For Immediate Release
Press Release
Jan 21, 2006
Sanford Florida, Florida
Florida State Championship 1st Leg
The Bass Pro CrappieMasters hit full force at Sanford, FL on Jan 21, sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, Tracker Boats, Mercury Motors, Minn Kota Trolling Motors and HumminBird locator electronics, KeelShield and HydroGlow Lights, along with Seminole County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City of Sanford, FL
Crappie Fever returned to Lake Monroe after a chilling weekend before at Lake Okeechobee. As temperatures hit the high 70’s, the Crappie turned on for the anglers in the first official weekend of the Florida State Championship at beautiful Sanford, Florida on the River Walk. The Palm Island Resort and Marina was the official put-in site as anglers from 20 states pre-fished a week before the event. Sanford’s Ft. Mellon Park was the site of the Jr. Crappiemasters kids outdoor fishing rodeo where 46 children, 12 and under, fished for prizes, and participated in outdoor activities while the adult tournament participants were out the lake competing for a shot at the State Championship title.
Bass Pro Crappie Masters got anlgers more excited by increasing the payback from $15,000.00 to $20,000 for the First Leg and Second Leg of the Florida State Championship. First place winners of the event were Bass Pro Shops pro staff, Steve Deason, of Gray, Ga. and partner Dennis Outlaw of Camden, S.C., who weighed in a strong 13.44 lbs. for 7 crappie which was a 1.92 lb. average. They caught their final two fish of the day 15 minutes before cutoff. Using a double hook rig, both large fish were caught at once on the same line. The team was using jig colors by Spike-it slow trolling a trench. The 13.44 landed the $12,000.00 valued first prize of two 400 series Arctic Cat four wheelers.
Second place went to 2004 National Champions, Coy and Gilford Sipes, of Pell City, AL. with 12.59 .lbs. for their 7 crappie which netted them $3000.00 cash money. The Sipes team was slow trolling hand tied jigs at 1 to 1.2 mph over the sides of mounds and trenches. Sipes team also captured the Big Fish weight with 3.02, worth $566.00!
Third place was captured by Marc Danque, of Chapin, South Carolina, fishing solo, weighing in 12.04 lbs. to take $1500.00 cash to the bank.
18 crappie were weighed in at 2 lbs. or better up to 3.02 lbs! With a healthy fish population, Lake Monroe and Jessup proved to be one of the top crappie producing lakes in Florida!
The tour moves on to the finals as Harris Chain of Lakes and beautiful Leesburg Florida host the final two days of the First Annual Florida State Crappie Championship and the Bass Pro CrappieMasters Team Tournament Trail. A final cut on Sunday, Jan 19, will see the top 50 anglers compete for the State Title.
Bass Pro Crappie Masters thanks all the local sponsors for their support in hosting this National Qualifying and First Leg of the Florida State Championship: SEMINOLE COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU, THE PALMS ISLAND RESORT AND MARINA, COMFORT INN & SUITESNORTH ORLANDO-SANFORD, HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS, SPRINGHILL SUITES BY MARRIOTT, FOUNTAIN LODGE, SANFORD BEST WESTERN, SLUMBERLAND MOTEL, SUPER 8 MOTEL.
We also thank our National Sponsors: BASS PRO SHOPS, TRACKER BOATS, NITRO BOATS, ARCTIC CAT, MERCURY MOTORS, MINN KOTA, HUMMINBIRD, KEELSHIELD, GRIZZLY JIGS, FISHERGIRL, ROAD RUNNER BLAKEMORE, BIOSONIX, BUGBAND, PERROTIBILT, MR. CRAPPIE, SLIDER, AMERICAN ANGLER, HYDROGLOW, SURE LIFE, BAGLEY BAITS, SPIKE-IT, KIGHT RIFLES, FISH HEDZ, KODIAK SCENTS, BOBBY GARLAND, KEEPALIVE, EMMROD, SWEDGETAIL, KASTAWAY KULIS, LOKINETS, THE WOODSHED AND CRAPPIE UNLIMITED.
For more information, contact Bass Pro Shops CrappieMasters at www.crappiemasters.net or call: |
