Bass Pro Shops Crappie Masters tournament trail came to Laurie, MO on Lakes of the Ozarks on April 17 & 18, 2009 for the Missouri State Championship. Sponsored by the Tri County Lodging Association, Lake of the Ozarks West Chamber of Commerce, Captain Ron’s, Missouri State Tourism, Bass Pro Shops, Mercury Motors, Minn Kota, Humminbird and Toyota the tournament came down to the final team on the hot seat with .03 lbs being the deciding weight creating one the most exciting finishes of the year. With a two day weigh in held at Captain Ron’s on Lake the Ozarks the crowd enjoyed some great competition as the tournament was filmed by Revive the Outdoors with Cody & Cody for later airing.

Day one leaders Clint Hibdon and Shannon Beckman weighed in seven fish for 10.44 lbs to take the lead being the only team to break the 10 lb. mark on the first day. The team contended with changing weather patterns for day two and a spotter in their boat. Arriving to the scales on day two, they needed 9.30 lbs to take the title. They didn’t think they quite had enough. They had just enough, weighing in 9.33 lbs to become the 2009 Missouri State Champions and earning $5000.00 with a total weight of 19.77 lbs. The team stated they fished the 5-8 mile marker. They fished in over 12-15 foot waters skipping jigs around under docks but felt the areas was what was most important as they found a lot of fish not just under docks. They used Hibdon’s sweetheart jig and many different poles.


Eric Hueste and Ted Ellsworth weighed in 9.67 lbs on day one to put them in fourth place going into day two. They weighed in the top weight for day two busting the 10 lb mark with 10.06 lbs. placing them on the hot seat for the final three teams to weigh in. Their two day total of 19.73 lbs held on to second place earning them $2500.00. They stated they fished the lower end of Gravios where they run and gunned shooting a lot of docks. They used Bobby Garland white chartreuse jigs. The team said that fish moved some from the sunny day to the cloudy day.

Third place went to defending Ozark champions Kent Braun and Rusty Brown. The team held second place after day one with a total of 9.92 lbs. Day two they weighed in 9.57 lbs for a two day total of 19.49 lbs. The team won $1250.00 and an additional $201.00 for 2nd big fish weighing in a 1.99 lb crappie. They stated they fished from the dam to Deervalley, back to the Gravios area. They also used Hibdon’s jig on Ozark Rods. They stated they really couldn’t find a pattern as fish were scattered. The only pattern they seemed to find was “fish were in the hardest place to get to around docks.”

The rest of the top ten where, 4th place was Mike Parrot who won $1225.00 with a weight of 19.44lbs, 5th place Rick Fajen-Larry Drunert who won $1200.00 weighing in 19.41 lbs, 6th place was Robert Reeves-Jeff Farris won $1150.00 with 18.89 lbs and Big Fish for $469.00 weighing in a 2.28 lb crappie, 7th was Jason Moppin-Gary Jones won $1100.00 with 18.72 lbs, 8th place was Tony Edgar-John Shannon $1050.00 with 18.42 bls, 9th place was Matt Webster-Troy Wiethop $1025.00 with18.02 lbs, 10th place was Eddie James-Brody James $1000.00 17.91 lbs. Bass Pro Shops Crappie Masters paid down 20 places for over $20,000.00 in cash and prizes.

Top adult youth team went to father son team of Terry and Nicholas Dorman who weighed in 4.37 lbs and took home a Minn Kota trolling motor. Top male female team went to Lonnie and Dianne Stevens with 16.83 lbs and winning a Minn Kota trolling motor.

Next on the tournament trail is the two day Tennessee State Championship on May 15-16 on Kentucky Lake, Paris, TN.

Bass Pro Shops Crappie Masters would like to thank local sponsors that include: Missouri Tourism, Captain Ron’s, Osage Bar & Grill, KS 85.1, KMMO Brad & Bryan in the Outdoors, Lake House Inn, Sleep Inn Camdenton, Marty’s Sports Bar & Grill, Deep Water Inn, Laurie Bait & Tackle, B & P Hickory Pit, Gier’s Bass Pro & Liquor, Weaver’s Tire, Marriott’s Circle M Café, Lake of the Ozarks West Chamber of Commerce, Jack’s Sporting Goods, Gates Corporation, First Response, Carver Auto Electric, Rocky Top Bar & Grill, Val’s Restaurant, Three Pigs Bar-B-Q, Tortilla Flats, J-Seven Market, Chances R, Sports World Boat Center, Walmart, Cheri’s One Stop, Boardwalk Grill, Pioneer Restaurant, Fajen Lumber, TDC Motorsports, Tupelo Honey, Ozark Rod, Slab Busters, Bryants Osage Outdoors, Knookers & Eclypse Gentlemens Club, Olive Branch Restaurant.

Special thanks to our National Sponsors that include: Bass Pro Shops, Mercury Motors, Minn Kota, Humminbird, Toyota, American Angler, RoadRunner by Blakemore, Proplite, Cajun Fryer, Vicious Fishing Line, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, Mr. Crappie Wally Marshall Signature Series Crappie Rods, Grizzly Jig Company, Tite Lok, Spike-It, Kodiak Scents, Slider, Bobby Garland, Bugband, KeepAlive, Monster Crappie, Bryant’s Osage Outdoors, Grip N Check, DotLine Nets, AWD Baits, Porcupine Fish Attractor, Navionics, Coldstream Fisheries, Showdown Jigs, DriGrip Sunscreen, The Fishing Butler and Chumbob.

The guarantee says it all! For more information, contact Bass Pro Shops Crappie Masters at www.crappiemasters.net or call:

Paul Alpers, President 573-280-8020
Bobby Brown, Vice President 417-532-0244
Betty Rutledge, Administrative Assistant 660-723-1552

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