CELINA-Several big smallmouth have showed up here at Dale Hollow Marina on Thursday nights this past month during the ‘smallmouth-only’ events, including the last two which featured a pair of the trophy fish.

“This is the time of year we start seeing the big fish on a regular basis,” tournament co-director Jeff Smith told the HORIZON Monday.  “The fishing might get a little tougher, but the smallmouth over 21 inches long start making their presence known.”

Two weeks ago (July 23), Star Point tournament director Randy Roysden and his partner Jeff Warden used a big fish weighing 3.60 pounds, paired with a small fish to win first place and $216.

Their total of 4.67 pounds was just enough to claim the top spot over second place finishers Steve Smith and Colby Savage.

Smith and Savage had a heavy 4.39-pound smallmouth over 21 inches long, but they couldn’t come up with a small kicker to push them over the top.  They did carry home the runner-up money worth $162.

Claiming the third spot was Brian Dickerson and Gayland Finch with a pair of small fish weighing 2.92 pounds.  The catch won them $108.

Raymond Manis and Todd Stephens, and Kenny Meadows and Powell Walden split the fourth-place money after each team weighed in 1.05 pounds.  They reclaimed their entry fees, plus some.

This past week weather dampened the number of participants, but the number of big fish stayed the same.

Joey Eads and Danny Simmons took the top spot and $140 a 21-inch smallmouth weighing 3.96 pounds and another under 16 inches long to total 5.73 pounds.

Second place went to tournament directors Steve and Jeff Smith.  They pocketed $84 with an ‘over and under’ limit weighing 5.36 pounds.  Their big fish tipped the scales at 3.58 pounds.

Brian and Amber Dickerson took the final paid position worth $56 with a total of 2.78 pounds.

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.

The series also features a ‘big fish of the year’ pot that has begun this year with a $10 one-time fee.  Currently there are 58 individuals participating and Smith’s 4.39-pound fish is in the lead.

For more information about the competitions, call Steve at 823-5746 or Jeff at 823-4233.

 

 

 

Thursday night tourney series’ ‘fish-off’ is this Saturday night

CELINA-Thursday night tournament co-director Jeff Smith said their ‘smallmouth-only’ series’ fish-off will be held here this Saturday night, instead of at the end of the season.

“We decided to have it early again instead of at the end of the year in order to have a better turnout,” he said Monday.  “When we have it as the last event of the year a lot of guys have already quit fishing and last year when we had it early we had a good field.”

He explained they would also have the normal Thursday night event this week and then fish the ‘big one’ on Saturday.

Smith said the Thursday night event will follow the regular format with the tournament being fished from 7-11 p.m. and the entry fee staying at $20 per boat.

The ‘fish-off’ Saturday night will feature a dual weigh-in with one being held at 11 p.m. and the final tally taken at 2 a.m.

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 $50 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 on Thursday and Saturday.

“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.

 

‘Major’ won with year’s first pair of big smallmouth

BYRDSTOWN-The second ‘major’ event of the year held here at Star Point Resort as part of the regular weekly series blasted off last weekend and was won with the first pair of 21-inch fish carried to the scales by a single team this season.

Robbie and Billy Joe Johnson of Byrdstown produced the hefty pair to win the $700 first-place purse finishing with an official weight of seven pounds even.

The fish weighed in at 4.40 pounds and 3.60 pounds, but one was dead.  They totaled a whopping eight pounds, which was enough to win despite the one-pound deduction.

Second place went to tournament director Randy Roysden and Jeff Warden.  They took home $420 with a big fish weighing 3.60 pounds and a complimentary bass under 16 inches long to finish with a total of 5.17 pounds.

Claiming the final paid position was the team of Rod Moon and his partner Travis (last name unknown).  They won $280 with a pair of small fish weighing 3.74 pounds.

The ‘major’ tournaments feature a $100 entry fee and longer fishing hours.  Roysden said the events would return to the regular time and entry fee this week.

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.

Results from the last tournament held in July were not available as of HORIZON press time.  See a future edition for the rundown of that tournament.

 

7-pound bag wins July 14 Friday tourney

CELINA-Dustin Wix and Brian Dickerson used a sack weighing over seven pounds to win the ‘any species’ tournament held here at Dale Hollow Marina Friday night, July 14.

Their 7.26-pound total handed them $200 and an additional $50 for their 4.5-pound lunker largemouth.

Second place went to tournament director Luke Sherrell and Joey Dyer.  They won their entry fee back with a total of 6.76 pounds.

 

Arms and Anderson win Friday

CELINA-Steven Arms and Derrick Anderson teamed up to win the Friday night ‘any species’ tournament held here this past weekend at Dale Hollow Marina with a good pair of largemouth.

They took home $230 for first place and an additional $90 for their big fish.

Second place and $130 went to Ernest Garrison and Jerry Scott for their total of 6.26 pounds.

The events are held from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., follow the ‘any species’ format, and feature a two-fish limit, a $40 entry fee, and 100% payback.  There is also an optional $10 big-fish pot each night.

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

 

August 5-fish event set for second Friday

CELINA-The third of a monthly series of five-fish-limit tournaments hosted by Friday night tournament director Luke Sherrell to compliment his regular weekly series will be held here at Dale Hollow Marina the second weekend in August.

“It will be on Friday night the 14th,” Sherrell announced last month.  “We have had two good ones and are looking forward to this one.”

The tournament will follow the ‘any species’ format, where largemouth, smallmouth, and Kentucky spotted bass are eligible for the weigh-in.  Fishing hours will be from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. and there is a $10 big fish pot.

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

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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.

 

CHAMPS-Joey Eads and Danny Simmons display the winning pair from last Thursday night's smallmouth-only tournament.

2ND PLACE-Brothers Steve and Jeff Smith used this catch to claim the runner-up prize last Thursday night. (Photos courtesy Brandon Cross via www.smalljaw.com)