"There's Somethin' 'bout a truck"......anglers from all across the U.S. were on Lake Fork, beginning
early Saturday morning, as they entered the 2012 4th Annual Catfish Classic.
4th Annual Catfish Classic Tournament
Names Winners, Sunday Afternoon
by: Bobby McDonald
Jesse Williams, of Longview, captured the $6,000.00 Tournament Championship,
with a 9.80# fish he weighed-in, in the next to last hour of the tournament,
at 1:00 p.m., Sunday.
According to Yantis Mayor Jerry Miller and other organizers of the annual Catfish Classic Tournament, they moved this year's tournament to a month earlier, in hopes of getting cooler temperatures, for everyone involved. However, as sweltering temperatures "gripped" Northeast Texas, all weekend, with the first "triple-digit" temperatures of the season, some were whispering under their breath's "maybe move it to October or March!" But, the excitement and the keen competition persevered to make the 4th Annual Classic another successful tournament and plans are already announced for next year's tourney to be held on the fourth weekend of June, 2013.
This year's tourney started off slow, on Saturday, with a first hour fish weighing 7.10 pounds being brought in during the first hour, and holding the leader board, until the final hour of the day, when a 7.80 pound fish was landed to take the day's lead.
However, as Sunday began, Matraca Driskell, who would eventually win the Lady's division of the tourney, brought a 9.45 # fish in for the first weighing of Sunday morning, to increase the stakes for the second day of competition. The "monster" held until the next to the last weigh-in, at 1:00 p.m., when Jesse Williams, of Longview, captured 9.80 pound "whopper" and took over the lead, to win the $6,000.00 top prize. Driskell's second place finish garnered her the $3,000.00 second prize and the Lady's Championship.
A youth from the Longview area, Blake Compton weighed-in a 4.45 pound fish, on Saturday to capture the day's Youth title, and returned on Sunday to land another 7.75 pound fish, to win the overall Youth Title, and he did it all with a broken arm. Compton won fourth place in the weekend tourney, with his larger fish.
And, it was Charles Driskel, who landed a 5.80 pound fish, on Saturday, to capture the Senior Division Title, for this year's competition.
Fishermen from Indiana, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and of course, Texas, participated in this year's Catfish Classic.
Top Champions and Hour by Hour Winners in this year's tournament are as follows:
Tournament Champions
Jesse Williams - 9.80
Martraca Driskell - 9.45
Steve Jones - 7.80
Blake Compton - 7.75
Hunter Payne - 7.25
James Prince - 7.25
Phil Johnson - 7.15
Tad Sheiley - 7.15
Saturday
7:00 - 8:00 a.m.
Jerald Burks - 7.10
Gary Barrick - 4.30
Stacy Scott - 4.25
Earnest Harrison - 4.20
8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
David Driskell - 5.85
Sammie O'Brain - 4.70
Tommy Rhodell - 4.65
Cody Rhodes - 4.30
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Phil Johnson - 7.15
Charles Smith - 5.65
Donnie Fountain - 5.50
James Wheeler - 5.40
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Roger Stroman - 6.70
Justin Miles - 5.90
Donnie Fountain - 3.40
Charles Powell - 3.40
11:00 - 12:00 p.m.
Herb O'Brain - 5.60
Justin Miles - 5.10
John Compton - 4.85
Robert Faust - 4.15
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Dewayne Roach, Jr. - 6.50
Phil Johnson - 6.25
Charles Driskell - 5.80
John Busby - 5.45
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Steve Jones - 7.80
Tad Sheiley - 7.15
Wilma Marler - 6. 45
Herb O'Brian - 5.90
Sunday
7:00 - 8:00 a.m.
Matraca Driskell - 9.45
Hunter Payne - 7.25
Justin Miles - 6.35
Randy Oney - 5.80
8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Weston Hesterley - 6.65
Phil Johnson - 6.30
Pat Kinnard - 5.65
Troy Amason - 5.45
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Steve Jones - 7.45
Roger STroman - 7:00
April Oney - 6.75
Marsha King - 5.00
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Paul Miles - 6.95
Roger Stroman - 5.80
Robert Faust - 5.20
Troy Amason - 5.15
11:00 - 12:00 p.m.
Blake Compton - 7.75
Troy Amason - 6.05
Brandon Oney - 5.20
Charles Bamsch - 4.70
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Jesse Williams - 9.80
James Prince - 7.25
Donnie Fountain - 6.50
Troy Amason - 6.00
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Marsha King - 7.00
Gary Barack - 5.00
Jerald Burks - 4.80
Rick Morgan - 4.65
Members of the Wood County 4-H transported fish back and forth from the weigh-in station
as it is a "live-release" tournament.
The youth earned $500.00 for the Wood County 4-H County Council for their weekend work,
from the Lake Fork Sportsmen's Association.
Yantis Mayor Jerry Miller, thanked everyone for their support of the annual tournament and praised Ken
Freeman and his staff for making this one of the most successful events for this year. The Yantis Volunteer
Fire Department is the beneficiary of the funds collected and raised.
Billy Burnett, with the Yantis Hidden Lake Hunting Lodge presented the grand prize winner, in
the raffle drawing, with a pheasant hunt for four at his lodge!
And, unitl next June, continue to keep seaching for that big cat, and finding his home, so that maybe
you can be next year's winner......
Happy Fishing, on Lake Fork......
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