By Joe Mosby
There is a new look to the upcoming Big Bass Bonanza on the Arkansas River. The prize money structure has been dramatically altered.
This is a one-fish competition that draws everyday anglers, people who don’t usually participate in bass tournaments. Professional bass tournament performers are not allowed.
This year’s dates are Friday-Sunday, June 25-27, and the playing field remains the same as in past years. The river is divided into five pools – Fort Smith, Dardanelle, Little Rock, Pine Bluff and Pendleton (or Dumas).
The major change is that appealing prize of a guaranteed $100,000 to the person catching the biggest bass will now be $50,000. But that other $50,000 will be distributed to other top winners, including $10,000 to each of the winners of the other four pools plus prizes of $900, $700 and $400 for second, third and fourth in each pool. All these are in addition to the hourly prize winners.
Big Bass Bonanza is a project of the Arkansas Hospitality Association. Academy Sports and Outdoors is a sponsor, and “pool partners” are the convention and visitor bureaus of Fort Smith, Russellville, Little Rock, Pine Bluff and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
The tournament began in 1989 under the direction of King Cotton Sports of Pine Bluff, and the winning fish that year, 8.95 pounds caught by Steve Hardin of Dexter, Mo., remains the tournament record.
The tournament has attracted 2,600-plus fishermen in past years, but this declined some in the last three events. Twice the tournament was delayed because of high and dangerous levels on the river, and the economic downturn may have kept someanglers at home last year.
Still, there remains the basic lure of one cast can catch one fish that would earn the fishermen a pot full of money.
A downside was that Pool 5, the Pendleton or Dumas pool, has dominated the top prize winners except for a couple of back-to-back wins at Dardanelle, Pool 2. That was until last year, and John Higman of Evansville (Washington County) came in late on the final day with a 7.30-pound bass at Fort Smith to take the $100,000.
Some contestants have wanted significant prizes for the other pool winners. They complained that after the overall winner, the other pool first places got little more than the hourly prize money.
This is changing for 2010.
Winners of the four pools in addition to the overall winner will take home $10,000 apiece, and this is guaranteed. So are the second, third and fourth pool prizes. The hourly winners will again receive $400 for first, $300 for second and $200 for third, also guaranteed. If an hourly prize winner weighs in wearing a Big Bass Bonanza T-shirt and cap, an extra $100 will be added to the prize.
Another prize is the Willow Leaf Award of $1,000 cash to the parent/child or grandparent/grandchild pair weighing the largest bass. Contestants are eligible if the child or grandchild is under 22 years old.
Tournament fee is $80 for each day of competition if paid by June 10. Afterwards, the fee will be $90 a day. Rules and registration forms are online.
There are five ways to register for the 2010 tournament:
—Mail a registration form to Arkansas Hospitality Association, P.O. Box 3866, Little Rock,
AR 72203.
—Online with a credit card.
—Fax with credit card information and signed waiver and release to 501-376-6517.
—Day of tournament at one of the weigh-in sites, cash only.
—Visit an official registration site, sponsor or pool partner.
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On the Net:
www.arkansasbigbass.com.
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Joe Mosby is the retired news editor of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Arkansas’ best known outdoor writer. His work is distributed by the Arkansas News Bureau in Little Rock. He can be reached by e-mail at jhmosby@cyberback.com.
