19th Annual Austin Peay State University Governors Bass Tournament just around the corner

Clarksville, TN – As the temperatures climb up this weekend it is a reminder the 19th annual Austin Peay State University Governors Bass Tournament is just around the corner.

This year’s edition will be held Saturday, May 11th, at Kentucky Lake, with registration and boat launching from Paris Landing, Tennessee, State Park. Last season’s tourney drew 264 boats.

Sponsored by Mercury, Motorguide, The Leaf Chronicle, Legends Bank, Morgan Contractors Inc., Jenkins and Wynne Ford Lincoln Mercury Honda, Tailwater Marine and Tackle, WJZM 1400 AM, WKDZ 106.5 FM, WVRY 105.1 FM Solid Gospel, Walmart Supercenters (Clarksville), DBS and Associates Engineering, Inc. (David Smith), Grandpa’s Outdoors, The Tackle Box, The New Clarksville Marina at Liberty Park, Discover Clarksville, Clarksville Floor Covering, Gateway Tire and Service, Clarksville Online, Clarksville Sports Network along with the Governors Club, the tournament will benefit Austin Peay athletics.

Twelve thousand dollars in prize money will be awarded with a guaranteed first-place prize of $5,000. Second-place is guaranteed $1,500. Third and fourth-place will receive $1,000 and $600.00, respectively. The top 25 places will receive prizes.

Each individual entering the tournament has the opportunity to win the grand door prize, a $12,000 credit for a Mercury 150L 4S motor. In addition, other door prizes will be awarded.

The tourney will begin 6:00am, May 11th, although all contestants must be checked in between 4:00am-5:30am, with a mandatory meeting on the water at 5:45am. Pre-registration entry fee is $110.00 per boat (two people per boat), $125.00 after noon, Friday, May 10th.

Fishing with artificial baits only is authorized with no motor trolling allowed. A five-fish limit per boat exists.

The Governors Club will serve sausage biscuits prior to the tournament and hamburgers and hot dogs at weigh-in.

Weigh in will begin at 2:30pm and boats launching will take place in order of postmark of entry form. Only largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass measuring 15 inches (with mouth closed) will be weighed.

Last year, the team of Kevin Tidwell and Eric Shelton—their first year as partners—captured the $5,000 first-place prize with a five-fish weigh-in of 24.78 pounds. The haul was more than three pounds more than second-place finishers of Don Anelunde and Ava Robinson, who took home $1,500. Tidwell and Shelton also were in the big-bass pot, claiming nearly another $1,000.

For entry form and more information, stop by the APSU University Advancement office or call 931.221.7024 or (931.221.7127), between 8:00am-4:30pm. After business hours, call 931.624.2909 or 931.436.1044.

In addition, all this information, including the entry form, is available at the APSU athletics web site: www.LetsGoPeay.com.