(Nashville, Tennessee) – As the sun was going down on a beautiful day of fishing on Nashville’s J. Percy Priest Lake, all of the participants in the inaugural Porter Wagoner Memorial Artists & Anglers Memorial Fishing Tournament and about 500 fans gathered at Bass Pro Shops to listen for the results of the weigh-in. “Hunt, Fish, Cook” television show host Donnie McElvoy announced Dale Wallace, keyboard player for hip country group Emerson Drive, and fishing pro Ramey Colson as the winners with a total weight of 21.8 lbs. of bass. The group’s lead singer Brad Mates and fishing pro Gary Clouse took home third place with a total of 12.75 lbs., only .20 lbs. behind second place finishers Bryan White and Ron Colby. The top-finishing females were country star Rebecca Lynn Howard and pro Emily Shaffer at 12.7 lbs., and pro Lisa Craig won the “Big Bass” award with a 5.15 pounder.
Country artists Jon Randall, Trent Willmon, Katie Armiger and newcomer Jaclyn North each sang a Porter Wagoner song and a couple of their own songs for the crowd following the weigh-in, while Alabama’s Jeff Cook sat in with the band.
“Dad would be thrilled to be here, said Porter’s daughter Denise Wagoner, who fished with 2008 Women's Bassmaster Tour Champion Judy Wong and Bass Pro’s Julie Schuster. “He would be overwhelmed with all of the people gathered out here.”
Porter Wagoner, who in addition to being one of the most popular stars ever to grace the stage of the Grand Old Opry, was an avid bass fisherman. In his spare time, he could often be found fishing on local lakes. A photo of Porter holding the largest bass he ever caught along with his fishing buddy and Bass Pro Shops founder John L. Morris still hangs in his Opry dressing room. A poster-size version of the same photo hangs inside the entrance to Bass Pro Shops at Opry Mills in Nashville. Porter Wagoner died of lung cancer at age 80 in October of last year.
Organizers Gary Shiebler and Craig Campbell, along with sponsors Bass Pro, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses and Texas Roadhouse plan to make the tournament an annual event. The date for next year’s tourney will be announced within the month.
Wherever you see a Wild Side Crew, you’ll find a Ford tough truck or SUV. Mid South Ford Dealers are proud to sponsor Tennessee’s Wild Side.