Weiss Lake played host to the Crappie USA event this past Saturday, February, 24, 2018. Over 100 anglers from several states were competing for not only the $7,700.00 in cash and prizes, but a chance to advance to the prestigious Cabala’s Crappie USA Classic. The Classic event will be October 3 – 6, 2018 on Lake Cumberland at Somerset, Kentucky and will have a guaranteed payout of $125,000 in cash and prizes. Be sure to check out our website at: www.crappieusa.com and like our Crappie USA Tournament Trail Facebook Page. Both sites contain new and exciting information on our events along with special information for crappie anglers everywhere.
Pro Division Results
Tournament day saw temperatures in the 70’s all day with SE winds from 15 – 25mph and a light rain at weigh-in time. It also saw John Hendrix and Kevin Randall, both of Rome, Georgia take first place in the Pro Division with a total weight of 11.54 pounds and earning $1,500.00. The team long-lined Big Bite Baits up river, moving from cove to cove in 7 – 10 feet of water landing their best bite on black/chartreuse and blue/white color jigs to catch a total of 35 keepers for the day.
Blake and Stanley Phillips (Dothan, Alabama and Eufaula, Alabama) took second place with a total weight of 10.71 pounds and earned $800.00. The team trolled jigs in Cowen Creek using chartreuse/black color jigs to catch most of their 50 fish in various water depths.
Taking third place were Donnie Burris of Columbia, Kentucky and Larry Buis of Liberty, Kentucky weighing in at 10.18 pounds and earning $500.00. The team fished the Little River area long-line trolling jigs in 7 – 10 feet of water to land 35 – 40 fish for the day using assorted colors.
Tony Thomas of Section, Alabama and Ronnie Bleas of Ohatchee, Alabama took fourth place with a total weight of 10.16 pounds and earned $280.00, and 2nd place Big Fish. The team fished with live bait in several areas of the lake in 6 – 11 feet of water to catch a full limit for the day, including Big Fish of the event, weighing 2.26 pounds.
Amateur Division Results
Joe Hayes and Phil Trapp, both of Cave Springs, Georgia took first place in the Amateur Division with a total weight of 11 pounds and earned $1,100.00, plus an additional $500.00 Ranger Cup Bonus and $250.00 Talon Bonus. The team fished the Riverside area of the lake tight-lining live bait on the edge of creek channels back in the coves to land over 25 fish for the day in various depths of water. Most fish were holding shallow, staging in per spawn pattern.
Taking second place were Max and Know Wilson both of Centre, Alabama weighing in at 9.95 pounds and earning $600.00. The team fished the upper river area, tight-lining minnows in heavy cover in 4 – 6 feet of water to make their catch.
Robert Lemming of Summersville, Georgia and Chris Anderson of Fort Payne, Alabama took third place of the event weighing in at 9.67 pounds and earned $400.00. The team were shooting docks all over the lake, shallow fish early in the morning and moving deeper during the day. The team used a variety of colored jigs to catch over 200 fish for the day.
In fourth place were John Hicks of Adairsville, Georgia and Tim Harris of Plainsville, Georgia with a total weight of 9.64 pounds and earned $400.00, plus an additional $660.00 for Big Fish. The team fished the Blow Hole area using live bait in 6 – 8 feet of water to land a total of 16 fish for the event, including the Big Fish, weighing in at 2.43 pounds.
James and Jamie Heflin (Verberase, Alabama and Clanton, Alabama) took fifth place, weighing in at 9.63 pounds and earning $300.00. The team pushed minnows on the main lake, targeting edges of humps in open water in 6 feet of water to catch over 200 fish for the day.
A special thank you to Teresa Hulgan with the Centre Chamber of Commerce for hosting the event and Weiss Lake Lodge, our host hotel, while staying in the area. Also, thank you to Crappie Unlimited for designing and building a first class ramp and park area at Graves Landing and 3 rivers ramp area.
National Sponsors of Crappie USA are: Cabela’s, Ranger Boats, Mercury, Mustad, B ‘n’ M Poles, Humminbird Electronics, Gamma, Adventure Products EGO Nets, Minn Kota, J.R. Mad’s Madgic Fish Breading, Big Bite Baits, TTI-Blakemore Road Runner, Driftmaster Rod Holders, World Fishing Network-WFN, Cumberland Crappie Double Seat Mounts, Church Tackle Company, Charlie Brewer’s Slider Co., Crappie Now on-line Magazine, Talon Shallow Water Anchors, Humminbird/Lakemaster Maps, Sunsect Sunscreen & Insect Repellent, Digital EFX Wraps, Gill Rainwear, AWD Baits, Tentnology, Crappie Magnet, Jenko Fishing, Lake Cumberland Tourism, Extreme Bait Systems, Rigrap, and Bait 2 Go.
For more information please call Crappie USA at 502-384-5924. Be sure to check out our website at: www.crappieusa.com and like our Crappie USA Tournament Trail Facebook Page. Both sites contain new and exciting information on our events along with special information for crappie anglers everywhere.
