To be in the drawing to win you had to purchase any B’n’M Pole or reel, a pair of Purpose Built Optics sunglasses, or Cornfield Fishing Gear product, a Church Tackle Company product or 5 packs of any Crappie Magnet products and turn in the entries into the Crappie Magnet booth before the drawing. Winner’s names were drawn and notified so arrangements could be made to attend.
While several of the guides and professional crappie anglers came in early to the event to prepare, everyone else trickled in with the winners arriving on Thursday afternoon before the evening meal. After the meal the winners got a pair of Purpose Built Optics sunglasses along with a goodie bag that was filled with products from the sponsors.
After the mail the lucky winners were paired up with their guides for the next day. It was an all-star lineup with 8-time National Champion Steve Coleman, the “Godfather of Power Trolling” Les Smith and fishing guides John Mayo along with Jason Cook. Needless to say the contest winners were excited to be going out on Sardis Lake in Mississippi.
After a meeting at the Crappie Compound in the morning the angler’s were quickly off to the lake. Expectations were extreme high after the pros had been on the water the day before and smashed them. I know that for a fact because John Mayo put on a clinic whacking crappie so fast we ended up heading back to Crappie Compound by 8:30 a.m., however, the bite was just as good for everyone the day before.
Remember the old saying, “You should have been here yesterday?” Well, that’s how the day went. The guides and contestants caught crappie, but it was slow going compared to the day before. I was in the boat with contest winners along with the “Godfather” of power trolling Les Smith along with fishing guide John Harrison and his nephew John Hilburn. In the bow of the boat Smith had rigged out 8 rods with double lures on each one with each one placed in Smith’s Driftmaster rod holders. The top lure was a Crappie Magnet Fin Spin Pro with a Slab Curly rigged on the jighead. Of course Smith was using his favorite ¼-ounce Fin Spin Pro in Les Pink color pattern and matching Slab Curly. On several of the rods Smith would have a PICO Lures deep diving crankbait on it for the bottom lure. Smith likes PICO Lure crankbaits in the bright color patterns like purple-pink or his new favorite is bone orange. Each rig had a 3-ounce weight above it and set at predetermined depth above where the fish were located.
While Smith put out his B’n’M Pole Pow-R Trolling rods, John Harrison was quickly rigging out 8 rods out the stern of the boat. Just like Smith, Harrison would let out each rod, but his rods had Church Tackle Company TX-12 planer boards along with two center rods with Church Tackle Stern Planers with the planer boards placed in a special built Driftmaster rod holder. His lure configuration was the same as Smith’s in the bow of the boat. Power trolling meaning moving up to 1.7-mph the boards, stern planers would stay out away from the boat as Smith directed the boat. The contestants assisted in putting out rods and reeled in the crappie that were caught.
By early afternoon the guides and contestants were all back at the compound sharing stories along with visiting with everyone from John Godwin, Steve Coleman, Joel Harris, John Mayo, Mark Ridl, Crappie Kirby, Jack Wells, Kent Driscoll, Calli Ainsworth, Les Smith, Jim Churchhill, Jason Julien, John Harrison (MS), Matt Foster, Jason Sealock, Jeff Smith, Lane Smith, Chandler Lambert, Jimmy Riley, Dean McCoy, Michael Sanders , Mark Sanders, Bill Waller, Wade Mansfield, Jason Cook, John Harrison & John Hilburn and other VIPs.
Day 2 of the event the contestants went out with the pros and guides Steve Coleman, Les Smith, John Mayo and Jason Cook. The crappie were more cooperative and limits caught then back to the Crappie Compound. I had jumped in the Cornfield Fishing Gear mega ship for the morning with owner of the boat and Cornfield Fishing Gear Mark Ridl along with Michael Sanders and Church Tackle Company owner Jason Julien and pro staff manager Jim Churchhill. Just like on Smith’s boat the boat had 8 rods on the bow and 8 rods off the stern. Of course Julien and Churchhill were quick to put out the B’n’M pole GunnR rods with Church Tackle planer boards and stern planers. Crappie were caught, measured and either released or put in the livewell.
Of course there was a fishing contest going on during the event. The Big Gun award was for the biggest crappie caught between the 4 guides and contestants. This year the award was given to Larry and Stephene Forsythe along with their guide Steve Coleman for the heaviest crappie caught.
Fishing might have been the highlight, but the evening meals were amazing. Thanks to all the cooks including Mama Mayo, Lois Smith, Jim Churchhill and John Mayo. Every one also enjoyed the fish fry with Doug Hollowell with Doughboy Recreational/Doughboy Pools and his crew Phil Brown, Kenny and Matt Hollowell for sponsoring and doing the fish fry. We can’t thank all the cooks enough for all their hard work during the event.
A chair and place at one table had a photo and camera of Ron Wong an outdoor writer and photographer memorializing his accomplishments as he had passed away earlier this year. Crappie Kirby aka DJ Kirby cranked out tunes; in addition to recording his YouTube show Fish-Eat-Live shows and podcast show Right Outdoors with Crappie Kirby. I was there producing content and doing my podcast show The Fishing Guide Podcast along with videos for Brad Wiegmann YouTube channel.
I saved the best for last. Special thanks go out to Les and Lois Smith who without them and everyone that supports this event it wouldn’t happen. Smith’s are truly an amazing couple willing to host the annual event that brings so many together from the crappie world.
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