Kentucky Lake Bass Tournaments

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KENTUCKY LAKE BASS TOURNAMENTS
by Steve McCadams
www.stevemccadams.com
April 11th 2008

Last Sunday’s Superbass Tournament Trail event on Kentucky Lake was won by Henry County anglers Adam Craig and Derrick Greenhill with a hefty stringer weighing 24.74 pounds that earned them $950.

Their nice catch barely edged out the Henry County father and son duo of Tommy and Luke Millraney who teamed up to catch a limit weighing 24.51 pounds earning them $525. They had big fish of the day too with a trophy smallmouth weighing 6.59 pounds!

Next event on the trail will be Sunday, May 4 out of Paris Landing State Park.

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From the Team Trails bass series on Kentucky Lake comes word of Parisians Tommy and Luke Millraney’s win last Saturday with a limit weighing 21.45 pounds and four of the fish were smallmouth. Their win earned them $1,010.

Big fish of the day was split between Leon Rogers of Paris and Tammy Bunch of Wingo, KY who each boated a 6.25 pound largemouth and split the $165 prize.

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Speaking of big bass and fishing contests do you know who likely won the first one held on Kentucky Lake?

Way back in April of 1947 when Kentucky Lake was still in its infancy, Paris angler Charlie Williams landed a big bass and won several area contests.

“I remember him being so excited about it as he beat out Pete Lassiter of Paris by a mere two ounces,” said Charlie’s widow Bethel Williams. “They kind of had a rivalry about this fishing thing back then and both of them decided to have their fish sent off to Memphis to be mounted by a taxidermist.”

“Can’t remember the specific weight of the fish but it was likely in the 8-pound plus range. Not sure why he didn’t have it on the plaque,” she said.

“They were flabbergasted when they got the bill,” laughed Ms Williams as she detailed the fishing story to me recently.

Charlie Williams would later enter the insurance business here in Paris but prior to that was one of the first game wardens on Kentucky Lake and became a supervisor over a nine county area.

“Charlie was a game warden before Kentucky Lake was built, starting the job back in 1940 and became a supervisor in 1952,” she recalled.

A photo of the big catch and perhaps the first fishing contest winner in the area appears on the outdoor page today in the Paris Post Intelligencer. In the background, where the 36-year old Williams is displaying the bass, is the former Frank McNeil house where the First United Methodist Church Christian Life Center stands today.

Mrs. Williams gave the historical mount to me a few weeks back and I have it tucked away in the garage. Some 61 years ago this month he fell prey to Charlie’s hook in what was likely the first of many fishing contests here on Kentucky Lake.

Steve McCadams is a professional hunting and fishing guide here in the Paris Landing area. He has also contributed many outdoor oriented articles to various national publications.

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