Crappie USA Lake Strom Thurmond Results

            This past Saturday October 30^th nearly 100 top anglers in the Carolina's merged to Lake Strom Thurmond for the Crappie USA Lake Strom Thurmond Fall Event. Lake Strom Thurmond will be the site of the 2005 Region 2 regional event where up to 300 anglers will be competing for up to $45,000.00 in cash and prizes. Lake Strom Thurmond is the largest inland body of water in the south with 71,000 acres at full pool.

Semi-Pro Division

            First place in the semi-pro division was the team of Todd and Leonard Frick of Leesville, SC weighing in 16.07 pounds fishing brushpiles in 20 feet of water using chartreuse jigs tipped with live bait. The team received a check for $750.00.

            In second place was Randy Pope of Hickory, NC and Jerry Pruitt of Vale, NC with 14.27 pounds and taking home $600.00. Pope and Pruitt were shooting docks in 20 feet of water, with their fish 12 feet deep using Lindy Little Joe Rippers.

            Taking third place was Jackie Hite of Leesville, SC and Russell Anderson of Saluda, SC with 13.68 pounds and taking home $400.00. Hite and Anderson were using live bait in brushpiles, 25-30 feet of water with the fish lying in 12 feet of water.

            Rounding out the top 5 was this years Classic Champs, Sonny Bundrick of Little Mountain, SC and Kenny Eargle of Leesville, SC taking fourth place with 12.93 pounds. In fifth place was the team of Kinney Goff of Batesburg, SC and Terry Shealy of Leesville, SC with 12.93 pound.

Amateur Division

            Taking first place in the amateur division was the team of David Brown of Anderson, SC and John Yoney of Townsville, SC with 13.8 pounds. Brown and Yoney were fishing ledges in 13-14 feet of water on brush using black jigs tipped with livebait. The team received $600.00 for first place.

            In second was the team of Michael Rickard of Batesburg, SC and William West of Prosperity, SC with a weight of 12.32 pounds and taking home $350.00. The team was fishing livebait over brush in the Soap Creek area.

            Third place went to Dan Potts of Dandridge, TN and Steve Stapleton of Evans, GA with 11.59 pounds and taking home $225.00. The team tightlined livebait around docks in 20-25 feet of water.

            Christopher and Zack Lewis of Dearing, GA finished fourth place with 11.50 pounds and netting $175.00.  Richard McDaniel of Saluda, SC and Kimberley Maroney of Batesburg, SC took fifth place with 11.35 pounds and taking home $150.00.

            The top adult/youth team was Brad and Caleb Collins of Appling, GA with 8.15 pounds and the top male/female team was Steve Scott of Warner Robbins, GA and Janet Berryhill of Bonaire, GA with 10.10 pounds.

            For a complete list of tournament standings and photos for this event visit www.crappieusa.com then go to Tournament Results.

Big Fish Award

In the Crappie USA Big Fish Award Todd and Leonard Frick took first place with a beautiful 2.60 pound Strom Thurmond crappie. The team received $238.00 for big fish. Second place went to Robbie Goldman and Mitch Johnson of Aiken, SC with a 2.46 pound crappie and receiving $102.00.

Crappie USA Kids Fishing Rodeo

In conjunction with the tournament Crappie USA held their Kids Rodeo on Saturday morning. All the participants signed up for a chance to win one of 4-$5,000.00 scholarships to be drawn for at the Cabela's Crappie USA Classic.

Crappie USA and our anglers have contributed $165,000.00 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 very special thank you goes out to the team of Grady Thompson and Craig Chapman for helping Ray of the tournament crew change a flat tire while they could have been fishing. These gentlemen prove one more time that crappie anglers are some of the best people in the world.

Stats for the Tournament:

Weather-Foggy and misty early then clearing skies with the high in the low 80's.

Water-Clear 

National Sponsors of Crappie USA are: Cabela's, Ranger Boats, Johnson Outboards, Evinrude Outboards, Tite-Lok Rod Holders and Acc.,  Mitchell Reels, B 'n' M Poles, Minn Kota, Hummingbird Electronics, Keelshied, Jeep Watches, Big Bite Baits, J.R. Mad's, Eagle Claw, Berkley Trilene, Berkley Power Baits, Hydro Glow, American Angler, Charlie Brewer's Slider Co., Grubco Live Baits, Culprit Lures, Mister Twister/Mepps, Crappie Unlimited, Heartland Outfitters, K-Z Recreational Vehicles and U-Need-A-Lure Inc.

Contributing Sponsors of Crappie USA are: E-Z Checkr', Crappie Magazine, Huffman Publishing Co., Keep Alive, Kodiak Fish Attractants, Ark Enterprises.