Buntings claim Crappie Masters national championship

COLUMBUS, Miss. - Forget about the third time - the first time was the charm for Charles and Travis Bunting.

The father and son duo from Jefferson City had never been to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway before competing there last week in the Bass Pro Shops Crappie Masters National Championship.

But that didn't matter when the team moved all the way from fifth place after Day 1 to the top of the heap by the end of Day 2, capturing the national championship.

The Buntings pulled in 9.10 pounds of fish on the first day of the event, last Friday, then did even better Saturday by reeling in 9.90 pounds.

That total of 19.0 pounds easily outdistanced the rest of the field, as no team even reached 18 pounds.