Gene & Nedra Pappas of Granbury win the 2001 C.A.S.T. Classic with 16.34 lbs.

This tournament has developed a national reputation over the last 17 years as being the finest couples championship held each year and again this year it more than lived up to its reputation. Starting on Friday night with the awards Banquet, all 135 participating couples received a weigh bag containing over $100.00 worth of our sponsors’ products. The first item was a custom made fold out director’s chairs with the CAST logo silk-screened on the side. Other gifts included a spools of line from Berkley, key chains and pins from both Mercury Outboards and Ranger Boats, several packages of Berkley Power Worms and Power Craws, two Lucky Craft lures, two Horizon spinner Baits, and a package of very sharp Eagle Claw Hooks. During the banquet on Friday night our top six couples in all 8 regions were presented with a plaque for their achievement in this year’s regional standing. In addition each regions Team of the Year and Big Bass of the Year winners received plaques for their accomplishments.

Without question, the highlight of the evening was the presentation of a fully rigged brand-new 2002 Ranger 518 boat and Ranger Trail Trailer with a brand new 200 hp EFI MERCURY OUTBOARD MOTOR. The boat was equipped with Continental batteries and has a suggested retail value of  $35,700.00. Mr. Jerry Wheeler, Mayor of Three Rivers, our host city for this Classic tournament, reached into a hat and pulled out the name of Jim & Brenda Harris of Mesquite, Texas as the winners of this year’s prize Ranger Boat & Mercury Outboard. Needless to say they were more than overjoyed.

Jim said that they would be fishing out of this new RANGER BOAT powered by the 200hp MERCURY OUTBOARD MOTOR for many, many years to come.

After the first full day of tournament fishing, another banquet was provided to all of the C.A.S.T. couples on Saturday night. Not only was the food delicious, but we also gave away everything that just anybody who fishes could possibly want from gallons of oil to clothing to fishing tackle. Eagle Claw rod and reels donate over a dozen of their finest rods and their best reels.  Continental Batteries gave twenty of their deep cycle batteries to some of our lucky couples, West Texas Twister Rods gave away 10 custom made rods to round off the door prizes. Many, many more great gifts were given away at the banquet from baskets full of Mary Kay products to boxes of Berkley products.

As for the tournament itself you could not have asked for a better one. The weather was perfect with light winds and slightly overcast conditions on Saturday. Everyone was told that the fishing conditions were extremely tough and that we were going to be very lucky to catch any fish at all. They were very close to telling the truth. After the first day, first place was only 10 pounds. But the best thing as the tournament director was that the weights were extremely close and at the start of the 2nd day there were 70 couples with-in one pound of finishing in the money. I don’t need to tell you how exciting that made the final weigh-in.

The tournament winners were Gene & Nedra Pappas of Granbury with 16.34 pounds. Most of their fish came from fishing a combination of Lucky Craft top water bait and Berkley power worms around isolated patches of grass in the backs of some of the smaller pockets. We got both of the lures that we were using in the bag of sponsors products that everyone received at the banquet on Friday night Nedra said. The top water Lucky Craft lure worked very well up until about 8:00 said Gene.

By the way, Gene & Nedra won the tournament fishing out of their 519 Ranger Boat powered by a Mercury EFI 225hp outboard motor. Might be something to using our sponsor’s products.

I cannot list all of the 25 money winners, but here is the Grand Prize Winner and the top 10 couples with their weights and prize money.

Robin & Allen Little of Garland with the 7.18 pound Big Bass of the tournamentBy: Tommy & Barbara Taylor / C.A.S.T.