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Little Rock man takes Bassmaster win Tuesday, Aug 29, 2006 By Joe Mosby Arkansas News Correspondent LITTLE ROCK - Scott Rook's first win on the Bassmaster circuit came in familiar waters. The 45-year-old Little Rock native pocketed $250,000 in leading an Arkansas-connected one-two-three sweep at the Bassmaster Legends finals Sunday on the Arkansas River. Rook landed four bass in the finals that weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces, giving him 15-4 for a two-day total. He also earned another $1,000 for a daily big bass. Greg Hackney, from Star City but living in Gonzales, La., the past several years, came in second with 12-5, 1 ounce ahead of Mayflower's Kevin Short. "I've been waiting for this for a long time, Rook said. "I've come in second several times. I was second to Kevin VanDam at the 2005 Classic." The finals, like Saturday's semifinals, were on designated areas near downtown Little Rock with the six finalists fishing 70 minutes at each location then moving to their next assigned spots. Rook said he has been fishing that Little Rock stretch of the river more than 20 years. "I fished Tuesday night tournaments here for more than 15 years, all in this pool. I know this river," he said. He had anxious moments after he weighed in with first-day leader Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Fla., coming to the stage behind him. Grigsby with his 11-5 from Saturday needed 4 pounds of fish to catch Rook - and Grigsby checked in empty-handed. Rook said he continued the fishing strategy in the finals that worked for him Saturday - flipping soft plastic lures. His colors were June bug and black metal flake Sunday, he said. "The river dropped. Saturday I worked the grass beds, but (Sunday) I went from flippin' grass beds to bridge pilings and lay-down logs," he said. "The fans were just unbelievable. I had boats all around me cheering me on." Another fan cheered him from the shore - Gov. Mike Huckabee. "I was out ... for my run on the river trail and stopped to catch my breath. I looked down and there was Scott Rook right there fishing," the governor said. "I didn't say anything at first, but finally he paused for a moment and I got to wish him good luck." Later, holding a huge trophy, Rook said the money was "super," but he really wanted the win. "Fishing in this tournament was as tough ... as I've ever seen it on the Arkansas River. We have had no current, and there are a lot of shad, so the fish are feeding at night," he said. Hackney weighed in four bass Sunday for 8 pounds, 3 ounces and advanced from fourth to second. "Patience was the key. I just had to fish whatever came up," said Hackney, who won $32.500. Short, third in Saturday's semifinals, brought in three bass weighing 6-9 Sunday to earn $27,500. "The bass were schooling, but time was up on that hole and I had to leave. Just to be here, I'm so happy. But satisfied? No, I'm not," he said. Grigsby, a veteran in bassin' and sharp with the flippin' technique, said, "I never got a keeper bite (Sunday). I caught nine shorts (fish under the 15-inch tournament minimum length limit). I caught my fish Saturday all off one stretch. I fished ever way I know to fish but I went back to flippin' and just couldn't get anything. I was not around any real schooling." |
