2013 Hopkins County World Champion Stew Cook-off




The last Friday of October each year, Hopkins County hosts the World Champion Stew Cook-off. This year the even took place on the grounds of the Kid's Kingdom Park and featured over 150 teams. It was also perfect stew eating weather. A little rainy and chilly just added to the deliciousness of these home cooked stews. For $5 per person (kids are free) you can buy a bowl and sample the stews from as many teams as you can get around to until you are full. For $7, you can buy a quart and take your favorite stew home! You also get cheese and crackers with each bowl. Each team makes 10 gallons of stew, so there's plenty to go around for everyone. There are a number of awards give out and the contest attracts thousands of visitors. There were also several vendors on site with products, crafts and art. The teams set up and start cooking at 4am with the judging taking place at 10am. Visitors are served starting at 11am. All stews are cooked over open wood fires and a variety of stews can be found ranging from chicken to beef and mild to spicy. There are awards for all types of stews and teams as well as costume contests and heritage sites. If you missed the event this year, I highly recommend marking your calendars for next year. There's also talk that the Hopkins County Fall Festival and the cook-off will be combined next year. If that's the case, be sure to get there early to enjoy all of the great stews.




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Fishing Report from TPWD (Apr. 24)

GOOD. Water Stained; 60 degrees; 0.20 feet above pool. Bass have slowed, but post spawners are setting up on points in 5-7 feet of water with Carolina rigged creature baits. Topwaters and frogs are good early morning around grass. Shaky heads are good around boat houses. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service. Changing weather means changing bite. First phase spawners are now in a post spawn pattern and aggressive. Frog pattern top waters are excellent in the grass and brush. Casting into the pockets and letting the frog sit for a few seconds is a good idea. Crappies are shallow, catching them on edge of banks, small fish patterns like wooly buggers are a good bet. Bream are beginning to make themselves known in the shallows, wooly buggers and small poppers should bring a strike.Crappie are good in 2-13 feet on timber and around grass lines. Some fish are moving back out into the 12-18 feet areas and a little deeper. Black crappie are on a few bridges, but fish are not loaded up yet. Black crappie are also grouping under docks on sunny afternoons. Cast 1/16th ounce hand tied jigs continue to be good in white and gray, white and chartreuse and light blue and gray colors. Minnows will still work very well and especially on shallow fish around grass. Soft plastics will also work well as the fish have been very aggressive. We should see the aggressive bite until the warmer months get here and the fish get a little finicky. Catfishing continues to be good around timber where birds are roosting in 10-18 feet. Also getting reports of some shallow catfish around grass lines and sea walls. Those fish are most likely chasing shad spawns. Catfish are cruising around shallow wood in 6-12 feet, with lots of fry showing up. Use your favorite prepared catfish bait to load the boat once you locate the fish. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.

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