The top three teams after day one break the 100-pound mark. Big fish is 51.99 pounds.
The Ohio Valley River Cats launched 191 boats in the 15th Annual Rising Sun Catfish Tournament on the Ohio River in Rising Sun, Indiana. The two-day event will distribute more than with more than $50,000 to participating teams. The big fish of the tournament will earn a whopping $6,775!
The always popular tournament attracted 191 boats to the River Front at Rising Sun. In this year of the pandemic, a few changes had to be made in the interest of participant health.
The normal door prizes were forgone and the morning breakfast was canceled. Additionally, the Mayor’s free cookout was suspended, but replaced with a $15 food voucher for every angler, good at any local establishment that serves food. The local Boy Scouts were on hand during weigh-in to sell hamburgers and hotdogs as their annual fundraiser.
Also, in response to the pandemic, people were asked to wear masks as a courtesy when they were around other anglers, staff, and spectators.
The teams were greeted with a beautiful morning on day one with temperatures in the mid-60s before rising to the mid-80s. The early morning wind was about 6 mph and the river was at 14.3 and falling.
First Place and Big Cat – Day One (Note, photo from a tournament last year)
The top spot on day one is the Ohio team of Tom and Samantha Petrowski and Henry Neafus. They have a total weight of 141.59 pounds, including the Big Fish of the tournament at 51.99 pounds.
Second Place – Day One
Indiana anglers Terry Holding and Corey Peterson are in the runner up spot with 104.25 pounds.
Third Place – Day One
Two more Indiana anglers are in the third spot after one day of fishing. Kevin Childress and Justin Arthur teamed up to bring 100.21 pounds to the scales to secure their place.
More day-one leaders can be found on the Ohio Valley River Cats Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Ohio-Valley-River-Cats-321639821856637.
Petrowski, Petrowski, and Neafus have a good lead going into day two, but time will tell if their weights hold up as fishing began again at 8:00 this Sunday morning. Anglers were required to turn in their assigned poker chip they received on Friday at registration. Those chips were used to determine who is fishing on Sunday and who did not return to fish the final day.
Boats must return to the weigh-in location on the Rising Sun Riverfront for the final weigh-in by 3 pm. The public is welcome and invited to the weigh-in to see who will be crowned the 2020 champs. Social distancing rules are in effect.
For more information on future events call (812) 290-7972. Information on lodging and eateries is available through the Rising Sun/Ohio County Tourism Visitors Center at (812) 438-4933.
