CELINA-The Thursday night ‘smallmouth-only” tournament series will host the first of two fish-offs here this Friday night, July 22 at Dale Hollow Marina and they plan to have another later in the year.

Due to the Friday night event, the series will not fish on Thursday night, July 21.

The event will feature a dual weigh-in with one being held at 11 p.m. and the final tally taken at 2 a.m.

Tournament director Jeff Smith said weights from both weigh-ins will be combined to determine the winner.

“We’ve done this the last few years and everybody seemed to like it,” he said, “so we decided to give it another shot.”

Participants will be allowed to weigh in two fish at both weigh-ins, giving them the opportunity to end up with a hefty bag of smallmouth.

Smith said the event will begin at 7 p.m. and will run through the final weigh-in at 2 a.m.

He explained the regular entry fee of $20 will increase to $40 and there will also be an optional $10 big fish pot, with half of that money being given away at each weigh-in for the largest smallmouth.

Separate from that pot, any trophy fish weighed will also be eligible to win the ‘big fish of the year’ pot.

“Everybody will have a chance to win some pretty good money,” he said.

Smith invited anyone to come fish with the group Friday.

“Even if they haven’t fished with us before, we welcome anyone to come fish,” he said.  “We hope to have a good turnout for the big event next week and for the remaining Thursday night tournaments.”

For more information, call Steve Smith at 823-5746 or Jeff at 823-4233.

Garrison and

Scott win last

Friday night

CELINA-Ernest Garrison and Jerry Scott took home the money here at last week’s Friday night ‘any species’ tournament at Dale Hollow Marina with a good sack of largemouth.

They won the $160 first-place prize with a total of 7.60 pounds and their big fish weighing 4.75 pounds netted them additional money taking their total purse up to an even $200.

The events allow largemouth, KY spots, and smallmouth to be eligible for the weigh-ins and they run from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., featuring a $40 entry fee with 100% payback.  They also have a $10 big-fish pot each night.

For more information about the Friday night tournaments, contact tournament director Luke Sherrell after 6 p.m. at 258-3706.

No big fish

seen Thurs.

CELINA-The back and forth continued here at last week’s Thursday night tournament when for the second time this year no smallmouth over 21 inches were weighed in only a week after four of the trophy fish were carried to the scales.

“It’s funny how four or five of the big ones are caught one week and then none the next,” tournament co-director Jeff Smith said Monday, “but I guess that’s why they call if fishing.”

Alan Sharp and Todd Upton teamed up to bring in the heaviest of four pairs of under-16-inch fish.  They won the top prize worth $152 with a total of 3.37 pounds.

The runner-up spot went to Raymond Manis and Todd Stephens.  They won $114 and second place with 2.94 pounds.

Jerry Arms and Willie Allred finished third to win $76 with 2.65 pounds, while Rick Reed and Rod Huff took the final paid position worth $38 with 2.63 pounds.