Catfish tournament expecting large turnout Saturday
Aug. 30—Avid fishermen Damian Clark and Jeremy Farrar have upped the stakes for Saturday's second annual Rumble on the River, which pits a Kentucky team and an Indiana team against each other in a catfish tournament.
Clark of Owensboro, who is director of the Kentucky team, and Farrar of New Harmony, Indiana, who is the director of the Indiana team, have agreed that the loser will have to add a tattoo of the opposition's state.
The Kentucky team lost in 2021, with Clark having to take a skipjack pie to the face.
Farrar said there is a lot of "pride on the line" and receiving a state of Kentucky tattoo is the last thing he wants to do.
"It's go big or go home; that's the way we do it," Farrar said. "I'm confident in my team and he's confident enough in his."
The tournament, which will stretch miles up and down the Ohio River, will be stationed at English Park. It's where the weigh-ins will take place along with other activities for the public.
Clark, 33, created the event last year as both a tournament for anglers and a fundraiser for Friends of Sinners — an Owensboro faith-based substance treatment center for men and women.
Clark, a 2015 alumnus of FOS, wanted to do something for the organization that gave him a better life and led him to become a Christian.
"I just wanted to give back to a place that helped me," Clark said.
Between 60 and 70 boats are expected for this year's tournament, with a portion of the registration fees going to FOS.
FOS Executive Director Joe Welsh said the tournament raised $10,000 for the treatment center last year.
"It's huge for us; just having an alumnus putting on a fundraiser for us and doing all the work; me and my staff just have to support it," Welsh said. "I think other people can learn from and be inspired by Damian and what he's done. He took his passion for fishing and turned that into a way to raise money for an organization he loves, which is Friends of Sinners."
The tournament will provide a financial boost in a time when donations are down, Welsh said.
"We did better during COVID than what we're doing right now; I don't know if that's due to the economy being the way it is and everything being so expensive," Welsh said. "... We've been in better spots financially; we're not in trouble or in panic mode but every dollar counts."
The team winner will be decided by adding the top 10 biggest fish from each side, with the most pounds determining the Rumble on the River overall champ — and which director receives the tattoo.
Farrar, 42, said large flathead and blue catfish will be what anglers are after.
"It wouldn't surprise me to see a 70- or 80-pounder caught," Farrar said. "That's a huge fish for that area of the river. ... At a minimum, I'm hoping for a 50-plus-pounder this coming Saturday."
The tournament, which is a Division III American Catfish Association event, begins at 6 a.m. with weigh-ins starting at 3:30 p.m.
Farrar said he enjoys the competition aspect, but it's more about his friendship with Clark that inspired him to get behind FOS and its cause.
"We're not looking for credit for this one event; it's to get the word out that addiction is real," Farrar said. "There's a great nonprofit ministry in Owensboro called Friends of Sinners that is helping people every day get their lives and their families back together."
Don Wilkins, dwilkins@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7299
