Hard Labor Reservoir Hosts Total Electric Championship

The 2019 Georgia Bass TEC (Total Electric Championship) bass fishing tournament was recently hosted at Hard Labor Creek Reservoir and was made up of qualifying teams from five of the best electric-only bass fishing clubs in the state. Hard Labor Creek Reservoir is a 1,370-acre regional reservoir serving Walton and Oconee County residents.

These electric-only tournaments have really been gaining in popularity over the last few years. When you hear about bass tournament fishing, you typically think of 21-foot fiberglass boats powered with large gasoline motors. These bass boats go at high rates of speed with the company of other boaters enjoying their time on the public waters kicking some wakes.

However, thanks to our local, state and federal administrators, planning began 30-plus years ago to create the reserve capability to meet our future water supply demands throughout Georgia by constructing water supply reservoirs. Who would have thought that planning for our water supply demands would also lead to a new form of bass fishing by use of electric motors only?

The rise in competitive anglers in Georgia have reached a new level by taking a green approach by running electric propulsion. The pace of these electric-only bodies of water have boats cruising comfortably around 10 miles per hour or less with significantly less boating traffic than you see on the larger reservoirs.

Here are the results from our 2019 Georgia Bass – TEC (Total Electric Championship).

1. Mike Strickland & Chris Gayton, Small Water Angler Teams, 20.34 pounds, $1,000
2. Tim Wyatt & Aaron Cole, Electric Bass Opens, 19.93 pounds, $600
3. Blake Yarter & Jay Yarter, Dixie Jon Boat Anglers, 17.14 pounds, $400
4. Michael Geiger & Randy Moore, Electric Bass Opens, 15.82 pounds
5. John Long & Jack Butler, Dixie Jon Boat Anglers, 14.00 pounds