Fishing tourney slated at Reelfoot

Less than six months after Reelfoot Lake hosted the Super Bowl of crappie fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Crappie Masters returns with the qualifying tournament set for Saturday.
The one-day national qualifier is the first crappie tournament held at the lake since the 2007 National Championship last October.
The event is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, Tracker Marine, Toyota Tundra, Mercury Motors, MinnKota, Humminbird, Tennessee Tourism and Reelfoot Lake Tourism Council.
The top 20 teams qualify to fish in the 2008 National Championship on Harris Chain of Lakes in Tavares, Fla., in October.
The seminar and late entry registration for the Reelfoot tournament is set for tonight at the Buford Ellington Assembly Hall from 5-7.
The tournament will begin on Saturday at 7 a.m. and weigh-in will be at 3:30 p.m. at the Kirby Pocket unit of Reelfoot Lake State Park. A minimum guarantee of $12,000 cash payback and prizes will be awarded at the tournament. Anglers can find more information about the tournament at www.crappie-masters.net.
Bass Pro Shops Masters Kid’s Rodeo will be also held Saturday and is free for children 12 and younger. Parents may bring their children to fish for prizes and fun. Registration is at 8 a.m. and activities are from 9-11 at Blue Bank Park.
Last year’s tournament was also held the first weekend in March and featured 30 mile-per-hour winds and spitting snow. The weather forecast is better than that for this weekend but the winter has been very unsettled and very unpredictable.
Last year, the Gibson County team of Randy Allmon of Yorkville and Tony Duncan of Rutherford took first place with seven crappie weighing 10.77 pounds, beating out local favorites and past world champs Ronnie Capps and Steve Coleman, who weighed in 10.52 pounds. The previous year, under better weather conditions, the winning catch was 11.44 pounds.
Tournament organizers want to issue special thanks to all the local sponsors who help make this tournament one of the best on the tour. They include Eagle Nest Resort and Marine, Sportsman’s Resort, Reelfoot Lake Inn, Bluebank Resort, Dairy Queen, Boyette’s Resort, Budweiser Clark Distributing, Lakeview Dining Room, Bo’s Landing, Gray’s Camp, Cypress Point Resorts, Reelfoot Lake State Park, Reelfoot Lodge and Quick Stop, Walton’s Kwik Mart, Samburg Motel and Grocery, Boyette’s Dining Room, Sherry’s Kuntry Kupboard, Kelly’s One Stop, SL 100 Radio and Perotti Rod Holders.
Editor’s note: This information is courtesy of The Lake County Banner.
Published in The Messenger 2.29.08

Print