123.04 pounds claim top honors on the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers.
Catfish anglers from eight states traveled to Grand Rivers, KY to the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers for a King Kat Tournament Trail event presented by Bass Pro Shops Cabela’s. Thirteen teams gathered at Grand Rivers to test their catfishing skills against other anglers and Mother Nature.
Competitors were vying for $4,000 in cash and prizes, and an opportunity to qualify for the $120,000 Classic Championship to be held November 1 and 2, 2019, on the Tennessee River (Wheeler Lake) at Decatur, Alabama.
Anglers experienced a nice weather day with temps in the high 80s and winds blowing from the SSW at 10-15 miles per hour. Catfish anglers like current, but there wasn’t much unless anglers were below the dams.
Results for the Top Teams
The tip spot at Grand Rivers went to Dale Kerns and Greg Edwards from Norris City, IL. They brought 123.04 pounds to the scales to earn $1,800 for first place and another $260 for Big Fish that weighed 39.38 pounds. They also added the Driftmaster Bonus of $300.
Kerns and Edwards fished below Kentucky Dam on the Tennessee River. They were targeting 25 feet of water where they caught their two biggest fish early in the morning. They reported landing 5 more fish for the rest of the day.
“Our day started early,” said Kerns. “We drove 2 1/2 hours to Kentucky Dam with everything going smooth for a change. We decided we would start by anchor fishing if water release was right and it was. By 6:30 the lines go in and by 6:45 two rods go down at the same time. Those two fish were the two biggest of the day.”
Kerns said the gar would move in and out during the day and mentioned the fact that there are some big gar below Kentucky Dam. There are also plenty of Asian carp available on the rivers. Kerns and Edwards mixed carp and skipjack to catch their fish.
“It took a lot patience but it worked out this time. We are hoping to carry this momentum into the end of the year,” concluded Kerns who, along with Edwards, is currently leading the King Kat points race.
Kerns also praised Tournament Director Jeremy Coe, saying, “Jeremy is always professional, courteous and all-round great guy. He always does a great job.”
The runner-up spot went to Wayne and Travis Bodine from Bardstown, KY. They had a total weight of 98.6 pounds to earn $700.
Team Bodine fished on Lake Barkley towards the 68-80 Bridge. They were dragging baits down a 4 mile stretch of the river channel where they found their fish holding tight to the bottom.
They used the old reliable skipjack for bait to catch 11 fish on the day.
The third spot went to Noel Dillard and Tim Doom from Grand Rivers, KY. The hometown team brought 97.36 pounds to the scales to earn $425.00.
Dillard and Doom fished on the Cumberland River about halfway between Grand Rivers and the Ohio River. They targeted structure on ledges to find their fish.
The team fished on the rope casting skipjack on the ledges and fishing mostly between the barge traffic.
Rounding out the Top Five Catfish Teams
4th Place – Gerrett Joiner and Lynn Hathaway – 70.18
5th Place – Carl Morris Jr. and Rob Parsons – 58.60
Epilogue
Tournament director, Jeremy Coe directed a special thank you to Grand Rivers Tourism Commission for making this event possible and rolling out the red carpet for the King Kat anglers.
“Not only did we have a fun weigh-in,” Coe said, “but there were a lot of festivities that took place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We look forward to returning September 26th, 2020 for another full weekend of festivities.”
National Sponsors
Bass Pro Shops Cabela’s King Kat Tournament Trail sponsors include: Bass Pro Shops Cabela’s, Excel Boats, Mercury Marine, Mustad Hooks, Humminbird, Minn Kota, B’n’M Poles, Gamma Line, Driftmaster Rod Holders, Ego Nets, Xtreme Bait Systems, Clear Boards, EFX Graphics, Catfish Now, Fin n’ Frames, WavePro, and Crown Trophy
For more information on the championship and other King Kat activities visit their website at www.kingkatusa.com. Anglers can also follow the trail on the King Kat Facebook Page.
