Crappie fishing will be in the spotlight at Lake O’The Pines Oct. 4-5 for the $75,000 Brian Sowers Legacy Crappie Tournament. The tournament will feature both pros, like Lindale’s Clay Gann, and amateur divisions while raising funds for scholarships. (Contributed)

Sometimes fishing tournaments are about the fishing. Then there are others that bring something else to the table.

That will be the case on Lake O’The Pines Oct. 4-5 with the $75,000 Brian Sowers Legacy Crappie Tournament where fishing meets the goal of introducing youngsters to the outdoors, specifically fishing, while raising scholarship funds for an East Texas school district.

“The basis of this event is to pay it forward in the legacy of Brian Sowers who was a beloved Crappie Masters announcer that had a passion for the next generation. His key phrase was ‘Give a kid a tacklebox, not an Xbox’,” explained Cassandra Gann, event coordinator.

The weekend will start with a dinner and auction Oct. 4 with all proceeds going to what will be known as the Tackle Box Scholarship at Jefferson Independent School District. Jefferson was chosen as the recipient of the scholarship after Marion County jumped onboard as a major sponsor of the event.

The tournament is named after Sowers, a Missouri native, who was a long-time promoter of youth outdoors activities and master of ceremonies for professional crappie tournaments around the country.

The actual tournament will be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 5 followed by the weigh-in starting at 2:30 p.m. at W.F. Lockett Bulldog Stadium in Jefferson.

The five-fish stringer tournament will have both pro and amateur divisions. Entry fee is $225 for the pros and $125 for amateurs. Fishermen can participate as a two-man team or individually.

“The pros and amateurs do not compete against each other. Part of what we want people to do is to encourage new fishermen to come play and experience competitive crappie fishing,” Mrs. Gann said.

While anyone can register for the pro division, anyone who is a licensed guide or earned over $2,000 participating in crappie tournaments in the past year may not enter the amateur division.

For this event, $25 of each registration will go to the scholarship fund with the remainder going toward the tournament payout. There is an additional $30,000 in total sponsor money to be added to the payout for both divisions.

Fishermen must register for the tournament no later than midnight Sept. 28. Online registration is available at www.briansowerslegacy.com/tournament-registration.

Competitive crappie fishing has been around at least since the 1980s. Although it has never achieved the following of pro bass tournaments, it remains popular among fishermen both professional and amateurs. There are national and state tournament circuits around the country.

Lindale’s Clay Gann, husband of Cassandra Gann, has teamed with Todd Froebe to compete at the national level for years, as well as becoming a professional guide on several Northeast Texas lakes including Pines. He considers the 20,000-acre Corps of Engineer lakes one of the better spots for big crappie.

“In the winter it is one of the best timber crappie lakes in the country,” Gann said.

He added his personal best on the lake is a 2.79, but has had clients weigh fish over 2.8 and land a seven fish string topping 17 pounds on Pines.

Having fished in a state championships on Pines in October 2021 Gann predicts it will take a 2-pound average at least to finish in the money at the upcoming event.

“The fishing should be phenomenal. As far as the weights, it is going to take at least 11 pounds to win on Crappie Masters hand-held scales,” Gann added.

Because of Sowers’ popularity, Gann is expected at least 100 boats on the pro side with some from as far as Georgia and Illinois.

“Brian touched a lot of lives,” he said.

With the tournament’s low entry fee and high payout he expects even more fishermen competing in the amateur division.

While the fishermen are on the water a youth fishing event will be held along the bank at Hurricane Creek Park beginning at 8 a.m. Youth 4 to 16 will be divided into four age categories fishing for prizes with the help of East Texas high school bass fishermen and the Sharon Shrine Clown Patrol. All bait will be provided.

The first 100 youths will receive a free rod and reel, loaded tackle box and a WindRider shirt.

Following the weigh-in there will another raffle with proceeds going to the scholarship fund, and a free fish fry for everyone in attendance. Tickets for the raffle will be sold onsight.

For more information on the weekend events, go online to www.BrianSowersLegacy.com.