More than 300 boats expected for Triton owners event

PARIS, Tenn. – More than 300 teams will compete in the 13th annual Triton Owners Tournament, set for June 1-2, 2012, on Kentucky Lake near Paris, Tenn.

“This annual gathering of Triton owners is a great way for anglers to enjoy their Triton boats in a fun, family-friendly, yet competitive atmosphere,” remarked Adam Adkisson, vice president of the hosting Triton Boats company. “Any registered owner of a Triton boat with a factory installed livewell may enter the tournament through 4 p.m. May 31.”

Participants must register at the Paris Landing State Park Conference Center between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on May 31. A dinner and mandatory rules meeting follows registration. On both days of the tournament, the anglers will launch out of Paris Landing State Park at safe light. The weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. on June 1 and at 2 p.m. on June 2.

Teams of up to two anglers may fish both days with the highest cumulative weight taking top honors. Each day, teams may bring in up to five bass in any combination of largemouth, smallmouth and Kentucky spotted bass. Anglers may use Alabama rigs in accordance with the laws of Kentucky and Tennessee, depending upon where they fish. The top anglers will receive cash prizes, based upon the number of entries.

“We’re expecting between 325 and 340 boats,” Adkisson predicted. “Last year, we paid out $7,000 to the winners and will probably give away about the same amount this year.”

Competitors may also win numerous door prizes to be given away during the May 31 registration dinner. Anglers may also win prizes after the final weigh-in on June 2. One lucky competitor will also win a drawing for a new Triton boat package worth about $60,000.

“We’ll give out thousands of dollars in prizes donated by many of our great sponsors of the event,” Adkisson said. “The draw boat is a Triton 21HP with a 250-horsepower Mercury outboard, a MotorGuide trolling motor and Lowrance electronics. Many Triton pro staffers, including Shaw Grigsby, Byron Velvick, Casey Ashley, Gerald Swindle and Terry Scroggins, will join us to help emcee the tournament, sign autographs and greet the Triton owners and fans.”

Kentucky Lake spreads over 160,300 acres and runs 84 miles along the Tennessee River, creating more than 2,400 miles of shoreline. It connects to the 57,900-acre Lake Barkley on the Cumberland River. Lake Barkley offers anglers about 1,004 miles of shoreline.

Both lakes can produce good catches of largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass including many largemouths in the 4- to 7-pound range and some 9- to 10-pounders. Anglers may fish anywhere in Kentucky Lake. On Lake Barkley, anglers may fish anywhere north of the Tennessee-Kentucky state line.

“The lake has been phenomenal,” Adkisson said. “Fish are all over the lake, in the shallows, in the depths, everywhere. It’s a lake that’s conductive to all types of fishing styles.”

During the June 2011 Triton Owners Tournament, Travis Cockburn and Jacob Zeigler of Illinois won with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 52.03 pounds. On the first day, they held fourth place among the 309 teams with five bass going 22.91 pounds. On the second day, they landed the largest one-day sack of the event, a 5-bass bag weighing 29.12 pounds to seal the victory. Their largest fish weighed 5.90 pounds.

“On the first day, we ran south and caught seven keepers in our first spot,” Cockburn said. “From there, we went north and caught a couple fish to cull up. Late in the day, we pulled up on a ledge and found some schoolers.”

“We were throwing big Berkley worms in green pumpkin and sexy shad Strike King crankbaits,” Zeigler added. “On Day 2, we went north and fished main lake ledges over shell beds in about 14 feet of water. By 9 a.m., we had everything. We caught about nine keepers on the final day.”

George Gore and David Fitzgerald of Tennessee brought in the largest bass of the 2011 event. At about 11 a.m. on Day 1, they caught an 8.42-pounder that hit a green pumpkin brush hog dragged near a tree on a ledge in 14 feet of water. Moments earlier, they lost another good fish at that same spot on the southern end of the lake.

New this year, Triton will award a $5,000 a year scholarship to attend Bethel University. The scholarship will go to the highest placing angler between the ages of 16 and 19 years old.

“This year, we’ll honor Tom Moody, a longtime Triton employee who passed away,” Adkisson said. “Triton Boats is proud to partner with Bethel University to create the Tom Moody Memorial Scholarship. Along with the scholarship, the top young angler will earn a position on the Bethel University Fishing Team.”

For more information, call 1-888-8TRITON. On line, see www.tritonboats.com/triton_owners_home.aspx. For Paris Landing State Park information, call 1-800-250-8614.

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