Austin Peay State University Governors Bass Tournament to be held May 16th

Clarksville, TN – As final remnants of last week’s snow and ice storm quickly melt away and temperatures rise into the 60s, it is a reminder the 21st annual Austin Peay State University Governors Bass Tournament is just around the corner.

This year’s edition will be held Saturday, May 16th, at Kentucky Lake, with registration and boat launching from Paris Landing, Tennessee, State Park. Last season’s tourney drew 227 boats.

Sponsored by Legends Bank, Morgan Contractors Inc., The Leaf-Chronicle, 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), Academy Sports + 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, respectively. The top 25 places will receive prizes.

Each individual entering the tournament has the opportunity to win $2,000 as a grand door prize, with other door prizes also to be awarded.

The tourney will begin 6:00am, May 16th, 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 15th.

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 Brian Cook and Calvin Cothron, of Springfield captured the $5,000 first-place prize with a five-fish weigh-in of 24.71 pounds. The haul surpassed that of Doug Storie and David Schmidt, of Tennessee Ridge, who brought in 21.85 pounds of bass and $1,500 in prize money. Michael Wooley and Jimmy Smith from Collierville, was third with a catch of 21.47 pounds while taking home $1,000.

For the entry form and more information, stop by the APSU University Advancement office or call 931.221.7352 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