Tribute to Jr. Bunce from all at Randolph's Landing

Contributor David Sweat, Rock's Pond, SC

Many people knew my fishing partner, Rufus Bunce, or as Junior....some knew him as "June Bug".....Sunday May 3rd, 2009 at approximately 6 AM, Junior passed away. His un-timely death was sudden and tragic. He leaves behind a wife, a daughter and grandchild.

Junior fished almost all of the Catfish Tournaments one could find in Santee. Pictured left is Jr. Bunce with Randolph's Landing, Owner, Nick Lucas. His accomplishments include: Several 2nd Place Overall Weight and Big Fish - Randolph's Landing Tournaments. Numerous 3rd Place Overall Weight and Big Fish - Randolph's Landing Tournaments. Countless 5th thru 10th Overall Weight and Big Fish - Randolph's Landing Tournaments. He has 1 tie for Big Fish - Randolph's Landing Tournaments.

He also fished on the Cape Fear River in his hometown of Fayetteville, N.C.  and was President and founder of Long Whisker's Catfish Club (Fayetteville, NC) and held Several Points and victories. He is the TWO TIME (in-a row) Series Runner-up for the Carolina Catman Championship. He fished numerous Cabela's Tournaments and N.C. C.A.T.S. tournaments and 1st place S.C. Region of U.S. C.A.T.S. (points division) At the 2nd Annual Hill's Landing Tournament he placed 2nd Place Overall Weight, 3rd place Big Fish, He devoted his life to the outdoors, he enjoyed hunting and fishing. Most of all he enjoyed his friends, such as me and Steve Sexton. He will be missed by many.

He was buried in a Randolph's Landing T-shirt, with sunglasses in his pocket, and Blue Jeans (if you knew of Junior that was how he was), Steve and I made sure he had a Santee Drift Rig in his hands!

The chapel had a slide show of pictures from childhood, to his Grandchildren in his arms....along with this was pictures of the many fish he caught on Santee...once the service was over we placed Junior and his casket onto his pontoon boat, and pulled him to the grave site with his truck. His final resting spot is located right across from a small pond at the cemetery. He will be greatly missed, but he will always be in our hearts to cherish. His wife has asked me to inform you not only of his un-timely and unfortunate death, but to share the memories with you, she sends her love and appreciation for thinking of her and Junior's family during this difficult time. We plan on fishing this coming September Tournament in his memory.

 

SPRING NATIONAL CATFISH TOURNAMENT RESULTS

MARCH 28-29, 2009

Randolph's Landing hosts two of the major catfish tournaments that are held on the Santee-Cooper Lakes systems every year. These two tournaments are the Spring National held in March and The Fall National Championship which is held in September. This year with excellent lake levels and in conjunction with the spring spawn, there was an 80% Payback on Total Weight Top 3. 100% Payback on Biggest Fish Top 2. The Optional Big Fish Pot was $25. 

1st Place Total Weight- Doug Coyle from Waco, Kentucky with 170.7 lbs. Doug also caught the 2nd Place biggest fish weighing in at 39.3 lbs.

2nd Place Total Weight- Van Berry of Cottageville, S.C. with 129.6 lbs.

3rd Place Total Weight Tim Ferris, Lake Wylie, S.C. and 123.9 lbs.

1st Place Big  Fish went to Thomas Gatch of Lilbourn, Georgia 42.1 lbs.

Photos are being processed and will be published soon, so please check back. We look forward to seeing you in September for our Fall National Catfish Championship. Tournament dates have been scheduled for September 26 & 27, 2009.

     Fall National Championship September 26 & 27, 2009

You can register 3 different ways:

Call 1-800-BIG-CATS to register.

email us at: big_cats@ftc-i.net or print the Entry Form and mail it to:

RANDOLPH'S LANDING 1022 Randolph's Landing Way, Manning, SC 29102

PLEASE NOTE THAT ONLY THAT YOU ONLY NEED TO REGISTER BEFORE  SEPTEMBER 26, 2009.

ENTRY FEE DUE BEFORE BLAST OFF SEPTEMBER 26, 2009.  

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Registration Desk, Restaurant & Tackle Shop Open 5 a.m. Sat. September 26, 2009.

Team Member must pick up fish weigh-in card 5 a.m. thru 7:30 a.m. Sat. September 26, 2009.

Blast Off- 7:30 a.m., Sat. September 26, 2009.

Final Weigh-In 11 a.m. Sunday, September 27, 2009.

Awards & Prizes following weigh-in.

Public welcome at weigh-in.

OFFICIAL RULES- FALL NATIONAL CATFISH TOURNAMENT

SEPTEMBER 26 & 27, 2009

All South Carolina Wildlife Resources Department Rules & regulations must be followed.

  New laws regulate Santee Cooper Arkansas Blue Catfish

1.  Fish will be inspected upon weigh-in by Tournament designated official. There will be a polygraph given to random members of the winning teams.

2.  No team may weigh- in more than 5 fish.

3.  Big fish weighed in MUST be alive and pass inspection. May be released or kept by team.

4.  Remaining 4 fish weighed in can be kept alive for release. Fish that are weighed in dead and pass inspection can be kept by team or donated to a local orphanage.

5.  Entry fee is $100.00 per team. A team can be 1,2,3, or 4 people.

6.  In the event of severe weather, i.e. high winds where Tournament officials feel that it will be unsafe to send boats out, tournament will be rescheduled to be held the next weekend.

7.  Stringers are allowed, but the hole in the lower jaw can be no more than 1/2 " square or not more than 1" long for a single cut. Only one fish is allowed per stringer. No stringers are allowed through the gills.

8. Fish may be weighed in any time from 7:30 a.m. through 8 p.m. on September 26th  and from 8 a.m. through 11a..m. on September 27th. All fish must be at the weigh-in station and declared to the weigh-in official by 11 a.m. Sunday, September 27, 2009.

9.  No team can win more than 1 prize from each category, In the event of a tie the money will be split equally from that prize.

10.  Tournament boundaries will be all waters navigable by boat from the top of the lock on Lake Moultrie to the confluence of the Wateree and the Congaree Rivers at the headwaters of Lake Marion.

11.  All teams must pick up their weigh in card prior to starting to fish on Saturday, September 26, 2009  and must depart from Randolph's Landing by water and return by water. All travel must be done by water. If you take your boat out during the tournament you must put it back in at the same landing.

12.  No guides, commercial, or professional fishermen are allowed to fish this tournament. No one who earns a portion of their income by fishing may enter this contest.

13.  All fish must be caught on rod & reel or cane pole. No none game methods may be used. All South Carolina Wildlife Resources Department Rules & regulations must be followed.

14.  During the tournament no team may anchor their boat within 100 ft. of another boat, all fishing must be done from a boat.

15.  Any tournament entrant may be given a polygraph test prior to awarding prizes. In all instances and circumstances the decision of the tournament judges will be final. Any protest must be made in writing to the tournament judges no later than 20 minutes after the weigh-in deadline.

16.  It is agreed that Randolph's Landing will not be held responsible for any accidents caused by or to anyone participating in this tournament. Payment of entry fee constitutes acceptance of all rules by the entire team.

17.  An optional Catch and Release Contest Big Fish Pot will be awarded to the participating teams that weigh-in the 1st & 2nd Place single Big Fish Pot participants.

18.  No spectators are allowed on a participants boat, only team members are allowed. Media personnel may be present on a contestants boat with written permission of tournament officials.

19.  All members of the team must be present at final weigh-in to be eligible for cash prizes. Individual must be present to win door prizes.

20.  All tournament fishermen are required to wear a life preserver while their boat is powered by a combustion engine.

PRINT THE ENTRY FORM HERE