2013 Crappie USA Tournament Results for Kentucky Lake
OutdoorHub 03.18.13
This past Saturday March 16th CrappieUSAheld a qualifying event at the Kenlake State Park on Kentucky Lake. These anglers from 10 different states were competing for not only cash and prizes, but a chance to advance to the prestigious Cabela’s Crappie USA Classic. This year’s classic will be held October 23-26, 2013 on Kentucky Lake at Paris, Tennessee. This was a big fish contest showing that Kentucky Lake holds its own when it comes to being a top crappie fishery in the Midwest with 15 fish over the 2 pound mark and big fish of the event weighing in at 2.63 pounds.
Semi-Pro Division Results
Taking first place was the Gilbert, South Carolina team of Janette and Joe Carter weighing in 14.94 pounds and earning $2,000.00. Janette and Joe also captured big fish of the event earning them an additional $700.00 and an extra $500.00 for winning the Ranger Cup Award in the Semi-Pro division. This is not Janette and Joes first trip to the big stage at a Crappie USA event. The team placed 3rd at Miller’s Ferry, Alabama, 3rd at Weir/George Lakes in Florida and recently taking 2nd at Weiss Lake in Alabama. Janette and Joe were long line trolling in 8-12 feet of water in the Country Junction area of Kentucky Lake over a river channel. The team stayed on large fish all day using Ice Blue Charlie Brewer Slider grubs tipped with Stubby Steve’s bait to catch over 50 crappie for the day including big fish of the event at 2.63 pounds.
Second place went to the Mayfield, Kentucky team of John and Matthew Feagin weighing in a limit, (5 fish) of crappie weighing 11.48 pound and earning $1,000.00. John and Matthew were spider rigging the back of Blood River in 2-9 feet of water using Southern Pro white/chartreuse and orange and blue jigs to catch over 50 fish for the day.
In third place was the team of Tim Ayers of Idlewild, Tennessee and Tony Hames of Trezevant, Tennessee with a weight of 11.06 pounds and earning $750.00 along with an additional $300.00 for second biggest fish of the event weighing in at 2.40 pounds. Tim and Tony were fishing vertically with a single pole in the Big Sandy area using orange/chartreuse jigs in 22 feet of water to catch over 30 fish for the day.
Jacob Clark and Jackie Matheny of Mayfield, Kentucky took fourth place with a weight of 10.35 pounds and earning $550.00. Jacob and Jackie had to leave before the interviews took place.
Fifth place went to another well-known team on the crappie circuit, Terry Elliott of Greenfield, Tennessee and Jeff Elliott of Jackson, Tennessee weighing in 9.83 pounds and earning $400.00. Terry and Jeff were vertical jigging in the Big Sandy area using glow/chartreuse jigs in 10-15 feet of water to catch 50 fish for the day.
Amateur Division Results
First place in the amateur division was the Paducah, Kentucky team of Billy and Mark Seay weighing in 12.1 pounds and earning $1,500.00. Billy and Mark were fishing the north end of Barkley using one pole to vertical jig over manmade cover in 25 feet of water. The team was using yellow/chartreuse and blue/chartreuse jigs where their fish were suspended in late morning over cover to catch over 40 fish for the day.
Second place went to the Benton, Kentucky team of Jeff Outland and Gary Ellenberger weighing in 10.61 pounds and earning $750.00. Jeff and Gary were vertical jigging over 18-22 feet of water on the north end of Kentucky Lake over cover along the west side using blue/chartreuse jigs to catch 25-30 fish for the day. These Kentucky Lake veteran anglers commented that the crappie fishing is the best it has been in years.
Taking third place was James Harris of Clarksville, Tennessee and James Welker of Dover, Tennessee weighing in 10.45 pounds and earning $500.00. The team was fishing south of the Paris Landing area of Kentucky Lake in 10-12 feet of water using Disco Boosey jigs in different colors to catch over 30 fish for the day.
In fourth was the 3 person Wingo, Kentucky team of DeWayne McCord, Robert and Reed McCord weighing in 10.35 pounds and earning $400.00. The team also earned an additional $125.00 for taking the Ranger Cup Award in the Amateur Division. The McCord team was spider rigging the main lake in front of Blood River in 20-23 feet of water. The team was using jigs in a variety of colors tipped with Stubby Steve’s scent bait to catch over 35 fish for the day.
Fifth place went to the team of Chris Glasgow of Dover, Tennessee and Wilson Harrison of Big Rock, Tennessee weighing in 9.89 pounds and earning $300.00. Chris and Wilson were using red jig heads and black/chartreuse Disco Boogey jigs casting along the south end of the lake to catch over 25 fish for the day.
Congratulations to all the teams fishing this event. For a complete list of tournament standings and downloadable photos for this event visit www.crappieusa.com then go to Tournament Results.
Crappie USA Free Kids Fishing Rodeo
In conjunction with the tournament CrappieUSAheld their Kids Rodeo on Saturday morning with several local children attending the event. All the participants signed up for a chance to win one of 6-$1,000.00 scholarships to be drawn for at the Cabela’s Crappie USA Classic.
CrappieUSAand our anglers have contributed nearly $316,000.00 to the “Crappie Kids” Scholarships since 1997. We are very proud to be a part of the education process for the youngsters who participate in our tournaments as adult/youth teams and those who fish in the Crappie USA “Kids Fishing Rodeos”.
A special thanks goes out to the Marshall Country Tourism for hosting the event and all the folks at Kenlake State Park for their assistance.
Stats for the Tournament:
Weather- Temperatures were in the 60’s with Northwest winds 15-25 MPH all day.
Water-Water was rising and murky to muddy due to recent 3 inch rain on the south end of the lake.
