and saved me (on my spots).
“Yesterday was somewhat extra of a battle. I attempted to cowl an entire lot of water. Right now, I centered on one space and ended up with an even bigger bag.”
Matylewicz caught all of his bass by energy fishing an Alabama Rig.
“I used to be simply in search of fish that have been on the brink of transfer up and spawn,” he mentioned. “I used to be simply finding them and attempting to pressure feed them. I had quite a lot of followers right now, however I caught sufficient of them that mattered.”
Bailey Eigbrett of Cheektowaga, N.Y. completed third with 183.5 inches. After scoring 87.5 on Day 1, Eigbrett turned in one of the best efficiency of Day 2 with 96 inches, comprising 5 bass that measured 23.5, 20.75, 19, 16.5 and 16.25.
Describing his massive bass as the most important he’s ever measured in a match, Eigbrett mentioned, “I caught him on 6-pound check, so when he got here up wallowing, my heartbeat was going!”
Chad Walden of Graniteville, S.C., gained the $500 Huge Bass award for his 23.5-incher. Walden’s 21-incher broke the big-fish tie with Eigbrett.
The High 5 finishers certified to fish the 2025 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Collection Championship.
This week’s occasion was hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country.
Full outcomes from the 2024 Yamaha Righwaters Bassmaster Kayak Collection at Lake Murray scored by TourneyX will be discovered here.
2024 Bassmaster Kayak Collection Title Sponsor: Yamaha Rightwaters
2024 Bassmaster Kayak Collection Companion: MotorGuide, YakGear
2024 Bassmaster Kayak Collection Angler of the Yr Sponsor: Dakota Lithium
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster match leagues, occasions and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the tradition of the game, offering cutting-edge content material on bass fishing each time, wherever and nonetheless bass fishing followers wish to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the five hundred,000-member group’s totally built-in media platforms embrace the trade’s main magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Occasions), web site (Bassmaster.com), TV present, radio present, social media packages and occasions. For greater than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been devoted to entry, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Event Path consists of essentially the most prestigious occasions at every stage of competitors, together with the Bassmaster Elite Collection, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Collection introduced by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Collection introduced by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster School Collection introduced by Bass Professional Outlets, Strike King Bassmaster Excessive College Collection, Bass Professional Outlets Bassmaster Staff Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Collection scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship introduced by Skeeter and the final word celebration of aggressive fishing, the Bass Professional Outlets Bassmaster Traditional introduced by Jockey Open air.
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