17th Annual Muzzy Classic Pays Out $10,000 to First-Place Giles & Rigsby.
For the past 17 years, the Muzzy Classic bowfishing tournament has proven to be a highly competitive, exciting tournament with some of the best bowfishing teams vying for the top cash prize of $10,000. This year was no different. Teams of two to four members were blessed with beautiful weather in Guntersville, Ala., April 23-24 as they fished the waters of Guntersville Lake and along the Tennessee River.
In the end, the two-man team of Giles & Rigsby — comprised of Andrew Giles and Matt Rigsby — took the title and the grand prize of $10,000 with their massive accumulation of 466.8 lbs. of fish. This Alabama team also took the prize for the largest common carp weighing in at 34.2 lbs., which also netted them a Fin Finder Poseidon bow.
Placing second and winning $1,000 in prize money was the 2015 Muzzy Classic champion team Thrills & Kills Outdoors of Tommy Woods, Hunter Woods and Scott Baxter with a total of 436.9 lbs. This Georgia based team also selected a Cabela’s Credence bow as the award for arrowing the largest buffalo, which weighed in at a whopping 45.5 lbs. With 383.65 lbs., Robert Adams, Hadden Thomas and Nathan Thomas from the Peach-state team Instant Insanity claimed third place and a check for $700.
Continuing the excitement were the wins by team Mountain Men, with members Will Mattox, Jeremy Plemmons, Derek Blevins and Cody Edmonson, claiming the Grass Carp and the Big Fish portion of the tournament with a fish that weighed in at 52.8 lbs. This mammoth haul earned the team a new Mathews Reezen bow and a cash-prize award of $1,450. Rounding out the Big Fish portion of the tournament was Alabama’s Southern Slingers team, consisting of Justin Moore, Nathaniel Chester, Brandon Chester and Tyler Parker with the longest fish- a gar at 55.5 inches. The Southern Slingers team member selected a new PSE Mud Dawg bow for their prize.
The annual Muzzy Classic Bowfishing Tournament is the world’s most respected bowfishing tournament. Participants set out to fish the 14-hour period from 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 23 through 8 a.m. on Sunday, April 24th to compete for the $10,000 grand prize and sponsored equipment. The top three teams won cash prizes, while other participants won prizes from tables stacked with sponsored product. Every participant left the awards ceremony a winner.
“We are very proud to host the Muzzy Classic every year,” said Mark Land, Muzzy bowfishing promotions and pro staff director. “Each year, the tournament grows, as we see the sport of bowfishing becoming more popular.
“We would like to thank everyone who helped to make this year another resounding success, from the participants to the sponsors and volunteers to the town of Guntersville, where we have hosted the event for 16 great years. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event.”
Complete information on the 18th Annual Muzzy Classic will be available in March 2017.
Upon the completion of the Muzzy Classic, all of the fish that were taken during the tournament were sent to special rendering facilities, so that the oils can be removed for use in dog and cat foods, and remaining parts can be used in fertilizers. A local turtle farm picked up a load of fish to be used for turtle food. The fish taken during this annual fishing tournament are detrimental to the eco-system of the waters that they inhabit. These fish are voracious eaters, and are capable of eating 5- to 20-percent of their body weight each day. The various carp species consume plankton — algae and other microscopic organisms — stripping the food web of key food sources necessary for the survival of other fish species. Bowfishing these waters helps to keep these invasive species in check so that all species will flourish.
Founded in 1984, Muzzy is the number-one name in fixed-blade broadheads, and it is a pioneer in the art of bowfishing. A division of Feradyne Outdoors, Muzzy is headquartered in Superior, Wisc. For more information on the full line of Muzzy’s fixed-blade broadheads and state-of-the-art bowfishing equipment, contact Muzzy Outdoors, LLC, 101 Main Street, Superior, WI 54880; call 866-387-9307; or visit www.muzzy.com.