Tournament Report: Chasin’ Tails Speckled Trout Challenge
The 8th annual Chasin’ Tails Speckled Trout Challenge closed Sunday, January 4, with the largest speckled trout weighing in at over 7 lbs. Over $5,000 in cash and prizes were given out for the top 10 places in this year’s event. Out of 59 anglers, 17 weighed-in fish, and Tommy Williams, the prize winning angler, caught his fish back in November, weighing in at a solid 7.39 lbs.
Williams was fishing around the New River when he hooked up, his trout falling for a suspended MirrOlure. “I caught five fish that night,” said Williams, “and she ended up being the biggest. I knew I had a good one on when I brought her in.”
Williams only weighed in one fish for the whole tournament, but his one was enough to take home the big prize. Coming in third the prior year, fishing this year’s Challenge proved especially rewarding.
Tommy Williams with the winning speck, weighing in at 7.39 lbs., that he brought to the scales at ChasinÂ’ Tails back on November 23.
Runner-up Lee March snagged second place with a 6.95 lb. speck, and Eric Braddy slid into a close third place, with his 6.85 lb. fish.
Matt Lamb, from Chasin’ Tails, said the cold weather last year had a lot to do with this year’s contest. “With the kill we had last winter, it definitely had an impact in this year’s event for the larger class of fish,” said Lamb. “Catching fish wasn’t the problem for anglers. It was finding quality fish. No doubt there’s been more small speckled trout around this fall and winter than we’ve seen in a few years.”
The weather, and the class of fish from the contest, forecast a positive 2016 season. According to Lamb, “From what we’ve seen so far and with the mild weather we’ve had so far, it could be setting things up for a great fall/winter 2016 season.”
For more information on the Speckled Trout Challenge, visit Chasin’ Tails’ website at www.chasintailsoutdoors.com.
