Bass Tournament returns to Lake Wylie

This blog was written by Jan Todd, an associate of David's.

If you had told me a few years ago that I'd be "stoked" about a bass tournament on Lake Wyie, I would have thought you a bit loo-loo. About four years ago, however, the Bassmasters tournament held an event at Lake Wylie, and it was pretty darn exciting!

I was co-owner of the Dilworth Coffeeshop at the time, and some of the fine folks at T-bonz recommended us to ESPN to cater their coffee service. It involved delivering coffee in the wee hours of the morning, and making sure their sleepy-headed technicians never ran out of caffeine.

Quite honestly, we hadn't done much catering at that point, and managed to bluff our way through the price quotes, determining food quantity, and all the other things that go along with handling such an event. We must have done okay, because they called us back the next year to cater another event!

It turned out to be more fun than I imagined. The first day was primarily set up and prep. The ESPN trailers were equipped with video equipment and monitoring stations. Each bass boat had a GPS that could be tracked for location. As the contestants caught fish, the weight and location were almost instantly available on the internet.

The morning of the competition arrived, and after we set the coffee up in the trailers, we joined the crowd to watch the launching. All of the bass boats arrived together, in a long parade that originated at the Charlotte Coliseum. As we watched from the landing near T-Bonz in the pre-dawn darkness (did I mention it was EARLY??), the trucks rolled across the bridge, with the boats all lit up. I was jumping up and down like a kid at a parade!

"Watch out," said someone beside me. "It's about to be on like a pot of chicken necks!"

Chicken necks indeed. My thoughts exactly?

The boats were launched one by one, then with a starting signal, they were off like a band of Nascar racers. The noise! The waves! I could sense the fish trembling!

TBF (The Bass Federation) National Championship has announced that the bass tournament will return to Lake Wylie. If you can get your sleepy head out of bed, it is definitely worth the effort to see the launch! Just make sure to grab a good cup of coffee along the way!

Find more Lake Wylie Events and Activities at David Coone's website, TheLakeWylieMan.com. Your source for Lake Wylie waterfront real estate and more!

The New Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

If you were to ask someone to describe the town of Lake Wylie, your answer would vary greatly depending on who you asked.

If you asked a "newcomer" (someone who has been here fewer than 5 years), you'd probably hear about the fine schools, its convenience to Charlotte & Gastonia, the need for more restaurant choices, and the need for a Harris Teeter or Fresh Market or SOMETHING. Bi-Lo and Food Lion are doing the best they can do, but our grocery choices are pretty limited at this point.

If you asked someone who has lived in the Lake Wylie area for 10 years or more, the one word that would surely be part of their description is "change." And my, how it has changed! I remember how ten or so years ago you could pull into a gas station and buy a can of Coke and a cup of worms in side-by-side vending machines. How we had one grocery store, in the now-abandoned shopping center near the bridge. (Guess what - - it was a Harris Teeter!) How the Buster Boyd Bridge was lit with Christmas lights every year, and what a sight that was. How Five Points actually had five roads intersecting, and Three Points had three. (See my blog "Getting Around in Lake Wylie").

As for the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce back in those days, it was essentially a Gateway to River Hills. I was trying to find the Chamber to get a map and find out some information about opening a business. When I finally located the place, I found that it was closed. Its hours of business were only a few scattered through the week, unless you called ahead, left a message, waited for a call back . . .

That's why, when I recently visited the new Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce, I was thrilled to see a beautiful building, smiling faces inside, lots of brochures and maps, and a true resource for our community. They have a large conference table, nice seating areas, and a very welcoming atmosphere. It is located in the Shoppes at the Landing, 264 Latitude Lane.

Some signage along Hwy 49 would be helpful for visitors to the area, however. Unless you know where to go, the Chamber building is not easy to find, not visible from the road. Plus, it is located a couple of miles from the Buster Boyd bridge and the "Welcome to Lake Wylie" sign. No matter. If there's one thing certain about Lake Wylie, it's change.

For more information about the history of Lake Wylie, Lake Wylie community profiles, and buying and selling real estate in Lake Wylie, please visit my website, www. TheLakeWylieMan!