Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
Coming into the Strike King NPFL Stop One at Santee Cooper Lakes, estimates suggested that 75 pounds would be enough to claim victory. But Santee Cooper—and 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 Two to earn his first NPFL Shield and the $100,000 prize.
As the top ten 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-pound, 5-ounce bag on the final day, claiming the hot seat. The last angler to weigh in, Day Two leader Corey Casey, faced his toughest day of the tournament, managing just 15 pounds, 5 ounces. Despite tying Kuphall in total weight, Casey finished second due to the tiebreaker.
With several giants landed over three days, Harmon Davis claimed Big Bass honors with a 10-pound, 9-ounce lunker caught on Day One. Twenty-three anglers cracked the 20-pound mark on Championship Sunday, including North Carolina’s Josh Hooks, who jumped to 40th place with his biggest bag of the week to secure the final check.
Christie Comes Roaring Back
Two “dirty thirty” bags were all Jason Christie needed to erase a slow Day Two and charge to victory. The Oklahoma pro stuck to his strengths, locking in a BOOYAH Covert Spinnerbait and going to work on Santee Cooper. He kicked off the tournament with 31 pounds, 6 ounces on Day One, followed by 19 pounds, 1 ounce on Day Two, before surging back to the top with a dominant 32-pound, 5-ounce bag on Sunday—the biggest limit of the day.
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 ½-ounce BOOYAH Covert Single Colorado Blade 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.”
SC Angler Casey Falls to Second
After increasing his weight from Day One to Day Two, changing conditions finally caught up with Day Two leader Corey Casey, as he struggled to find quality fish on Sunday. He kicked off the event on Friday with 27 pounds, 3 ounces, then called an audible on Day Two, relocating to land 30 pounds, 4 ounces. As the last angler to weigh in on the final day, his 15-pound, 9-ounce limit dropped him to second place—still a strong finish for Stop One of the 2025 NPFL Season.
On Day Two, 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 guy left at 2:00, it was game on—Casey caught his entire Day Three bag in short order.
“I salvaged the day,” he added. “And honestly, it’s nice to lose by almost ten 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.”
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’m a guide on Santee Cooper—Corey Casey Guide Service—and this is my second year doing it,” he concluded. “I also have to thank my local sponsors for their support: Arrow Fencing LLC, Atlantis Heating & Air, Diamond Decorative Coatings, Kennedy’s Grading, Excavation & Materials, New Haven Construction LLC, Phantom Outdoors – Tournament Grade Fishing Apparel, Riverland Services – Tree and Land Management, and Rodney Wrenn – Custom Wood Framed Metal Buildings.”
Top ten:
Jason Christie 82-12
Corey Casey 73-0
Caleb Kuphall 73-0
Bill Lowen 71-12
Hank Cherry 71-3
Patrick Walters 71-0
Keith Bardolf 68-12
Greg Hackney 67-13
Buck Mallory 67-12
Buddy Gross 67-4
