One of the longest-running bass tournaments on Wappapello Lake will take place this weekend when the Chaonia Open Buddy Bass event is held.
The event will take place Saturday and will be based out of Rich’s Chaonia Landing.
A launch time of 7 a.m. has been set, and the weigh-in is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
This event has a $100 entry fee, plus another $10 if you want to enter the big bass pot, but it pays back big prizes.
The winner will take home $1,200, or 25% of the entry fees, plus a trophy, while second place will earn $800 or 15% of the entries.
Cash payments will be handed out through 10th place, and even the smallest stringer might take home some money.
Back again this year will be the annual chili cookoff at the weigh-in, and all anglers will receive a free voting ticket. If someone really likes a particular chili, they can purchase additional voting tickets for $3 each.
The chili cookoff winner will earn $100 for their efforts.
In addition, Chaonia Landing holds a “Catfish Challenge” each summer, and the awards for this year will be handed out at the tournament.
And, if that isn’t enough, there also will be a fish fry during the tournament weigh-in, free to everyone in attendance and compliments of J.W. Walker & Sons Recycling.
To get registered for the tournament, give Dallas Rich a call at 573-297-3206.
The Current River Smallmouth Association also will host a tournament Saturday, its last regular event of the season.
The event will be based out of the T.L Wright ramp at Doniphan and will launch at 7 a.m. A weigh-in is scheduled for 5 p.m.
To get registered, give Paul Henderson a call at 573-686-5476.
The club’s final event of the year will be its Classic, set for Oct. 10 at Van Buren.
Like most bass tournament series, the Wappapello Bass Circuit was forced to cancel or reschedule some events during the spring and early summer, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, they did hold a make-up event last Saturday, which saw 73 teams participate.
The winning team on the day was Francis and Hastings, who brought in a five-fish limit weighing 13.98 pounds.
Second place went to Walker and Walker with 12.60 pounds, and third was earned by Owens and Allison with 12.14 pounds.
The fourth spot was taken by Fowler and Magnall with 11.69 pounds, and fifth place went to Stevens and Stevens with 11.54 pounds.
The day’s biggest bass was caught by Thurman and Beason and weighed 6.07 pounds.
Saturday’s event wrapped up the Wappapello Bass Circuit’s regular season, and its next event will be its annual Classic, scheduled for Oct. 10-11.
Missouri’s archery season really is just getting started, but after a week, hunters already have taken 5,539 deer.
I’m not exactly sure how that compares to this point last year because I haven’t had time to keep those records this season, but it seems like a strong start.
The cool weather last weekend certainly helped keep hunters out in the field and probably improved deer movement. It definitely was better than the early weeks of the season over the last two years, when temperatures soared into the lower 90s, making hunting difficult.
Locally, bowhunters in Butler County have taken 48 deer, while those in Carter County have arrowed 53.
Dunklin County bowhunters have tagged five deer to this point, and those in Reynolds County have taken 54.
In Ripley County, the tally so far is 56 deer, and in Stoddard County, hunters have tagged 65 deer.
Wayne County leads the region with 109 deer so far.
As far as the archery turkey season, which is mostly a game of chance opportunity (unless you’re some feather-chasing nut like me), things have been slow.
Only 177 birds have been taken statewide, including one in Butler County, one in Reynolds County, three in Ripley County, seven in Stoddard County and three in Wayne County.
Finally, there are a couple more hunting seasons opening late next week.
Missouri’s rabbit and fall firearms turkey seasons both open Thursday.
Rabbit hunters typically don’t really get active in that season until there have been a few frosts to kill some vegetation and bugs, and with a struggling turkey population, that season looks to be difficult at best.