DAVY HITE

Davy Hite Prepares For

‘Super Bowl’ Of Fishing

　　Professional football’s Super Bowl is Sunday, but the "Super Bowl of Professional Fishing" is a few weeks later, and Saluda County native, Davy Hite, will be competing in the Bassmaster Classic for the 14th time.

　　Hite won the Classic in 1999 in New Orleans. This year’s event will be held Feb. 24-26 on the Red River in Shreveport, La., so Hite hopes the return to the Bayou State is a good sign.

　　The Saluda High graduate is celebrating his 18th year on the pro fishing tour, and has had a great success, including winning the B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year title twice.

　　Hite grew up on Lake Murray, and always wanted to be a professional fisherman, but it was not until he had worked ten years for the S.C. National Guard that he decided to go out on faith and join the circuit.

　　"Natalie (his wife, the former Natalie Smith of Saluda) had confidence in me, but I wasn’t so sure," Hite said. "Finally, I decided I didn’t want to one day be 60 or 70-years-old and wonder what I might have done as a professional."

　　Eighteen years of success later, Hite knows he made the right decision. Only four seasons did he miss qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic.

　　For most, the 1990’s doesn’t seem that long ago, but Hite has seen tremendous technological advances in professional fishing.

　　"When I started I had a bag phone (a bulky cell phone that required a car-like antenna)," he said. "But I think it worked better than today’s cell phones."

　　Today’s fish finding equipment is so sophisticated rookies can come on the tour and be successful, he said.

　　"I have two GPS-depth finder devices on my boat that cost more than a motor," Hite said.

　　Before he competes in Shreveport, Hite will travel to Florida, Minneapolis and Little Rock.

　　Like a professional golf tournament, the Classic allows fishermen to have "practice rounds" the days before event begins, so Hite is anxious to check out the Red River.

　　ESPN will televise the Classic.

　　The professional fishing circuit runs from January until August, so fishermen have about five months of downtime.

　　One of Hite’s sponsors is Advance Land & Timber, and since he has always enjoyed being a landowner and planting and harvesting trees, he has gotten his real estate license and gone to work for the company.

　　He recently sold a big farm in Saluda County.

　　"I don’t have any interest in selling houses, but I love working with the land and timber," he said.

　　Hite, Natalie and their sons Parker and Peyton moved from Saluda County to Ninety Six a few years.

　　The oldest son, Parker, followed his daddy’s footsteps on the gridiron. Davy played quarterback for Saluda High, and Parker played quarterback for Ninety Six.

　　Parker went on to Newberry College, where he red-shirted his freshman year. After playing two seasons for the Wolves, Parker told his family he wanted to transfer to West Point and play football for the Cadets.

　　He had to sit out this football season, because he transferred, but he has excelled in the classroom.

　　"We may live 15 miles up the road now, but we still consider ourselves Saluda boys," Davy said. "We are awfully proud that a Saluda boy could go to one of the top five academic institutions in the country, and rank 16th out of 1250 students in his class this past semester."

　　Younger son, Peyton, does well in school, too, and is a freshman at Ninety Six High School.

　　In three weeks, Davy Hite competes in the Bassmaster Classic.

　　One writer calls it the toughest field ever, because it features six former champions, and seven former Anglers of the Year.

　　That "Saluda boy" numbers himself in both those distinctions, and folks back home will be pulling for him to win the title again.

 

EMD Director

Steadman Leaving

　　Saluda County Emergency Management Division Director Robert Steadman is resigning his post.

　　Steadman sent out the following email last week:

　　"Effective 2/03/12, I will be leaving employment with Saluda County to accept a new and exciting opportunity with the South Carolina Budget & Control Board. I will serve as the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator and also assist in the coordination of statewide telecommunications services for the 800 MHz radio system.

　　"I will continue to work with many of you in the future since this position supports emergency management ESF-2 (Communications) responsibilities including support for statewide operational planning, response and recovery."

　　A former Ridge Spring Fire Chief, Steadman came to work for Saluda County after being employed many years by the Aiken Department of Public Safety.

　　Through his years on the job as EMD director, Steadman has written many grants that have gone toward improving emergency services, including the acquisition of new trucks for all the county’s fire departments.

　　Earlier this year, he headed a trip to New York City with local firefighters, Edwin Riley, Jacob Schumpert and Chris Spradley. They brought back to Saluda County a portion of an actual beam from the World Trade Center. The beam was dedicated on the tenth anniversary of 9-11 on the Courthouse Square.

 

 

MILLER RECOGNIZED - Left to right: Amanda Nichols, Russ Miller, and Chris Bradham-ArborOne.

Miller Receives

Agribusiness Award

　　COLUMBIA, SC…Russell Miller of Saluda was recently named recipient of the Outstanding Agribusiness Award for the Mid-State Region by the SC Young Farmer and Agribusiness Association at a state conference held in Columbia, SC.

　　Mr. Miller was presented a framed certificate and cash award by ArborOne Farm Credit who sponsors the recognition program in concert with the SC Young Farmer and Agribusiness organization.

　　Owner of NAPA Auto Parts in Johnston, Mr. Miller’s operation specializes in filters, hydraulics, and tractor parts. He is responsible for ordering, stocking, selling, and making deliveries. His wife Candice does all bookwork. Purchasing the business in 2008, Mr. Miller’s store employs two.

　　An FFA alumnus, Mr. Miller is also involved with Little League . He is an active member of Midland Volunteer Fire Department, St Williams Catholic Church, and the Saluda County Young Farmer and Agribusiness Chapter. He and his wife have two children, Texanna and Quinten.

　　Amanda Nichols, Agricultural Education instructor at Saluda High School, serves as the professional advisor to the local Young Farmer and Agribusiness group.