While the top three teams sat within three pounds of each other, they enjoyed a little bit of separation from the rest of the field. The fourth-place team of Clint McCarter and Jay Smith caught 68.8 pounds, including a nice blue catfish that was nearly black in color, to earn $612, and the fifth-place team of Jacob Reynold and Luke Cheever had just 53.9 pounds by comparison.
Organizer David Studebaker said the tournament drew 69 boats from four states, marking the largest Catfish Chasers event in Kansas to date.
The big fish award went to Jesse Neufeld and Greg Postier, who hauled in a 42.7-pound blue cat. The pair earned $680 for having the biggest fish.
The Catfish Chasers will return to action April 21 at Perry Reservoir. The tournament will take place from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with check-in and weigh-in at the South State Park ramp.
KANSAS CRAPPIE CLUB
It was a family affair during the Kansas Crappie Club’s season-opening 2018 Snowball Fight fishing tournament March 3 at Melvern Lake.
Jim Bybee and his two sons, Tom and Cody, put up 8.24 pounds of fish, including the big fish at 1.95 pounds, to take first place and win $1,560. Craig Schmitt and Dustin Kruse took second place, tallying $720 in prize money. Chris Morgan, Mike Roberts and Parker Still took third place to win $420.
KCC will host its next tournament April 28-29 at Clinton Lake, with registrations and the daily 2:30 p.m. weigh-in at Ramp No. 2. Cash, prizes and trophies will be award for the top three teams, plus optional big fish contests both days to benefit Kansas Special Olympics.
BACKLASHERS BASS CLUB
Kit Lueg weighed six fish for a total of 14.71 pounds to win the boaters’ division last weekend during tough conditions at the Backlashers Bass Club of Kansas’ tournament on Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.
Dan Sauderman weighed four fish for 11.48 pounds to take second place and Heat Stuart hauled in six fish for 10.49 pounds to place third.
Among nonboaters, Theo Corcoran took the top prize with 14.79 pounds, followed by Tyler Garretson with 14.65 and Joe Hernandez with three fish for 8.7 pounds. Garretson had big bass on Saturday with a 4-pound largemouth on Saturday and again Sunday with a 6-pounder.
Backlashers will be back in action April 7 at Perry Reservoir.
CATFISH CHASERS
Leaders March 24 at Milford Lake
Team;Pounds of fish
1. Henning/Henning;77.2
2. Norris/Thelen;75.35
3. Burgett/Brodie;74.85
4. McCarter/Smith;68.8
5. Reynolds/Cheever/Thurman;53.9
Big fish
Neufeld/Postier;42.7
KANSAS CRAPPIE CLUB
Leaders March 3 at Melvern Lake
Team;Pounds of fish
1. Bybee/Bybee/Bybee;8.24
2. Schmitt/Kruse;7.20
3. Morgan/Roberts/Still;5.72
Big fish
Bybee;1.95
BACKLASHERS BASS CLUB
Lake of the Ozarks
Leaders March 24-25
Boater division
Angler;Pounds of fish
1. Lueg;14.71
2. Sauderman;11.48
3. Stuart;10.49
Nonboater division
Angler;Pounds of fish
1. Corcoran;14.79
2. Garretson;14.65
3. Hernandez;8.7