Welcome to the Crappie Fishing Series Lake Harding Tournament 2026, taking place April 11, 2026, on Lake Harding in the Auburn area. This popular tournament will bring anglers together for a full day of competition, with a captain's meeting held Friday evening prior to the event. Participants will find convenient dining options in Auburn and nearby along Highway 280, offering everything from quick breakfast stops to sit-down meals after weigh-in. View the “Hotels” tab for live and discounted rates, and reach out to Auburn-Opelika Tourism with any destination-related questions. We look forward to welcoming anglers, families, and fans for a great weekend on the water in Auburn-Opelika.

Crappie Fishing Series Lake Harding Tournament 2026

Crappie/Panfish anglers are identified by the latest National Survey of Fishing by the Federal Fish and Wildlife agency as the largest freshwater fishing segment in America - 14.2 million. Representing 25% of the total freshwater market, these anglers spend an average of 27 days annually in pursuit of their favorite specie versus the next closest specie at 15 days. Prior to Crappie U5A, this market did not have any national promotional efforts to drive sales of its products and services.

17+ events conducted annually in 15+ states.
The tournament sites are primarily in the eastern half of the United States where teams may earn the right to compete in the "Super Bowl of Crappie Fishing", The Crappie USA Classic held in September or October each year. We average 5,000 anglers annually.

Several new lakes scheduled each year.
In an effort to introduce Crappie USA and our National Sponsors to new markets, we have designed our tournament weekends and our tournaments to reach a diverse market and maximize exposure for our Sponsors.

Affordable.
$150.00 allows a team of two to compete on a national level in our Amateur Division. This draws more family competitors and also brings in competitors that otherwise would not compete in tournament fishing. We further encourage family involvement with our Male/Female, Female/Female, and Adult/Youth divisions.

Advanced Competition.
For the more competitive minded, we offer a Pro Division with higher entry fees ($250.00) and paybacks at each event.

Super Tournaments.
In 2000, we introduced the first of what have become highly popular Super Events. These events are designed for teams desiring higher levels of competition and a minimum of $10,000.00 payback.

Continual Growth Of Classic Purse.
From $65,000 in 1996 to over $100,000 in cash and prizes in 2016, the Classic payout has brought accelerated media attention and exposure to the events. Additionally, multiple groups film the Classic each year.

Positive Reinforcement of our Future Anglers.
We established the Crappie Kids Fishing Rodeos that are held in conjunction with all our tournaments to encourage America's youth to actively participate in the preservation of our lakes, the sport of fishing, and their educational goals. All participants are eligible for the six (6) $1000 college scholarships awarded every year. Over $342,000 in scholarships awarded to date.

Crappie Fishing Series Lake Harding Tournament 2026

All Ages Fishing Tournament