04-26-2011, 11:10 AM
This past Saturday April 23rd Crappie USA held a qualifying event at the Roland Cooper State Park on Millers Ferry Lake. These anglers 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 12-15, 2011 on the Kentucky/Barkley Lakes at Paris, Tennessee.
Semi-Pro Division Results
Taking first place was the Gray, Georgia team of Steve Deason and CB Sightler with a total weight of 9.7 pound and earning $1,000.00. Steve and CB caught over 150 fish shooting docks with white and green "Sugar Bugs" and AWD baits. The team caught 2 of their keepers that were weighed in by long line trolling on the north end of the lake.
Second place went to Wes Hicks of Coy, Alabama and Kent Wiggins of Dickerson, Alabama weighing in 7.14 pounds and earning $600.00. Wes and Kent were fishing the north end of the lake jigging around cypress trees using chartreuse jigs with red heads in 2-3 feet of water. The team also tied for big fish of the event with a 2.07 pound crappie giving the team an additional $175.00. The team caught a total of 20 fish all day.
In third place was Joseph Duncan of Hinceville, Alabama and Kendall Pate of Pinson, Alabama with a weight of 6.8 pounds and earning $400.00. Joseph and Kendall were fishing around boat docks with blue/black Northland Tackle jigs and minnows in 3-20 feet of water catching 30-40 fish during the day of competition.
Rick Howard of Warner Robins, Georgia and Fred Walker of Lizella, Georgia took fourth place with a weight of 6.1 pounds and earned $250.00 for the Ranger Cup Award. Rick and Fred, sponsored by the Academy Store were shooting docks with Southern Pro, Sugar Bugs and AWD baits. The team also caught fish long line trolling on the north end of the lake.
Fifth place went to the Thomasville, Alabama team of Joe and Alden Dunn with a total weight of 5.2 pounds. Joe and Alden were slow trolling in 18 feet of water using shad pearl colored Southern Pro Stingers.
Amateur Division Results
First place in the amateur division was Larry Williams of Jasper, Alabama and Corey Alexander of Nauvoo, Alabama with a weight of 7.08 pounds and earning $800.00. Larry and Corey were fishing the north end of the lake dipping live bait in 2-4 feet of water using single rod. The fish were holding very tight to cover and were very slow compared to their practice days before the event.
Second place went to the Thomasville, Alabama team of Travis Hudson and Clay Jackson weighing in 5.48 pounds and earning $500.00. Travis and Clay were flipping Southern Pro jigs around wood in 4 feet of water and catching over 50 fish for the day.
Taking third place was RJ Browder of Camden, Alabama and Rusarah Browder of Tallahassee, Florida with a weight of 4.47 pounds and earning $250.00. RJ and Rusarah were casting blue/purple homemade jigs over river channel ledges on the north end of the lake to catch only 5 fish for the day.
In fourth was the team of Paul and Mark Kreider of Birmingham, Alabama weighing in 3.48 pounds and earning $100.00. Paul and Mark were using blue and sparkle homemade jigs over river ledges with wood on the north end of the lake.
Fifth place went to the team of William Ancell of Section, Alabama and Danny Stephens of Arab, Alabama with a weight of 2.52 pounds.
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.
Big Fish Award
In a tie for big fish of the event was the teams of Wes Hicks of Coy, Alabama and Kent Wiggins of Dickerson, Alabama and the other team of Gilford Sipes of Moody, Alabama and Lee Sipes of Southside Alabama with 2 crappies weighing 2.07 pounds and each team earning $175.00.
Crappie USA Free Kids Fishing Rodeo<br />
In conjunction with the tournament Crappie USA held 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-$2,000.00 scholarships to be drawn for at the Cabela's Crappie USA Classic.
Crappie USA and our anglers have contributed nearly $302,000.00 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 to Floyd and William with Wilcox Area Chamber of Commerce for hosting the event and helping make sure everything ran smoothly", said Crappie USA CEO Darrell Van Vactor. "Millers Ferry Lake has a quality of fish found on only a couple of other lakes we have visited. They grow them big here and we already look forward to next year's event on Millers Ferry Lake", added Van Vactor.
"We also wish to thank Camden Mayor Max Baggett for being on hand to congratulate the winners and also a thanks to the one and only "Big Daddy Lawler" with Gettin Outdoors Radio Show on WJDB 95.5 who covered the event and was a huge help in promoting the event", said Van Vactor. For more information on the area call: (334) 682-4929 or visit their website at:www.wilcoxareachamber.org.
Stats for the Tournament:<br />
Weather- Temperatures were in low 80's with winds 5-10 MPH from the southwest and partly cloudy.
Water-Water was stained with unusually heavy current. Fish were slow due to post spawn and storms.
National Sponsors Of Crappie USA Are: Cabela's, Rebel Yell Bourbon, Ranger Boats, Evinrude Outboards , B 'n' M Poles, Minn Kota, Humminbird Electronics, Adventure Products EGO Nets, J.R. Mad's, Charlie Brewer's Slider Co., Big Bite Baits, TTI-Blakemore Road Runner, Driftmaster Rod Holders, Fishouflage, Touchdown, "KOOLWELL PRODUCTS", Vicious Fishing Line, Southern Pro Tackle, Moss Back Rack Fish Attractors, Tournament Ice, World Fishing Network-WFN and Ron Gooding Insurance.
The following companies furnish product to help make these events possible: Kodiak Fish Attractants and Keep Alive.
For more information please call Crappie USA Inc. at 270-395-4204. Please visit our website at www.crappieusa.com.
Semi-Pro Division Results
Taking first place was the Gray, Georgia team of Steve Deason and CB Sightler with a total weight of 9.7 pound and earning $1,000.00. Steve and CB caught over 150 fish shooting docks with white and green "Sugar Bugs" and AWD baits. The team caught 2 of their keepers that were weighed in by long line trolling on the north end of the lake.
Second place went to Wes Hicks of Coy, Alabama and Kent Wiggins of Dickerson, Alabama weighing in 7.14 pounds and earning $600.00. Wes and Kent were fishing the north end of the lake jigging around cypress trees using chartreuse jigs with red heads in 2-3 feet of water. The team also tied for big fish of the event with a 2.07 pound crappie giving the team an additional $175.00. The team caught a total of 20 fish all day.
In third place was Joseph Duncan of Hinceville, Alabama and Kendall Pate of Pinson, Alabama with a weight of 6.8 pounds and earning $400.00. Joseph and Kendall were fishing around boat docks with blue/black Northland Tackle jigs and minnows in 3-20 feet of water catching 30-40 fish during the day of competition.
Rick Howard of Warner Robins, Georgia and Fred Walker of Lizella, Georgia took fourth place with a weight of 6.1 pounds and earned $250.00 for the Ranger Cup Award. Rick and Fred, sponsored by the Academy Store were shooting docks with Southern Pro, Sugar Bugs and AWD baits. The team also caught fish long line trolling on the north end of the lake.
Fifth place went to the Thomasville, Alabama team of Joe and Alden Dunn with a total weight of 5.2 pounds. Joe and Alden were slow trolling in 18 feet of water using shad pearl colored Southern Pro Stingers.
Amateur Division Results
First place in the amateur division was Larry Williams of Jasper, Alabama and Corey Alexander of Nauvoo, Alabama with a weight of 7.08 pounds and earning $800.00. Larry and Corey were fishing the north end of the lake dipping live bait in 2-4 feet of water using single rod. The fish were holding very tight to cover and were very slow compared to their practice days before the event.
Second place went to the Thomasville, Alabama team of Travis Hudson and Clay Jackson weighing in 5.48 pounds and earning $500.00. Travis and Clay were flipping Southern Pro jigs around wood in 4 feet of water and catching over 50 fish for the day.
Taking third place was RJ Browder of Camden, Alabama and Rusarah Browder of Tallahassee, Florida with a weight of 4.47 pounds and earning $250.00. RJ and Rusarah were casting blue/purple homemade jigs over river channel ledges on the north end of the lake to catch only 5 fish for the day.
In fourth was the team of Paul and Mark Kreider of Birmingham, Alabama weighing in 3.48 pounds and earning $100.00. Paul and Mark were using blue and sparkle homemade jigs over river ledges with wood on the north end of the lake.
Fifth place went to the team of William Ancell of Section, Alabama and Danny Stephens of Arab, Alabama with a weight of 2.52 pounds.
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.
Big Fish Award
In a tie for big fish of the event was the teams of Wes Hicks of Coy, Alabama and Kent Wiggins of Dickerson, Alabama and the other team of Gilford Sipes of Moody, Alabama and Lee Sipes of Southside Alabama with 2 crappies weighing 2.07 pounds and each team earning $175.00.
Crappie USA Free Kids Fishing Rodeo<br />
In conjunction with the tournament Crappie USA held 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-$2,000.00 scholarships to be drawn for at the Cabela's Crappie USA Classic.
Crappie USA and our anglers have contributed nearly $302,000.00 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 to Floyd and William with Wilcox Area Chamber of Commerce for hosting the event and helping make sure everything ran smoothly", said Crappie USA CEO Darrell Van Vactor. "Millers Ferry Lake has a quality of fish found on only a couple of other lakes we have visited. They grow them big here and we already look forward to next year's event on Millers Ferry Lake", added Van Vactor.
"We also wish to thank Camden Mayor Max Baggett for being on hand to congratulate the winners and also a thanks to the one and only "Big Daddy Lawler" with Gettin Outdoors Radio Show on WJDB 95.5 who covered the event and was a huge help in promoting the event", said Van Vactor. For more information on the area call: (334) 682-4929 or visit their website at:www.wilcoxareachamber.org.
Stats for the Tournament:<br />
Weather- Temperatures were in low 80's with winds 5-10 MPH from the southwest and partly cloudy.
Water-Water was stained with unusually heavy current. Fish were slow due to post spawn and storms.
National Sponsors Of Crappie USA Are: Cabela's, Rebel Yell Bourbon, Ranger Boats, Evinrude Outboards , B 'n' M Poles, Minn Kota, Humminbird Electronics, Adventure Products EGO Nets, J.R. Mad's, Charlie Brewer's Slider Co., Big Bite Baits, TTI-Blakemore Road Runner, Driftmaster Rod Holders, Fishouflage, Touchdown, "KOOLWELL PRODUCTS", Vicious Fishing Line, Southern Pro Tackle, Moss Back Rack Fish Attractors, Tournament Ice, World Fishing Network-WFN and Ron Gooding Insurance.
The following companies furnish product to help make these events possible: Kodiak Fish Attractants and Keep Alive.
For more information please call Crappie USA Inc. at 270-395-4204. Please visit our website at www.crappieusa.com.