Mark Twain Lake was invaded by crappie anglers competing for the Bass Pro Shops Crappie Masters Missouri State Championship. Sixty-five teams competed for bragging rights and more than $15,000.00 in cash and prizes at the event sponsored by Stren.
The first leg of the MO championship, won by Charlie and Kevin Rogers, was held on Truman Lake in June. The tour will return to Truman Lake on August 20 for the third leg that will determine the 2016 MO champs.
Anglers fishing the Mark Twain event began fishing the August 6, 2016 event at 6:30 am and continued until 3:00 pm. They were required to be in the weigh-in line at Chigger Hill Bait and Tackle in Stoutsville by 4:00 pm.
The 130 crappie anglers faced tough fishing conditions as the lake rose over ten feet in five days. A State Championship and crucial National AOY points were on the line along with the $15,000.00 in cash and prizes.
Some savvy team always figures out the winning combination and this week it was Illinois angler Brad Ruyle and his Missouri partner Reggie Redinger. They put together an impressive seven fish stringer that weighed 8.05 pounds to win the Mark Twain Lake National Qualifier. Their weight included big fish of the tournament at 1.96 pounds.
The Ruyle/Redinger team was one pole fishing in 6 to 14 feet of water. They were catching their crappie just off the bottom using their own Elite Jigs in shad shatter and great white colors. Their equipment include a Mercury Motor. Humminbird electronics, Minn Kota trolling motor, B’n’M Poles and Grizzly Elite Poles.
Ruyle and Redinger are sponsored by Elite Jigs and Midwest Land Sales. They earned a check for $5160.00, which included a $250.00 bonus, donated by the Missouri Corn Growers Association and American Ethanol for using E10 gasoline in their boat. They also earned $910.00 for catching the big crappie of the tournament.
The Tennessee team of Paul and Elizabeth Turner were double winners. Their stringer of 5.15 pounds earned them second place and top Male/Female honors.
Team Turner spider rigged in 12 to 14 feet of water using double minnow rigs. Their fish were coming from 10 feet deep. They used Humminbird electronics, a Minn Kota trolling motor and Bass Pro Shops fishing line. The husband/wife fishing team received a check for $2000.00 and a $100.00 Bass Pro Shops gift card for their second place finish.
Third place went to the Missouri team of Barry Morrow and Chad Maupin. They were two pole trolling in 12 to 20 feet of water. Their 5.14 pounds of Mark Twain Lake crappie came from 12 foot water on 2-inch Bobby Garland Slab Slayers. The best combination was blue/white jigs tipped with minnows.
Morrow and Maupin are sponsored by Crappietown, Stump Jumper, Off Shore Tackle, Beaver Bottom Baits, Huckabee Rods, Perotti Rod Holders, Rocky Top and Brush Lunker. They earned a check for $1000.00 for their efforts.
The fourth place spot was claimed by Team Taylor. Missourians Rick and Jeremy Taylor earned a check for $850.00 for their 5.08 pound stringer.
Another Missouri team, Chris Dudgeon and Bo Shephard, nailed down the fifth place spot. They earned a check for $725.00 for their weight of 4.92 pounds.
The Iowa team of Aaron and Dylan Clark won the Adult/Youth Division. They weighed 4.37 pounds to finish in the 13th spot overall and claim the Adult/Youth honor. They reeived a $100.00 Bass Pro Shops gift card, a $100.00 Everhart’s Sporting Goods gift card and a $250.00 check for their day of crappie fishing.
For more results, photos and future events click on the Crappie Masters Facebook page or visit their website.
The next Crappie Masters event will be the final leg of the Missouri State Championship at Truman Lake, MO on August 20,2016.