By Perry Hensley
My tournament partner, Louis Gibson (Slab Happy team member), and I arrived Friday just in time to get in the water for some pre-fishing, although we were hit by rain right out of the gate. No worries though, I instantly hooked into a 1.50lb black crappie on a Renegade hair jig and was pleased to feel the thump. Now a 1.5lb crappie is a respectable fish, but with these anglers, if you’re not in that 2lb range, your chances are slim to none of cashing a check. Don’t let that discourage you because anyone can get a good one now and then.
Tournament day was slow and we could not get on the big fish. Louis managed to get a 1.52 white crappie to the boat and we went to weigh it in just in case but no luck was to be had for us on that day as we caught several fish but never the big one. Being in that tough period between spawn where most have or are spawning, but there’s a chance you can snag a late spawner, gives ya hope and makes for an interesting tournament to say the least. Although we never had that big fish, Louis and I had a blast for the day and a half we were there talking with all the other anglers and meeting new ones.
The Slab Happy team fared well this year again as reigning champions and Slab Happy Team Members, Larue Isom and Jason Grimes Of Jefferson City Tennessee, dominated the 1st and last hours of the tournament and took home a $3000 check. Great job guys!
Never to be out done, the story of the tournament was Joel Nash and Skeeter Hayes of Sparta Tennessee as they weighed in a bruiser 2.27 lb. white crappie and secured themselves the Big Fish Purse of $5000, plus winning an hour which made them $6800 just for fishing.
Special thanks to Andy Lehman of ACC Crappiestix, Matt Xenos and Ray and Jimmy Pratt for all they did to make this year’s event so great.
Next year’s event is scheduled already for the 2026 ACC Big Crappie Bash on Watts Bar, the last Saturday in April, and I look forward to attending that event as well. Be sure to sign up as soon as you can because it is limited to 100 boats and it continues to grow year after year.
As always, May God bless each of you and tight lines!
Perry Hensley Sr.