By Perry Hensley
On April 27th, 2024, the 4th annual Acc/Crappie Cove Big Crappie Bash took place on Watts Bar Lake here in Tennessee. Guys and gals, let me tell you that it turned out to be a great one! It shaped up to be a record breaking tournament with the record number of 87 boats and participants registered and competing and a real plus was the record breaking weights brought into the weigh station. YouTube Celebrities such as Matt Xenos (Wired For Crappie), Davis From (Flopping Crappie) and Chris A.K.A Sarge From (Asleep At The Reel) all competed in this awesome event as well.
The Morning started off with a prayer held by Chris (Sarge) followed by the playing of the National Anthem as all of these Patriotic Anglers saluted their American Flag and what it stands for with honor. Each angler’s excitement level quickly elevated as the countdown to blast off ticked closer and closer until at last the first 20 boats took off and each 20 after that left the marina at Terrace View, wide open to get to their favorite spots of the lake.
Sure didn’t take long before the first winning crappie for the first hour was weighed in which was a very respectable 2.04 lb. Watts Bar Slab by Jeff Webber and his partner Cody Gaines. As hour two rolled around Mike & Frankie Chesser of the Slab Happy Lures Pro Staff and the overall winners of the 2023 tournament boated into the scales weighing in that hours winning fish being 1.98 Slab taking the win for that 2nd hour.
Hour #3 made it interesting when Mr. Larue Isom and Jason Grimes (Slab Happy Pro Staffers) also came to the scales with an absolute Watts Bar Monster Crappie! Their fish weighing in at a whopping 2.56 lb. Was a mind blower for most of the Anglers and that particular fish would win the entire tournaments big fish spot to put these fellas facing a good pay day of $6500 for the day!
Mike and Frankie Chesser would once again return to the scales during hour #4 to secure another check that would give them a pay day of $3000! Special thanks to Andy Lehman of ACC Crappie Stix – Blake Haulk of Crappie Cove – Matt Xenos of (Wired For Crappie) who also won an hour with his partner Josh Sanders weighing in a giant 2.12 lb. crappie taking home $1500 themselves.
Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all of those who helped in making this tournament one of the best yet. The next tournament has already been scheduled for April 26th, 2025, at Terrace View Marina on Watts Bar Lake and I look forward to being there to compete in that one as well.
As always May God Bless each of you and Tight Lines!
Perry Hensley Sr.
Note: Contact Misty at Crappie Cove to Register for the next event!