18th Annual Austin Peay Governors Bass Tournament just one month away

Tournament benefits Austin Peay Athletics

Clarksville, TN – The 18th annual Austin Peay State University Governors Bass Tournament is just one month away.

This year’s edition will be held Saturday, May 12th, at Kentucky Lake, with registration and boat launching from Paris Landing, Tennessee, State Park. Last season’s tourney was postponed one week from May 22nd, due to high waters and flooding that enveloped the area. Despite the delay, the tourney still drew 243 boats.

Twelve thousand dollars in prize money will be awarded with a guaranteed first-place prize of $5,000 for a second straight year. 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 Mercury 150 HP FourStroke engine valued at more than $13,000. In addition, other door prizes will be awarded.

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.

The tourney will begin 6:00am, Saturday, May 12th, although all contestants must be checked in between 4:00am-5:30am, with a mandatory meeting on the water at 5:45am. Preregistration entry fee is $110.00 per boat (two people per boat), $125.00 after noon, Friday, May 11th.

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 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 Dustin Graves and Mickey Hazlett battled choppy water and high winds to land the $5,000 first-place prize. Graves and Hazlett came away with a 21.55-pound, five-fish total, including a big bass weighing in at 5.99 pounds. Their total gave them nearly a one-pound cushion on second-place team of Todd Swindee and Todd Yarbro at 20.82 pounds.

For entry form and more information, stop by the APSU University Advancement office or call 931.221.7024 or 931.221.7127), between 8:00am-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.