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Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza
June 25, 26 & 27
New Prize Format For 2010
$100,00 in Prize Money GUARANTEED

Overall Winner — $50,000 to the largest overall fish GUARANTEED.

Pool Money — $10,000 to the largest overall fish in each of the remaining four pools GUARANTEED.
Place Money per Pool — $900 to 2nd place, $700 to 3rd place and $400 to 4th place winner overall in each of the five pools GUARANTEED.  The guaranteed cash prizes is still $100,000, it is just distributed differently to spread out the top prizes.
Hourly money will be the top priority to pay after guaranteed prizes. Hourly Money — $100,000 total.  $1,000 per hour will be awarded in each pool (First place $500, Second Place $300, and Third Place $200).   Also, hourly winners who purchased, filled out the registration form and are wearing an official tournament T-shirt and cap will receive a $100 bonus.

Willow Leaf Award – $1,000 cash to the parent/child or grandparent/grandchild pair weighing the largest bass.    You are eligible if the child or grandchild is under 22 years of age.
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How to Register
Entry Fee

One Day – $80
Two Days – $160
Three Days – $240
How Do I Register?

There are five ways to register for the 2010 tournament:

* Mail registration form to AHA, PO Box 3866, Little Rock, AR 72203.
* On-line – click here to register online.
* On-line registration begins April 23rd, 2010.  Please remember if you are registering another person and you are the credit card holder, you fill in that persons infomation and your name goes in the “billing ” only.
* Fax with credit card information and signed waiver and release to 501-376-6517.
* Day of tournament at weigh-in sites.
* Visit an official registration site.

Please note that registration via fax, Internet and official registration sites is available through June 22. After June 22, you may register on tournament days at official weigh-in sites. Only cash payments will be accepted at weigh-in sites.
Register Early for “Early Bird” Prizes!

Entries received through Monday, May 31, will be eligible to win “Early Bird” prizes of cash and merchandise throughout the tournament.
How Can I Pay My Entry Fee?

* Cash (except by mail)
* Cashiers Check
* Money Order
* Personal Check (will be accepted through June 18)
* MasterCard or VISA

Other Registration Information

* No refunds on registration fees
* Returned checks will be charged a $20 handling fee.
* Make checks payable to Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza. If registering by mail, return entry to P.O. Box 3866, Little Rock, Ark., 72203. Make certain that you have read and signed the Waiver and Release Form and sign the entry form before mailing.
* If registering at weigh-in sites on day of tournament, only cash is accepted

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2010 Tournament Schedule
Friday, June 25
6 a.m. Fishermen, cast your lines
8 a.m. First hourly weigh-in
9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Hourly weigh-ins at the top of the hour
Saturday, June 26
6 a.m. Fishermen, cast your lines
8 a.m. First hourly weigh-in
9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Hourly weigh-ins at the top of the hour
Sunday, June 27
6 a.m. Fishermen, cast your lines
8 a.m. First hourly weigh-in
9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Hourly weigh-ins at the top of the hour
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Tournament Rules

This event is sponsored by The Arkansas Hospitality Association. Hereinafter, for the purpose of reference, they will be referred to as “sponsor.”
The Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza will be contested in five separate pools for the purpose of paying hourly prizes. Eligible water will include nearly 300 miles on the Arkansas River, all within the boundaries of the state of Arkansas.
Pool Boundaries

Pool #1: Downriver from the Garrison Ave. bridge near Fort Smith to the upriver side of Ozark Lock and Dam (mile marker 257).
Pool #2: Downriver from Ozark Lock and Dam #12 to the upriver side of Ormond Lock and Dam #9.
Pool #3: Downriver from Ormond Lock and Dam to the upriver side of Terry Lock and Dam #6.
Pool #4: Downriver from Terry Lock and Dam to the upriver side of Hardin Lock & Dam #3.
Pool #5: Downriver from Hardin Lock and Dam to the upriver side of Lock #2 and Dam #2.
General Rules

1. All local, state, federal, Coast Guard and Arkansas Game and Fish regulations shall apply and must be observed at all times during the tournament.
Specifically:
(a) All boats must have running lights if you are on the water before daylight.
(b) All contestants must wear a securely fastened Coast Guard-approved life vest when the main engine is in use.
(c) All boats must have an operating kill switch attached to the operator while the main internal combustion engine is operating.
(d) All boats must be equipped with an operating live well. (An aerator in an ice chest is acceptable)
(e) Contestants must have a valid Arkansas fishing license in their possession unless exempt.
(f) All tournament boats my be inspected by tournament officials upon request.
2. All applications for entry, determination of winners, and rights to awards and prizes are subject to the approval of tournament officials.
3. If a contestant is disqualified for rules violations, all other contestants in his boat will also be disqualified.
4. Protests must be registered in writing with the pool weighmaster within 30 minutes of the dispute. Decisions will be communicated to the parties involved by the pool weighmaster.
5. The sponsor of this event expressly reserves the right to accept or reject any entry form.
Launching and Fishing Rules

6. All contestants must gain access to their fishing area on the Arkansas River by launching their boats from:
(a) a hard surface public ramp or marina slip on the Arkansas River.
(b) a designated Corps of Engineers camp ground or launching area.
(c) launching ramps on the Arkansas River which are maintained by state or local government agencies.
(d) private boat docks or hard surface ramps in Arkansas River backwater can be used by the property owner for launching. Examples: Homeowners on Lake Langhofer near Pine Bluff and Piney Creek, Spadra Creek and Illinois Bayou off Lake Dardanelle.
7. Any backwater that can be accessed from the Arkansas River by floating your boat into the area without getting out of your boat is eligible water.
Note: Truax Lake and Echubby Lake in Pool #5, commonly referred to as “Massey Ole River,” is off limits for this event.
8. No casting or fishing allowed before 6 a.m. either day of the event. Final weigh-ins will be at 1 p.m. each day.
9. You can fish all pools during the tournament. However, you are required to weigh your fish at the weigh-in site for the pool in which the fish was caught. You may pull your boat out and trailer to the weigh-in site.
10. Official time shall be broadcast by one or more commercial radio stations to be identified.
11. Only largemouth, smallmouth and Kentucky spotted bass (black bass) will be eligible to be weighed in.
12. All fishing will be done with a rod and reel and artificial lures only. The use of pork rind is acceptable. No trolling is permitted.
13. A non-contestant can ride in a boat with a contestant. However, the non-contestant cannot fish, drive the boat, or assist the contestant by netting a fish, etc.
14. No contestant is permitted to fish nearer than 50 yards to another contestant’s boat that is anchored, unless permission is received, or 100 yards either side of each pool weigh-in site.
15. Fish must be weighed the same day as caught. Dead fish will not be weighed.
16. Each contestant is allowed to have a total of two (2) fish in their possession at any given time during the tournament. Fish entered in the hourly contests do not carry over from hour to hour. Only the largest fish per contestant is eligible to win an overall prize.
17. No electronic tracking devices (implanted microchips) may be used to locate fish for tournament purposes. However, depth-finders and graph charts are acceptable.
18. No contestants can have more than one (1) fish in a weigh-in bag and cannot weigh more than one fish per tournament hour. Tournament weigh-in bags will be provided.
19. Any artificially weighted or preserved bass will be disqualified and that contestant will be subject to prosecution under federal law.
20. No fish under 16 inches in length (measured on a flat board) will be weighed in.
21. All fish weighed in each day automatically become the property of the tournament committee and will, if possible, be returned live and healthy to the Arkansas River.
Rules Governing Tournament Integrity

22. Tournament integrity will be protected by polygraph tests administered on a random basis. Contestants must pass these tests.
23. Each contestant, by signing the entry form, agrees to submit to polygraph testing and/or a drug scan.
24. Polygraph tests will be randomly administered to hourly winners in each pool at the end of each hour of the tournament.
25. Use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs is strictly prohibited. Any contestant determined by polygraph examination or by tournament officials to have consumed alcohol or illegal drugs, or to have an illegal substance in their possession or in their boat during tournament hours, is in violation of tournament rules and will be disqualified.
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For additional information please contact the
Arkansas Hospitality Association
800.472.5022  or 501.376.2323