2009 Tournament Payback & Prizes

Local Events | Regional Events | Classic Event
Points Race | Crappie USA Kids Fishing Rodeos

Local Events

Local tournaments consist of two divisions as follows:

Amateur Division - Geared with the average fisherman in mind. Anglers who earned more than $2,000.00 as a team, ($1,000 individually) during the previous calendar year in Crappie USA events are not eligible to fish the Amateur division this year. Entry Fee in the Amateur division is $100.00 per team with an optional $10.00 big fish entry. Cash payback will go to the top 20% of the field. ** The top 2 teams in the Amateur Division at each event will qualify for the Amateur Division at the Cabela's Classic providing they enter their regional event.

Semi Pro Division - Our advanced division for those who are more competitive minded and/or teams making over $2,000.00 ($1,000 individually) last year in Crappie USA events. Entry fee in the Semi Pro division is $200.00 per team with an optional $10.00 big fish entry. Cash payback will be paid to the top 20% of the field. ** The top 2 teams in the Semi Pro Division at each event will qualify for the Semi Pro Division at the Cabela's Classic providing they enter their regional event.

Big Fish Pot is paid 70% for the largest crappie and 30 % for second largest crappie. Only one Big Crappie entry per team.

Entry Information

Enter our local tournaments by filling out and sending in an entry form or by registering on this website. ACA membership is required to fish in our tournaments and a space is provided on our entry form for you to become a member. Teams may consist of one or two people with a third person allowed under the age of 16. If you made less than $2,000.00 per team ($1,000 individually) in Crappie USA tournaments last year, you may fish in either the Amateur division or the Semi Pro Division. If you made over $2,000.00 per team last year, you may fish the Semi Pro Division Only. No product purchase necessary to fish either division. If you desire to join the points race, your $100 team entry fee must be received prior to participation in an event for points to be tabulated. Points will be tabulated in the Semi Pro and Amateur Divisions.

The night before each tournament we hold a seminar. Late registration may be completed at the seminar the Friday evening before an event. The late registration is between 5 and 7 PM with the seminar commencing at 7 PM. Many national sponsor field test items will be awarded. Local fishermen may be called upon to review local lake and fishing conditions. Tournament rules will be reviewed and a question and answer session will follow.

Prizes To Be Awarded

Sample Paybacks
Amateur Division based on 100 teams FIRST PLACE: SECOND PLACE: THIRD PLACE: $2,500 $1,000 $500	Semi Pro Division based on 100 teams FIRST PLACE: SECOND PLACE: THIRD PLACE: $5,000 $2,000 $1,000
Payback to 20% of the field. In this example, 20 boats will receive a check.	Payback to 20% of the field. In this example, 20 boats will receive a check. 20th Place would be $200.00
1 in every 5 teams in each division will receive a check

Advancing To The Regional

• All teams who win a local event must register for Regional to maintain Classic qualification.
• The top 20 teams from the Semi Pro Division who have not previously qualified will advance to the Semi Pro Division at the Regional.
• The top 20 teams from the Amateur Division who have not previously qualified will also advance to the Amateur division at the Regional.
• One team will advance to the Regional through the Crappie USA Scholarship Fund drawing held at each seminar. (Winner of drawing must provide qualifying team names by weigh-in).
• Top finishing adult/youth team not qualifying in the top 20 of each division will advance to the Regional. (Youth = under 16)
• Top finishing male/female team not qualifying in the top 20 of each division will advance to the Regional.
• Top finishing female/female team not qualifying in the top 20 of each division will advance to the Regional.
• The top two teams and the top Adult/Youth team, top Male/Female and Female/Female team from an ACA affiliated club fish-off will advance to the Regional event in their area.

NOTE:You may change partners when you advance to the Regional or the Classic provided that partner has also qualified for the same event. If your partner is unable to fish the Regional or Classic, for health of safety resasons, Crappie USA, at its discretion, may put an observer in your boat.

Regional Tournaments

• You must enter Regional if you won a local event to maintain Classic qualification.
• Qualifiers must enter within fifteen days following qualification.(except fall event qualifiers may enter by January 15).
• Teams may qualify in more than one region.
• NO off limits for Regional Lake. Teams may not hire a guide during any practice trip.
• Dinner served at seminar to all participants at each Regional beginning at 6PM.
• Teams may be required to leave from one location by land or water according to boat number at some selected tournaments.

New Regional Entry Fees: Amateur $200, Semi-Pro $300.

Prizes to be Awarded

• Total purse at each regional event is over $45,000 in cash and prizes*.
• Payback to 20% of the field in each Division
  *Based on a field of 75 boats per division (includes National Sponsor Bonuses)

Advancing to the Classic from the Regional

• Top 25 teams plus the top placing adult/youth, male/female, and female/female teams from each division who have not previously qualified will advance to the Cabela's Crappie USA Classic.
• Top 10 points teams in each division in each region that do not qualify in the regional will advance to the Classic based upon their top four lake finishes in points.
• Points will not be tabulated at Regional events.

2009 Cabela's Classic

• Columbus, MS September 30 - October 3, 2009
• Classic Lake Off Limits Sept. 16 through September 25th.
  
• FREE Banquets served to anglers Wed. - Thurs. - Sat.
  
• FREE Quick Start Breakfast Friday-Saturday
  

Cabela's Points Race

Qualify directly to the Classic through the Cabela's Points Race

• The top 10 teams in both the Amateur and Semi-Pro points divisions from each region - based on the total of their best 4 tournament point finishes within a region - will advance to fish in the Cabela's Classic Points Championship. Teams not qualifying to fish in the points division at the Classic may still qualify through the points race to fish in the Classic if their best - 4 totals do not qualify them for the points division and other points teams finishing ahead of them in points have previously qualified for the Classic.
• One member of a points team may fish alone and obtain points and qualifcation for the team.
• You may advance to the Cabela's Crappie Classic without even qualifying to fish in the regional event through the Points Race.
• Membership in the points division is still just $100.00 per year for the team.
• Teams may join the points race in the Amateur or Semi-Pro divisions.
• Points will be tabulated from your finish in the Amateur or Semi-Pro Division only at all fall, spring and Super events and credited to the region in which they are earned.

Crappie USA Kids Fishing Rodeos

At each Crappie USA event a Kids Fishing Rodeo will be held on Saturday morning. Each child will receive a gift plus an opportunity to sign up for one of six $2,000.00 scholarships which are given away at the Cabela's/Crappie USA Classic in October.

Crappie USA and our anglers have contributed over $250,000.00 to the “Crappie Kids” Scholarships since 1997. We are very proud to be a part of the education process for the youngsters who participate in our tournaments as adult/youth teams and those who fish in the Crappie USA “Kids Fishing Rodeos”.