News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Horse Creek Marina in Celina is hosting the Bobby Massingille Memorial Catfish Classic and Fish Fry.
East 52 VFD Fire Chief James King said Massingille was a department member and spent most of his life working at Horse Creek Dock. King said on May 7-8 the community will celebrate with one of Massingille’s loves, catfish.
“The fishing tournament has turned into us filleting 150 to 175 catfish on Saturday morning and Saturday evening they get cooked,” King said. “It’s an open event, we put a boot on the end of the table if anybody wants to make a donation, come through and drop the money in the boot. But where else can you get fresh Dale Hollow Lake catfish, fried.”
King said it costs $20 to enter the catfish classic and it is some serious fishing. He said they actually start fishing at midnight on Thursday.
However, he said you don’t have to get on the lake to enjoy the tradition but bringing a side dish might help.
“It’s turned into be a big tradition,” King said. “It’s got to be where a lot of the people who come and eat with us, they’ve got to where they bring desserts and different things to go with the fish. So we’ll have several tables of food per say, it’s kind of like a family reunion almost.”
King said that this is the 8th annual Bobby Massingille Memorial Catfish Classic and Fish Fry. He said being able to have events like these again is a blessing for his department.
“The worst part I guess for the volunteer side, especially the fire departments you know, we rely on those fundraisers,” King said. “We rely on that money coming in, we’re not supplemented in any way, best you would say. As far as keeping fuel in the trucks and paying for our training and stuff like that and keeping the equipment working.”
The East 52 VFD will also be raffling off a Ruger .22 rifle before and during the event. King said if anyone wants to enter the catfish classic, they can either call (931) 243-5352 or (931) 243-2125.
