Bass Pro Shop's Big Cat Quest Championship


Bass Pro Shop's
Big Cat Quest Championship
September 24-25, 2005



2005 CAT QUEST CHAMPION - Brian Vohol, Clarksville, TN took the Championship title for the 2005 Bass Pro Shop's Big Cat Quest Catfish Tournament Trail. Vohol had his choice of a new SeaArk boat, Suzuki motor and trailer or a $10,000.00 cash pay out resulting from his 60.25 lb. weigh in on Sunday, Sept. 25 held at Birdsong Resort, Marina and Campground, Camden.

CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS (not pictured in order) - Bass Pro Shop's Big Cat Quest Championship Event left Brian Vohol, Clarksville, TN taking home the title as reigning champ and had his choice of either a new SeaArk boat, Suzuki motor and trailer or a $10,000.00 cash payout with his 60.25 lb. "monster" on the scales. Second place was John Duck, Paris, TN with 59.75 lbs. winning a Catmandau 17'x20' American Shelter valued at $9,850.00; David Cornwell, Clarksville, TN claimed the third position and a 5'x10' trailer from Nashville Trailers and $500 cash with 48.80 lbs.; fourth place was David Coughlin, Jackson, TN with 45.41 lbs. for a MotorGuide trolling motor and $300.00 cash; and Kenneth Harris, Clarksville, TN, took fifth place with 30.95 lbs. for a Sanyo flat screen television and $200.00 cash The "Big Fish" of the day was David Coughlin for his 39.65 lb. "monster" cat.

Big Cat Quest Brings Fishermen In From 12 States For Championship

CAMDEN - Slick "monsters" from the murky depths of the Tennessee River rolled across the weigh-in scales on Saturday, Sept. 24 and Sunday, Sept. 25. "Monster" catfish, that is.

The Bass Pro Shop's Big Cat Quest Open Catfish Tournament Trail ended its' 2005 trek throughout the Southeastern Region of the United States with a two-day championship event in Camden, Tennessee at Birdsong Resort, Marina and Campground.

Fishermen converged in Benton County from over a dozen states, most staying in Camden for the week to have pre-fishing experience before the actual event. The 2005 trail has gathered the most avid catfishing sportsmen along its trail through Eufaula, Alabama, Ft. Madison, Iowa, Pickwick, Tennessee, and Gilbertsville, Kentucky. This year's trail featured five events, but '06 projects at least a dozen already - while the schedule is yet in the planning stages. Growth and magnitude of this Ken Freeman Outdoor Promotions event is unstoppable.

The name-sake sponsor of the Bass Pro Shop's Big Cat Quest Open Catfish Tournament Trail will retain the title sponsorship for the next annual schedule, while SeaArk Boats, Suzuki Marine, MotorGuide, Abu Garcia, Coca Cola, Pflueger, Optima Batteries, Plano, Shakespeare, Lowrance, and many other "name-dropper" sponsors back the trail with cash and prize packages including new boats, motors, trailers, depth finders, batteries, rod, reels, tackle and more.

The two-day event at Birdsong was also the "maiden voyage" for another endeavor. Freeman will be hosting his own television show that will air in a 13-week series on the Sportsmans Channel beginning July 1, 2006. Camera crews filmed the tournament as part of the first show that will be aired in the series.

Day one of the two-day event was held Saturday with a "radio-format." Sponsoring station Magic 98 WFWL FM 98.9 hosted the day beginning at 6:00 a.m., reporting live the hourly weigh-in winners and wild card winners. The winner of each hour took home a check for $500.oo, in addition to the day's-end standings. Danny Shipman, Corinth, MS took first position in the tournament with his 41.95 lb. weigh in. Shipman won a SeaArk boat, Suzuki Motor and trailer plus his $500 hourly-win check. Second place was Andrew Wilbanks, Corinth, MS with 37.90 lbs. taking home $1,000.00 plus his $500.00 hourly-win check; third place was Ray Ferguson, Powell, TN with 27.50 lbs. for $500.00 plus his $500 hourly-win check; William Radker, Nashville, TN, 26.70 lbs.

A day of festivities continued following the tournament Saturday with the Steve Cochran Band playing all afternoon, and a fish fry that benefited the Shriners Childrens' Hospital. The Shriners clowns performed for the children. The first 100 children to attend between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. got a free rod and reel, lunch and a Coca Cola t-shirt.

Day two of the Bass Pro Shop's Big Cat Quest was the trail-end championship was held standard-tournament style with weigh-in beginning at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. Brian Vohol, Clarksville, TN took home the title as reigning champ and had his choice of either a new SeaArk boat, Suzuki motor and trailer or a $10,000.00 cash payout with his 60.25 lb. "monster" on the scales. Second place was John Duck, Paris, TN with 59.75 lbs. winning a Catmandau 17'x20' American Shelter valued at $9,850.00; David Cornwell, Clarksville, TN claimed the third position and a 5'x10' trailer from Nashville Trailers and $500 cash with 48.80 lbs.; fourth place was David Coughlin, Jackson, TN with 45.41 lbs. for a MotorGuide trolling motor and $300.00 cash; and Kenneth Harris, Clarksville, TN, took fifth place with 30.95 lbs. for a Sanyo flat screen television and $200.00 cash The "Big Fish" of the day was David Coughlin for his 39.65 lb. "monster" cat.

Bill Roach, Clarksville, TN was awarded the "Catfish Angler of the Year." The Angler of the Year is determined by the best overall performance results through the trail.

For more information about the Bass Pro Shop's Big Cat Quest visit www.KenFreemanOutdoorPromotions.com. For complete standings, photo gallery, and story, and information about Birdsong, Resort, Marina and Campground, call 731-584-7880 or visit www.BirdsongResort.com.



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Click HERE for standings

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