Give a kid a tackle box, not an Xbox by Brad Wiegmann

[Slab]

No one impacted so many anglers and youth than the late Brian Sowers. His catch phrase, “Give a kid a tackle box, not an Xbox” wasn’t just words as Sowers always found time to share his love of fishing to youth, anglers and everyone he met. While Sowers is no longer with us his legacy continues with the Brian Sowers Legacy Crappie Tournament and Scholarship Dinner.


I was blessed to be able to work with Sowers covering and producing videos and photos for Mike Jones’ Big Mama Crappie/Bass Tournament on Lake Washington in Mississippi. Sowers was always professional, he would take time to visit with youth whenever possible; in addition to being an exceptional emcee for tournament weigh-ins. He either knew the angler or became best friends shortly after meeting them and talked to each angler like they had won the event.


Sowers always welcomed new anglers to the tournament trails. I remember Sowers awarding first place to a young upcoming angler named Hayden Jefferies at a Big Mama Crappie/Bass Tournament a few years ago. Even though Jefferies was unknown, Sowers treated him like the next best angler. Little did he know how right that prediction would be.


Fast forward to today and the recent announcement of the Brian Sowers Legacy Crappie Tournament and Scholarship Dinner scheduled for October 4^th-5^th, 2024. An event spearheaded by Cassandra and Clay Gann. Both were touched by the kindness and influence of Sowers as Clay began fishing professional crappie tournaments. Like everyone else, Gann’s were influenced by Sowers positive effect on people.

“So many anglers and tackle companies have been influenced by Sowers its truly amazing,” Cassandra continued, “Since the inception of the announcement of the Brian Sowers Legacy Crappie Tournament so many guides, companies and more have reached out to be a sponsor or help out at the event. I couldn’t do this tournament without their financial support and volunteering to help out at the event.”


“I know the town of Jefferson, Texas, is excited to be part of it,” Cassandra continued, “They will be welcoming anglers, sponsors and spectators throughout the two day event.” Jefferson, Texas,(www.visitjeffersontexas.com) is a pre-civil war town with everything anglers and spectators will need including lodging and dinning opportunities during the event. “The two day event is hosted by Crappie Anglers of Texas, Marion County Commissioners Court and Crappie Masters,” Cassandra went on, “We couldn’t do this event without them or their support.”


Crappie Anglers of Texas and Marion County have partnered together to bring the tournament, tackle box scholarship dinner, kids fishing event; in addition to several other supporting sponsors. The scholarship dinner on October 4^th, 2024 will be held at the Jeffersonian Institute, 120 East Austin Street, Jefferson, Texas, in downtown Jefferson, Texas. Every tournament registration comes with one dinner ticket until they are sold out at 300. Extra tickets can be purchased online for $25 at www.briansowerslegacy.com. Funds raised during this event will go to the Tackle Box Scholarship Fund beyond expenses go to scholarships for the students at Jefferson ISD. A chicken fried steak and fixings dinner by 1852 on Austin, live music by the Second Childhood Band, full cash bar, raffles for donated items and guns, split the pot, door prizes and more make this an event you don’t want to miss. Note that parking will be at the convention center located at 305 E. Austin Street, Jefferson, Texas. The Jefferson Institute is one block away and there will be a golf cart shuttle service courtesy of Lake O the Pines Chamber of Commerce for people attending.



During the Brian Sowers Legacy Crappie Tournament on October 5th a Kids Fishing Event will take place at Hurricane Creek Park on Lake O the Pines located at FM729, Jefferson, Texas, 75675. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. and fishing will be from 9-11 a.m. with awards immediately following. The event is free. The first 100 children arriving will receive a free rod and reel, bait and tackle box. Awards are based on the total weight of all fish caught per angler in four age groups: 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 and 13-16 years old.


Also on Saturday there will be a free fish fry for anyone attending the event. The fish fry starts at 1 p.m. and will serve until it runs out of food or 4 pm. Shriner clowns will be entertaining and live music by Darrin Morris Band plus vendors at the event before the weigh-in at 2:30 p.m. when Team Reeve and DJ Tuley start weighing in fish.


Tournament registration is open now and will close Saturday, September 28, 2024 at midnight. A rules meeting will be held Friday night at 4 p.m. on October 4, 2024, at the Jefferson Convention and Visitors Center located at 305 E. Austin Street, Jefferson, Texas 75657. Amateur Division entry fee is $125 and Pro Division entry fee is $225. If you have won more than $2,000 in crappie tournaments during the previous year or have been a fishing guide during the previous year you will need to register as a pro. Registration is being done online at www.briansowerslegacy.com for this tournament. Payouts include $25 of each entry goes to the scholarship fund. The remaining $100 or $200 goes directly to the winning payouts in its respective division. The tournament will pay one in five with 100% payouts of the $100 or $200 plus the addition of sponsorship money at the top 9-10. Prospected payout sheet can be found at www.briansowerslegacy.com website.


The event is presented by Lake O the Pines Chamber of Commerce and Patterson Pest Patrol. There is a long list of platinum, gold and silver sponsors with the list continuing to grow every day. The list can be found at the website. Questions regarding the event or sponsorship should be directed to Cassandra Gann at [email protected] or 903-574-1769.

[BAMA S]

AMEN!!!

[SuperDave336]

Awesome. What a man, what a legacy. Should be a good event for a good cause.

[Billbob]

Great deàl


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

[Slew]

Going to be a great time on a great fishery! Sure miss seeing Brian at the tourneys. He will always be the voice of competitive crappie fishing IMO.

Slew

[DockShootinJack]

Awesome. Need more engagement in the outdoors from the youngins these days

[BuckeyeCrappie]

What a giant of a man! Thank you for posting this!

[Mstr Dan]

[BobC]

Yep, a good article.
Bob

[Ketchn]

Them there CAT folks put on a good show , only went once back when and of course you can imagine some like me a lot and some really do not ….
We were on lake Palestine and it was supposed to be a really tough day , so our 200 plus fish didn’t make everyone really happy , but the folks were pretty polite and even them that gave me the side eye was kinda ok too …..
My KABOOM kinda goes back a long ways now and was similar to what you see today on this forum, they gave away all kinds of goodies in a raffle and my bud got Wally Marshals rod he used that day , heck I even won a decent $500 bird for my boat as well ….
Good times …..
Kids are the future and those that don’t go outside are a tragedy….take em ketchn , as they say it’s good for ya