Crappie USA held an event on Arkabutla Lake this past weekend that was miserable in almost every way.

The water was mudddy and high, and the fish just weren’t biting.

As evidence of that, Tracy McIntosh of Dyersburg and John Woods of Newbern took first place with seven crappie that weighed 9.16 pounds. Second place went to Tammy and Dennis Waters of Moro, Ill., with just 5.55.

Can you imagine driving all the way from Illinois for that?

In third place was the Iowa team of Ronald Giberson and John Simmons with 3.34. Again, that’s quite the drive for very little reward.

In the amateur division, Dan Scott of Raytown, Mo., and Gary Ficenic of Blue Springs, Mo., took first with 5.79.

What a dismal tournament.

On the other end of the spectrum, Paul Elias won the Bassmaster Elite Series Lone Star Shootout on Falcon Lake with a four-day total of 132-8. That’s an average of almost 7 pounds a fish and a new four-day record for BASS.

On Alabama’s Smith Lake, Californian Michael Bennett (pictured) won the FLW Tour event with a final round weight of 27-08. He edged Scott Canterbury of Odenville, Ala., who placed second with 24-5.

On Grenada Lake, Tim Blackley and Jackie Van Cleave won the Crappie Masters event with 15.28. Jim and Barbara Reedy were second with 14.62.