Our CAST Classic started on Friday night at the Lufkin Civic Center, with the first of TWO Catered Banquets provided for our Classic couples. At the first banquet all of the participating couples received a weigh bag containing a $25.00 gift card from Academy Sports and Outdoors. Packages of hooks from Eagle Claw, several bags of worms were given to each couple from the Mr. Twister representative Hank Yates, a special address book with the C.A.S.T. logo on it, two Koozie’s with the C.A.S.T. logo on it’s side, the Classic program with all the names of each couple and color photos of this year events, and a large bag of goodies from the Lufkin Chamber of Commerce.
During the awards banquet on Friday night, our “Top Six Couples” in all 7regions were presented with individual plaques 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 outstanding accomplishments.
This tournament has developed a national reputation over the last 19 years as being the finest couples championship held each year and again this year it more than lived up to its reputation.
Without question, the highlight of the evening was the presentation of a fully rigged brand new 2004 Ranger 519 Boat with a brand new 200 hp Mercury Outboard Motor.
Louis Bronaugh, the Mayor of Lufkin, who attended our banquet reached into a hat and pulled out the name of Tommy & Darlene Childs from Tool, Texas. After they calmed down from jumping up and down and screaming, they were awarded the keys to a brand new 2004 RANGER 519 BOAT & MERCURY 200HP OUTBOARD MOTOR with an estimated retail valued of $35,700.00.
Saturday Morning
Just before sun rise on Saturday morning, we started the tournament with a trumpet solo of the Star Spangled Banner by Joe Schroder. The sound of the trumpet echoed off the hills and down the cove in the perfectly still morning air. I can not tell you how it made me feel, but only that I gotchills over my entire body.
I must have not been the only one that his playing affected for I could not start the tournament because of all of the couples standing in their boats and clapping in appreciation. And I must say he well deserved it.
Our couples were very blessed by the lord, because we started Saturday morning at 7:00am with a beautiful day, however the B.A.S.S teams, who were starting at the other end of the lake were not able to start their tournament until 10:30am because of a thick fog bank that rolled in keeping them on the shore for over 3-1/2 hours while our couples were fishing in great conditions.
As for the tournament, everyone told us that Sam Rayburn fishingconditions were extremely tough right now with all the rain that they had received all week and that we were going to be very lucky to catch any fish at all. Once again, our CAST couples showed the naysayer’s just how good they can be. We had over 100 couples that weighted in fish, with the biggest first day stringer having 5 fish that each weighed over 3 pounds.
However, the best thing as the tournament director was that at the start of the 2nd day there were 15 couples with-in 4 pounds of first place. I don’t need to tell you how exciting that made the final weigh-in.
Saturday Night
At our banquet on Saturday night the food was again delicious and again catered by “Barnhill Restaurant “.
As door prizes on Saturday night, Grace Watts was there representing Academy Outdoor Stores and gave away $1,400 in gift cards. Luxor’s Jeweler of Bedford gave away a special pair of opal earrings valued at $400. Pamper Chef Director, Peggy Schroeder, gave a $75 gift certificate to Pamper Chef, which all the ladies wanted. BackCountry Creations owned by Chuck & Lori Monney donated two doorprizes valued at $50.00 each. 10 “ScentHead Spinnerbaits,” a brand new type of spinner bait with a retail value of $25 each. Many, many other fine companies donated to make this night a such a special event.
Sunday Morning
On Sunday morning the conditions had changed from almost perfect to completely perfect. This allowed all of our couples to go anywhere on the lake and fish any type of structure from points to grass to everything in-between.
It was consistency that paid off for John Bills and Brenda Reeves. They brought in the 2nd largest bag of fish on Saturday and the 10th on Sunday to become our overall 2003 C.A.S.T. Classic Tournament Winners with a total two day weight of 25.01 pounds.
Our Money Winners
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.
Grand Prize Winners were Tommy & Darlene Childs, Tool, TX. They were awarded the keys to a brand new 2004 RANGER 519 BOAT & MERCURY 200HP OUTBOARD MOTOR with an estimated retail valued of $35,700.00.
OUR TOP TEN WINNERS
| 1. John Bills & Brenda Reeves | 25.01 lbs. | $3,930.00 |
| 2. Larry & Carol McMinimy | 24.28 lbs. | $3,045.00 |
| 3. Adrian & Suzie Adair | 23.65 lbs. | $2,580.00 |
| 4. Robert & Bobbie Brooks | 22.78 lbs. | $2,210.00 |
| 5. Steve & Becky Morton | 21.86 lbs. | $1,965.00 |
| 6. Don & Dixie Rogers | 20.42 lbs. | $1,720.00 |
| 7. Ronnie & Margaret Sherbert | 20.09 lbs. | $1,425.00 |
| 8. Joe & Suzie Moss | 20.04 lbs. | $1,280.00 |
| 9. Davis Burden & Dianne Garman | 18.55 lbs. | $1,135.00 |
| 10. Bill & Audrey Gammons | 17.88 lbs. | $1,060.00 |
By: Tommy & Barbara Taylor / C.A.S.T.
