June 26, 2010
Contact: Montine McNulty
Executive Director, Arkansas Hospitality Association
(501) 376-2323
or
Kara Lee Ford
(501) 920-6287

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nicholas Warden of Beebe Takes Lead in Big Bass Bonanza
6.62-Pound Catch Near Dumas is Fish To Beat

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (June 26, 2010) — It didn’t take Nicholas Warden of Beebe long Saturday to take the overall lead in the Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza fishing tournament on the Arkansas River.  Warden caught a 6.62-pound bass in Pool 5 near Dumas that he brought in during the 8 a.m. weigh-in.

If his fish remains the biggest catch of the three-day tournament, Warden will take home the guaranteed $50,000 grand prize.  Anglers still have from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday to try and snag a larger bass.  Each weigh-in location will be taking registrations prior to the 6 a.m. starting time Sunday for the last day of the tournament.  Registration is $90 per person.

Leaders in the other four pools are:

•  John Higman of Evansville (6.03) – Fort Smith pool
•  William Menz of Ward (6.23) – Dardanelle pool
• Andrew Smith of Alexander (5.81) – North Little Rock pool
•  Ann Hester of Sherrill (5.47) – Pine Bluff pool

Each of these leaders has the potential to win a guaranteed $10,000 for catching the largest bass in each of these pools during the tournament.

After the second day of fishing, Victor Scrivner of Pine Bluff and his son are in the lead for the $1,000 cash Willow Leaf Award that goes to parent/child or grandparent/grandchild pair weighing the biggest fish.  Scrivner’s bass tipped the scales at 4.39 pounds.

During Friday’s competition, Dwayne Lytle Jr. of Bauxite hauled in one of 20 tagged bass and won a $750 gift card from Academy Sports and Outdoors.  One of the tagged bass is worth $50,000, if it is caught, and if it is among the first five tagged bass caught and presented during the Big Bass Bonanza Tournament.  Any tagged fish snagged during the tourney must be presented at the official weigh-in site for Pool 3 in North Little Rock.

The grand prize and other cash awards will be presented during Sunday’s award ceremony, which will begin at 4 p.m. near the North Little Rock/Verizon Arena boat ramp.

For more information on the tournament and complete results, visit arkansasbigbass.com

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