CELINA-Joe Donald Boles and Ted Tucker teamed up to win the first smallmouth-only tournament held here at Dale Hollow Marina on Thursday night, May 7, with a pair of fish under 16 inches long.

Their total of 2.13 pounds handed them $132 for first place and started their week off right.  The win was their first of back-to-back victories that weekend (see related story).

Second place went to Cori and Justin White, who also had two small fish totaling 2.01 pounds to win $88.

“We had a pretty good showing for the first one,” tournament co-director Jeff Smith said Monday.  “It should get better in the next few weeks.”

He also explained a ‘big fish of the year’ pot had been started this year with a $10 one-time fee.

“Guys can put their money in anytime, but they will have more chances to win if they get in early,” Smith said.  “It’s just another way to have a little friendly competition and reward the guy who does catch the biggest smallmouth this year.”

Two smallmouth over 21″ show up Thursday night

CELINA-This past Thursday night’s smallmouth-only tournament held here at Dale Hollow Marina produced a pair of good-size smallmouth, but the victors’ small fish was the difference maker.

The top two teams had a big fish weighing well over four pounds, but Anthony Jones and April Smith added a small kicker fish under 16 inches long to take the victory.

Jones and Smith had a total of 5.78 pounds, including their 4.51-pound smallmouth over 21 inches long, and the weight was enough to win the $150 first-place prize.

Despite having a heavier big fish than the winners, Matt McLerran and Sailor Walden took the runner-up spot after being unable to muster another keeper.

They won $90 with their trophy smallmouth weighing in at 4.72 pounds.

Third place and $60 went to Michael “Smiley” Savage and Brandon Cross.  They took the final paid position from the 15-boat field with a pair of fish under 16 inches long weighing a total of 3.20 pounds, one of which weighed in at two pounds even.

The heavy ‘under’ fish is now leading the ‘big fish of the year’ pot, because neither of the two participants that weighed in the big fish had registered for the annual award–which now has 15 participants signed up.

The series continues this week and the Smiths welcome anybody interested to come fish.

The tournaments start at 7 p.m. and participants return to a 11 p.m. weigh-in.  The entry fee is $20 per boat.  For more information about the competitions, call Steve Smith at 823-5746 or Jeff at 823-4233.

Second Star Point tourney sees three big smallmouth

BYRDSTOWN-A trio of smallmouth over 21 inches long made the trip up to the scales here at Star Point Saturday night, May 9, at the second night tournament of the year.

Among those was one weighing over five pounds that handed last week’s victory to Adam and Gary Militana of Cookeville.

The father-and-son team used their monster 5.03-pound fish to capture the $280 first-place prize with the single fish.

The other two trophy fish also stood alone to claim the final pair of paid positions.

Dwayne Taylor and T.J. Smith took second place and $168 with their single fish weighing 4.60 pounds, and Tim Jolley and Curt Parsons finished third to win $112 with their big fish weighing 3.87 pounds.

Jones and Ledbetter win 2nd Star Point tourney this season

BYRDSTOWN-After claiming victory here at Star Point Resort this past Saturday night, Anthony Jones and Derrick Ledbetter have won two out of the first three events of the year.

“Those boys have definitely been on the fish so far this year,” tournament director Randy Roysden told the HORIZON Monday.  “That’s what it takes.”

After winning the first event of the year three weekends ago, the Jamestown native’s carried another winning pair to the scales this past weekend weighing a total of 5.55 pounds.

The bag included a smallmouth over 21 inches long weighing 3.71 pounds and a small kicker fish–which was enough to hand the duo the $260 first-place prize.

Second place went to Ronnie Dowdy and David Beaty of Byrdstown, who had a pair of small fish weighing 3.82 pounds to win $156.

Larry Tompkins and Raymond Rosenbaum took the final paid position and $104 with two smallmouth under 16 inches long totaling 3.31 pounds.

Roysden said the events would continue throughout the month of May with a start time of 6 p.m. and a weigh-in time of 12 midnight.  The fishing hours will then change to 7 p.m.-1 a.m. with the first Saturday night in June.

The tournament series is one of the biggest smallmouth-only weekly competitions held on the lake and it features a $40 entry fee and 100% payback.

For more information, contact Roysden at 879-0555.

First 3-fish-limit tourney won with one smallmouth

CELINA-The new Saturday night tournament series kicked off two weekends ago (May 9) here at Dale Hollow Marina featuring a limit allowing three bass, with only one of those fish being a largemouth or Kentucky spotted bass.

“We hope this limit will bring out more fishermen since you can weigh in three smallmouth or two smallmouth and a largemouth or spot,” tournament director Derrick Anderson said last Monday.  “It will give both largemouth and smallmouth fishermen their fair shot at winning.”

Joe Donald Boles and Ted Tucker took advantage of that chance that Saturday night by winning the inaugural event and $120 with a single smallmouth under 16 inches long–which made their second win in a row after their victory Thursday night (see related story).

“That was the only fish brought in,” Anderson explained, “but it’s still a little early and it will only get better.”

Smith boys win Saturday night with 2 smallmouth

CELINA-Brothers Jeff and Steve Smith teamed up to win the second Saturday night 3-fish-limit tournament held here at Dale Hollow Marina this past weekend with an ‘over and under’ pair of smallmouth.

Their total weight of 5.38 pounds, boosted by a 4.11-pound big fish, handed them $180 and the win.

Tournament director Derrick Anderson and Powell Walden took second place with a pair of small fish weighing 2.86 pounds.

The events continue this week and are now being held from 7 p.m. to 12 midnight, but the hours may be expanded to 1 a.m. at a later date.  The entry fee is $30 per boat.

The series will also feature an optional “league” to start later in the year and run for eight consecutive Saturday nights.  The league entry fee will be $50 for the year and registration will be done as a team.  

Each team must fish at least four of the eight events together to be eligible to win, but one of the team’s members can fish with another non-league member if their partner cannot fish any particular night.

The total purse will go to the points-leading team at the end of the season, along with championship trophies and jackets.  Other prizes are currently being collected.

For more information about the new Saturday night tournaments or the upcoming league, contact Anderson at 267-3211 or 243-6161.

Results from big Star Point daytime tourney next week

BYRDSTOWN-Results from the 4th Annual Community Bank of the Cumberlands Bass Classic held here at Star Point Resort a couple of weeks ago were not available as of HORIZON press time this week, but they will be found in next week’s edition.

The event guaranteed a $2,500 first-place purse and featured a large field of competitors.

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If you have something you would like to see discussed in the Outdoor Notebook or have a picture of your trophy for publication, please contact Thomas Weaver at 243-4710 or email:  [email protected], or drop them by the HORIZON office on the square.  Pictures will be returned.