November 9-10, 2019–Jefferson County, TN. The 2019 Morristown Marine Team Trail Classic blasted off with 142 boats facing a chilly, post-front, blue sky day. Not necessarily a recipe for success. Sunny, warm conditions were only slightly hampered by a steady northeast wind. At weigh-in time, only 108 boats weighed a limit. After the Day 1 dust settled, Chris Howard and Tyler Moberly were leading with a whopping 18.03 bag. But that was all about to change for Day 2.
After a less than stellar, 14.91 lb Day 1, Josh Roark, Bean Station, TN, and Allen Smith, Rutledge, TN, took the Day 2 fog delay and re-grouped. The duo decided to completely change their approach. And it paid off to the tune of $39,750.00 at the scales! Their 2-day total came to 33.74 lbs of mixed brown & green fish. In addition to the overall first place payment of $30,000.00, Josh & Allen collected the Highest Finishing Skeeter Bonus of $3,000.00, the Highest Finishing New Morristown Marine Bucks of $1,500.00, the Highest Finishing Enigma Fishing Team Bonus of $5,000.00, the Highest Finishing Gray Fox Insurance Group Bonus of $250.00.
2nd place went to brothers Jeremy & Phillip Gordon of Middlesboro, KY and Rutledge, TN with a 2–day total of 33.18 lbs. Jeremy and Phillip took home $5,000.00 for their 2nd place win. Additionally, they earned bonus money in the Highest Finishing Skeeter program for $1,500.00 for a total payday of $6,500.00.
Steve Bean, Knoxville, TN and Garret Bartlett, New Market, TN won 3rd place overall with 32.65 lbs across a 2–day, 10 fish total, for a $2500.00 and 2nd highest finishing Gray Fox Insurance Group Bonus of $250.00 for a total payout of $2,750.00.
4th place went to Jeremy Swanson & Greg Mcdavid and their 10 fish, 32.39 lb bag.
Rounding out the top 5 was Jordan Card, Knoxville, TN and Bobby Drinnon, Rogersville, TN with a 30.89 2–day total for a total payout for a total payout of $1,200.00.
Highest Finishing Skeeter Bonuses were awarded as follows:
1) Roark & Smith- $3,000.00
2) Gordon & Gordon- $1500.00
3) Roberts & Nidiffer- $1,000.00
4) McDeerman & Dilbeck- $800.00
5) Crum & Redman- $350.00
6) Carmack & Sandefur- $500.00
7) O’Quinn & O’Quinn- $125.00
8) Milton & Sharp- $200.00
9) Ownby & Lusk – $150.00
10) Watkins & Eakens– $100.00
The Citizen’s Bank Big Largemouth Award went to John Fuller with a 5.83 lb.
The Citizen’s Bank Big Smallmouth Award went to Jason Jones & James Troxell on a 4.43 lb.
The 2 teams winning the Gray Insurance Group Bonus were Josh Roark/Allen Smith and Steve Bean/Garrett Bartlett. These teams received an extra $250 each, just for choosing Gray Insurance Agency out of LaFollette, TN. Give Randy Heatherly a call for your insurance needs and get in on the payout!
The Enigma Fishing Bonuses went to Josh Roark & Allen Smith for Highest Finishing Enigma Team in the amount of $5,000.00. Enigma Fishing: Cast.Catch.Repeat. In addition to the first-place payout, Mr. Tacoronte wanted to incentivize East Tennessee by offering a $160 bonus to the first team out of the money. This went to Mr. Kendell Caudill and his grandson, Dalton.
Morristown Marine bucks paid out to Josh Roark & Allen Smith for Highest Finishing New Boat from Morristown Marine, purchased in 2018 or newer, to the tune of $1,500.00 and to Taylor Watkins/Caleb Eakens for $1,000.00 on 2nd Highest Finishing New Boat from Morristown Marine. Highest finishing Pre-owned Boat from Morristown Marine went to Bobby Chambers and Tim Smiley ($500.00). 2nd Highest Finishing Preowned Boat from Morristown Marine was won by Greg Scott and Michael Marion ($250.00). We appreciate each of you choosing to purchase your boat at Morristown Marine. Thank You!!
Morristown Marine would also like to thank Skeeter and Yamaha for their support and superior products, Visit Jefferson County/Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce , Gray Insurance Agency, Citizen’s Bank, B&M Tire, Cumberland Gap Spring Water, Old Stage Printing, Taylor Battery-Deka, B&H Sales, Power Pole, and Enigma Fishing. Without our sponsors, our tournaments would not be what they are today. Please show your appreciation by choosing to do business with our sponsors.
Amanda and I want to send a special thanks to the folks that help make these tournaments possible. Mitch Martino, Shannon Glass, Bradley & Samantha Walker, Randy & Lisa Rigg, Rick & Bobbi Epperson, Jim Byington, Allen White, Jerreth Bain with Skeeter Boats, Lauren Hurdle with Visit Jefferson County, and a special thank you to the Carson-Newman Anglers who helped with parking on Sunday morning. Thank you, to each one of you, for countless hours of work and devotion to make this thing go.
It has been a fantastic first season for us and we sincerely hope all of you have enjoyed it as much as we have…..even in spite of all the rain! Amanda and I cannot say how much we appreciate every one of you coming out to fish with us this year. We are excited to start revealing some of the new sponsorship partners and contingency programs for 2020! See you all on February 29th!