By Chris Erwin
[dc]O[/dc]n April 20-21, the Friends of Cave Run Lake held the annual Memorial Bass Tournament this annual event was started in August of 2009 it has been getting bigger and better ever since. Along with creating an event that draws anglers from all over, with the help of local sponsors’ it funds gap scholarships for Rowan Technical Collage and Morehead State University.
While this would be a good enough reason to have this even, it’s worth pointing out the memorial part of this event, the whole idea was to honor the legacy of some of the friends who had help put this lake on the map, some were sportsmen, some were conservationist, all were good friends.
Each year the list grows, you may know some of these people; Mike Arrasmith
Curtis Becraft; Charlie Caskey; Tommy Caudill; Arthur Cole; Charlie Humble; Roger Hurst; Everett Manley; Eddie Martin; Joe Nealis ;John “Rusty” Payne;James Payton; Herb Ramey ;Shelley Ledford Sexton; Roger Williams.
The event is a two-stage procedure; each boat is a two-man team, fishing for one of 20 spots in the second-day field. All scores are zeroed out, as boats are eliminated according to the first-day weights, leaving the top 20 teams.
This year top weights for the first day hit 16lb. However, the second day proved to be a tough day on the water. Of the 20 teams, only half would bring in fish, and total weights would also be around half of the first-day numbers.
We had a horse in this race, Scott Doan one of our reporting anglers, while Doan caught 10 fish, they were all in the slot, 13-16 inches, for this tournament no fish could be weigh-in under 16 inches.
After four straight days of good weather, days in the 70s, Saturday anglers woke up to a cold front; one that would prove to linger into Sunday making many anglers as confused as the fish. The numbers of keepers dwindled with the hopes of many contestants to claim the 10,000 dollars first place prize.
One thing you can always count on, someone is going to put some fish in the boat, and this tournament was no exception. The team of Paul Tabor and Billy Bowles proved they had what it takes to win even in the changing conditions of this tournament.
Tabor reached inside his fish bag and pulled out two fish topping the scales at 8.65lb one of his fish hitting the scales at 5.85lb these two fish claimed the winning prize of 10,000 dollars; he also won big fish and a 5,000 dollar kicker because he was fishing out of a Nitro bass boat. A pretty good day for the team of Tabor & Bowles, Second place went to Steve Caudill and Rodney Roe $2,000 and third-place Ricky Tackett, and Wesley Dunaway $1,000 forth place went to Ryan Rayburn and Ralph Keene winning $500.
The total of fish brought to the scales on Sunday was 13 fish no one had more than two fish and the total weight for the last day by all anglers was 44.24lbs, we might also point out that the team of Caudill & Roe actually caught the largest fish weighing in at 6.48lb. However, the fish was dead, that cost them a one-pound penalty.
We want to congratulate the winners and the people that made this event possible. Till next time Good Fishing! Chris Erwin is the founder and publisher of Kentucky Angling News an on-line magazine available at www.kentuckyangling.com/magazine Chris can be reached by email chris@ashlandbeacon.com
I am interested in entering next years tournament please send me some info on how to enter.
This years Tournament is set for April 12th – 13th. For more information and a registration form visit http://www.moreheadtourism.com/friendsofcaverun or call Mike Combs at 859 619-1111
Friends of Cave Run
Established 2009
In 2009 an organization was formed to remember friends of the fishing community who had passed on and to provide a legacy in their honor.
FRIENDS
OF
CAVE RUN
Some were sportsman. Some were conservationist. Some were competitors.
All were friends.
In honor and remembrance: Their footsteps left an imprint on our hearts and a shining star in our memories.
The Friends of Cave Run partnered with Morehead State University and a scholarship fund was established in 2009. The fund provides financial assistance to students throughout the region and is awarded annually by the MSU Foundation Office. To date more than $30,000 in scholarship money has been awarded by Morehead State University and the Kentucky Technical College, Rowan Campus. There is currently just over $25,000 available in the fund and our goal this year is to add an additional $25,000.
The Tournament is a premier, first class event presented for the fourth straight year by Stokley’s Marine and The Morehead Tourism Council. All sponsorship monies go directly to the scholarship fund.
This year’s tournament scheduled for April 12th – 13th will have a payback second to none for a local open tournament. The winning team on Sunday will receive a check for $10,000. Entry fee for the tournament is $175 per boat, including big fish and entries and registration will be accepted beginning at 5:00 am at the Clay Lick Boat Ramp on Cave Run Lake.
This year’s format is a qualifying 2 day format. Teams finishing in the top 20 on day one will fish for the championship and $10,000 on day two. All 20 of the top teams will start with zero weight on day two making it a true shoot out for the championship. Both weigh in’s will take place at the Clay Lick Boat Ramp beginning at 3:00PM Saturday and Sunday.
In addition, this year’s tournament has been designated a Nitro/Tracker Marine Rewards qualified Tournament. The winner of the tournament, if fishing from a qualified Nitro or Tracker Boat could win an additional $7,000.
To donate to the scholarship fund, make checks payable to MSU Foundation – Friends of Cave Run Memorial Scholarship Fund and mail to: MSU Foundation Office, Attn: Jessi Ferguson, Morehead, KY 40351.
For more information on the tournament, contact Josh Brown, 606 768-6030, Mike Combs 859-619-1111, or Billy Hough 606 356-0072.