The 16th annual Austin Peay State University Governors Bass Tournament is just around the corner.
This year’s edition will be held Saturday, May 8, at Kentucky Lake, with registration and boat launching from Paris Landing, Tenn., State Park. Last season’s tournament drew a record 333 boats, 64 more than the previous mark.
Sponsored by Triton Boats by Earl Bentz, The Leaf Chronicle, Legends Bank, Morgan Contractors Inc., Beach Oil, Main Street, 5 Star Radio Group, Jenkins and Wynne Ford Lincoln Mercury Honda Isuzu, B&J Marine, WJZM (1400 AM) Radio, WKDZ 106.5, WVRY 105.1 FM, Wal-Mart Supercenters (Clarksville), DBS and Associates Engineering, Inc. (David Smith), Grandpa’s Outdoors, The Tackle Box, The New Clarksville Marina-Prizer Point Marina and Resort along with the Governors Club, the tournament will benefit Austin Peay athletics.
Eleven thousand dollars in prize money will be awarded with a guaranteed first-place prize of $4,000. 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 the grand door prize, a 150-HP Mercury outboard motor boat valued at $12,500. In addition, other door prizes will be awarded, including five $100 prize drawings.
The tourney will begin 6 a.m., Saturday, May 8, although all contestants must be checked in between 4-5:30 a.m., with a mandatory meeting on the water at 5:45 a.m. Pre-registration entry fee is $100 per boat (two people per boat), $110 after noon, Friday, May 7.
Fishing with artificial baits only is authorized with no motor trolling allowed. A five-fish limit per boat exists.
The Governors Club will have sausage biscuits prior to the tournament and hamburgers and hot dogs at weigh-in.
Weigh in will begin at 3 p.m. 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.
The team of Ireland Brown, of Camden, and Terrance Brown, of Union City, won the event convincingly with a catch of 29.29 pounds.
For entry form and more information, stop by the APSU University Advancement office or call (931) 221-7024 or (931-221-7127), between 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. After business hours, call (931) 624-2909 or (931) 358-5450. In addition, all this information, including the entry form, is available at the APSU athletics web site: www.letsgopeay.com
