(Oct. 09, 2009 - Lake Fork, TX)... The Second Annual Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association Crappie Tournament was held this past weekend at the Minnow Bucket Marina on Lake Fork. The two-day competition attracted eighty-one anglers from across Texas and the neighboring states to vie for $6000 in guaranteed prize money. A Youth Division was provided for anglers under age 15, and separate bonuses were paid for big fish and the top lady anglers. With its somewhat unique format, all anglers participated in the first day of competition (Saturday) with $2400 of the $6000 total payout at stake. Optionally, the contestants could compete on the second day (Sunday) for the remaining $3600 in payout. Anglers were permitted to bring six crappies to the scales each day. For the two-day competition, the weights of the first and second day were combined to determine the overall winner.
Blessed with near-perfect weather on Saturday, Paul O’Bier of Gunter used a combination of minnows and jigs to amass 10.86 pounds with the 6-crappie tournament limit. His nearest competitor was Robert Young of Yantis with a 9.47 pound stringer anchored with a massive 2.69 pound crappie. Robert was followed closely by Pamela Putman of Lone Oak with 9.29 pounds of crappie taken mainly with minnows. Teenager Daniel Wrysinski of Mineola took the first-day lead in the Youth Division with 4.61 pounds.
As is often the norm in north-east Texas during autumn, conditions changed radically on Saturday night as a front brought heavy rains that continued well into the early afternoon on Sunday. In spite of the unpleasant conditions, O’Bier’s fish were plentiful and allowed him to weigh a solid 8.36 pound stringer on Sunday. This easily gave him the two-day Tournament win with a total of 19.22 pounds.
Putman also held her own with a second-day catch of 7.19 pounds for a two-day Tournament total of 16.48 pounds. Unfortunately, Young’s big-fish bite faded on the second day as his catch dropped to only 5.33 pounds for a Tournament total of 14.80 pounds. This moved him into seventh place.
Though the heavy rain discouraged many of the Tournament’s contestants, it seemed to ignite the 2008 Tournament winner, Freddie Dooly of Hughes Springs. After a tough first day with only 4 fish and 6.22 pounds, Dooly surged on Sunday with a 10.28 pound stringer that gave him a total of 16.50 pounds. By a margin of only .02 pounds, Dooly’s big catch took second and pushed Putman to third. Mark Standridge of Canton also brought in a large second-day stringer of 10.05 pounds that gave him fourth place, but out of the money, with a total of 15.96 pounds. James Raines of Rockwall rounded out the top-five with 15.83 pounds. Daniel Wrysinski added 3.43 pounds on the second day and won the Youth Division with 8.04 lbs.
Becky Reed, who finished in eighth place overall, captured the ladies second place bonus on both days, giving her $175 in total winnings. Robert Young’s 2.69 pound Saturday lunker crappie held on to take the big fish honors and $700 in total bonus money.
The top finishers, their weights and winnings are summarized below:
| 1st | Paul O’Bier (Gunter, TX), | 19.22 lbs, | $3000 |
| 2nd | Freddie Dooly (Hughes Springs), | 16.50 lbs, | $1200 |
| 3rd | Pamela Putman (Lone Oak), | 16.48 lbs, | $1325 |
| 4th | Mark Standridge (Canton), | 15.96 lbs | |
| 5th | James Rains (Rockwall), | 15.83 lbs | |
| 6th | Andrew Hawkins (Mineola), | 15.16 lbs | |
| 7th | Robert Young (Yantis), | 14.80 lbs, | $1500 (w/$700 Big Fish) |
| 8th | Becky Reed (Atlanta), | 14.59 lbs, | $175 |
The Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association is a non-profit organization that was formed in 1999 to promote and help maintain Lake Fork as a world-class fishery. It is comprised mainly of local homeowners, business owners, and guides, but it also has numerous members who provide financial and service support from outside the immediate area. More information on the Association and its mission can also be found on its web-site.
The 2009 Crappie Tournament’s major underwriters were the City National Bank branches of Quitman and Yantis. Other substantial contributors included Loomis Lake Fork Lodge & Guide Service, Micheal’s Marine & Guide Service, Sartin Marine, Stan Kuhn’s Lake Fork Guide Service, S&A Sportswear, the Suphur Springs Department of Tourism, Team Putman Pros Crappie Baits, and the Wood County Industrial Commission. KMOO 99.9 FM provided advertising and substantial promotional support.
The 2010 event is tentatively scheduled for the first full weekend in October. Details and other information will be posted on the Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association web-site as they are developed.
