Crappie Anglers of Texas Crappiefest

Please click the link above to visit the flyer for the upcoming Crappiefest tournament on Lake Fork on May 3rd. It should be a great time for everyone and an excellent time for those who want to try their hand at their first tournament!! All rules and entry forms can be found at http://www.crappieanglersoftexas.com/Tournaments/2014TournamentScheduleandResults.aspx.


Jay Don

This will be a great event....I'm In

So This is the tournament you don't have to belong to CAT and everybody only weighs their one big fish. So you only need one good bite for a chance at part of the $10,000 in prize money. I think this is the one Net Girl wants to fish. I'll check when she wakes up.

You might want to join CAT if your fishing this. $1000 goes to the top finishing CAT member.

Sounds like a FUN deal
Course, I despise fishing, the challenge of competition, and meeting new folks
Just wish I knew crappie patterns on Fork better. Fished there a lot, but it has been many years ago and back when I practiced my craft on the dark side - ditch pickles

Yes it would certainly be worth joining to have a chance at the extra $1,000 if you're not a member. So if you happen to get lucky and catch Big Fish and you belong to CAT you could get the $2500 1st place and the bonus $1,000 totaling $3,500 for one fish.

Bobby, I think my wife is fishing it also. I hope she kicks my arse.

Take her to the money trees...HA

Looks like we are supposed to have 2 grandkids that weekend while my son and daughter in law are in a wedding of their friends in Mexico. We gotta find a babysitter or it's a no go.

How old are the grandkids? They can fish for free and the prizes are going to be awesome!!

2 and 5 Jaydon. Ain't happening.

Let them play in the minnow bucket....lol

The 5 year old boy can fish. It's 2 year old girl that's a terror and requires undivided attention. She'd eat the minnows. Who said anything about minnows anyway?

Net Girl is trying to find a babysitter. She said I don't catch as many fish but I usually land the biggest fish. I said right! You got me didn't you? It's all about the guide honey.

[quote=Bobcat1]Looks like we are supposed to have 2 grandkids that weekend while my son and daughter in law are in a wedding of their friends in Mexico. We gotta find a babysitter or it's a no go. [/quote


Looks as though your the BUG (I mean the windshield) that weekend!!!!

You got that right Matthew.

What is great about this tournament is you can take several of your buddies out in the boat and truly compete against each other. Would make for great tv seeing 3 or 4 friends competing against each other out of the same boat.

This tournament format should be a lot of fun for anyone. Only need one fish, and everyone has an equal chance of getting a crappie closest to 1 lb or 1.25 lb, ext. You don't have to be a crappie expert to come out a winner in this tournament. And as always, the weigh-in will be as much fun as the fishing time. With 2 junior angler divisions, the kids will have a great time also. Great family fun and entertainment. There will be plenty of prizes for the junior divisions.

CAT is hoping to make this an annual event. If the numbers are there, more sponsors will be interested. So come out and support crappie fishing and family fishing fun.

The Jr. Anglers fishing this tournament will be thanking all of the CAT Club members that donated to the prize fund at Tuesday night's meeting. We collected over $340!!

Be sure to bring your kid's to fish this...there are going to be some awesome prize packages given away.

Working on getting all of the junior angler prizes ordered and ready for this tournament! Please bring your kids out for a fun time and a chance at some really great prizes!! Thanks to all that have given money for these packages and for the donated tickets from some great places!! Be sure and pass the word that this tournament is coming up. With it being a 1 fish tournament, everyone will have a chance. Is should be a great time for all!!

Folks, this is shaping up to be a great event. Prizes for junior anglers include some great tickets to things like Swim Park, Mavericks game, just to name a few. There's over $800 in donations for prizes for juniors now. Some prizes will be awarded for their catch, and some given away at random. You can enter yourself and mama, and enter the kid(s) or grand kids for free. Mail in your entry form or enter at the Minnow Bucket on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. This will be fun for sure.

Might actually be in town for this! Me and little man might try and make it! Maybe get a little fishing in too!

sounds like you better get your arse in gear then....maybe pay with some of that prize money...

I'd be donating if I went.

This will be the first tournament my buddy and I fish. We have never fished for crappie at fork after march/april though so I am worried about what depth they will be at and south vs north end of the lake. Kayaks are how we do our crappie fishing and yes we found em shallow this past weekend. Any fork veterans mind shedding a little light on may crappie? I am usually hitting docks on cedar creek may-june 7-14 feet of water, would it ring true for Fork as well?


big fish went 15 7/8" and our lil hand scale said only 2.1#

Can you fish from your dock? Can you fish minners?

Yes and Yes

CAT Crappiefest Flyer

We've had lots of inquiries about this tournament. We are really excited to get everyone involved in this!! Let anyone you know that likes to crappie fish know about this. We really want to make this an annual event!

Jay Don

Anybody got any info on lodging near the weigh is site?

Fork Motels

The link above is a good resource. The Minnow Bucket has been booked for months. I'm staying down the road at Trophy Lodge.

Minnow Bucket 903-878-2500
Oak Ridge Resort 903-878-2529
Fisherman's Inn 903-878-2137
Scenic 515 Cabins 903-383-7885

can we prefish the day before?

I don't see any thing in the rules that says you can't prefish. You might take a look for yourself to make sure I didn't miss it.
http://www.crappieanglersoftexas.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=47qnjMXKng8%3d&tabid=254

Hey Todd,
I tell you what the pattern they told me when I started fishing Fork.
Fish Timber.



Good luck all!
Will be a fun event...

There is no "off limits"

Basically it is a "fun" event. You can catch crappie anyway you can, anywhere you can on Fork.
Also you can have as many in your boat as you want or fish by yourself.

Just catch your crappie the day of the tourney, be courteous of others, -No hand telephone cranks or dynamite... pretty much everything else is OK!

She might.
She definitely won't share the winnings if she does.

Will there be a top female prize? Pam and Rhonda will be a shoe in for sure.

No top female prize this year. Depending on the turnout, it will be something to consider for next year! Can't wait to see what big fish will weigh!! Any guesses??

Jay Don

2.84

2.76

I think 2.9

I like 2.25
Especially if I catch it.....
Jigum

mmmmm, I think we will see a 3.2

Do we win a prize for guessing the closest weight without going over
2.8

Check out the other post, $$$ for a Guess, by Alec Dyer and put your guess there for some money.

Yea I saw that right after I posted this. That's a good deal! Great of him to contribute that and add to the fun!

A big thanks to Alec Dyer and Star Industries for being the primary sponsor of Crappie Fest. Alec also has the post for guessing the actual weight of the big fish. Thanks Alec for supporting crappie fishing in a big way and making this inaugural tournament possible.

Right now, weather forecast for Sat looks good with south winds at 8 mph and temps from 50-78. Gona have north winds Tues-Thur and coming back south on Fri. Fish should be ready to feed Sat with the weather pattern getting back to normal by Fri. Paul O'Bier and Jay and Rhonda Reeve will be running the weigh in, no they're not fishing. This is about family fun and fellowship.

For those bringing the juniors, be sure to make the weigh in even if they don't catch that big crappie. There will be some prizes given away at random in a drawing. They could get a big prize for being there.

What a great opportunity for all TFFers to get involved.

JayDon, do you have ideal on the number of the entries so far?

Unlike our other tournaments, we do not have online registration for this tournament. The only way to sign up now is (1) sign up at the Minnow Bucket between 5pm and 6pm on Friday night, or (2) sign up at the Minnow Bucket between 6am and 6:30am on Saturday morning. I have been getting alot of phone calls and emails from anglers that say they are coming, so we are expecting a really good turnout. Remember, you don't have to be a CAT member to fish this tournament, but if you want to joint CAT and qualify for the $1,000 bonus payment to the CAT member that catches the largest fish, you must join CAT by 6pm on Friday. We will set up the sign-in at the pavilion behind the Minnow Bucket, so just come by and sign up Friday evening or Saturday morning!!!

I am thinking of taking a chance on this!

This will be a fun time.. Looks like the turn out will be good...
Hope to see a few CAT friends this Saturday...
Jigum ya'll

Old CAT friends and new CAT friends.

Not that you're old Matthew....

I have a novice question about this tournament: Since my compadres and I will be kayak fishing do we have to launch at the Minnow Bucket or can we drive closer to our spot on a different branch of the lake?

You can launch anywhere.

CW

Wish I could make this one
Too much to do to get ready for the move
I'll attempt to make the weigh in if possible

Thank you!

good luck to all the participants,be safe on the water.