Annual Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza Fishing Tournament Set For June 26-28
Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at 3:45 PMAnnual Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza Fishing Tournament Set For June 26-28
Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza
LITTLE ROCK, AR -(FishNLand.com)- The Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza, the country’s largest amateur big bass tournament, will return to The Natural State for a 10th consecutive year on June 26-28.
Anglers can choose to fish one, two or all three days of the tournament. The angler who lands the largest fish in the three-day tournament will take home $100,000, with other cash prizes available throughout the weekend.
Total prize money will be determined by the total number of registrants in the tournament. In 2008, tournament officials distributed more than $225,000 in total prizes.
The tournament begins at 6 a.m. sharp on all three days, with the first hourly weigh-in at 8 a.m. and subsequent weigh-ins at the top of each hour until the final 1 p.m. weigh-in. Cash prizes will be awarded for the top three fish in each pool, each hour. (More information on tournament rules and format is available on the Web site at www.arkansasbigbass.com.
Brought to you by the Arkansas Hospitality Association, the contest spans 300 miles of eligible fishing from Fort Smith to Dumas – the entire length of the Arkansas River within the state’s borders.
As in previous years, the river will be divided into five fishing pools, and each pool will have one official weigh-in site. The five weigh-in sites are:
* Clear Creek Park, Fort Smith
* Dardanelle State Park, Russellville side
Alltel Ramp, North Little Rock
* Regional Park, Pine Bluff
* Pendleton Bridge, east of Dumas.
Anglers can choose to fish any of the five pools and can fish different pools during the three-day event. However, all fish must be weighed in the pool in which they were caught. Eligible fish species include largemouth, smallmouth and Kentucky bass (spotted bass).
Tournament anglers may register online at www.arkansasbass.com. Registration information and applications are also available at fishing and outdoors shops across the state. The registration cost is $80 per day. There will be chances for special “early bird” prizes, if participants register before Friday, May 30.
For more information about the tournament, contact the Arkansas Hospitality Association at (800) 472-5022 or via e-mail at aha@arhospitality.org.
About the Commission
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission plays an important role in keeping The Natural State true to its name. Over the past 100 years, the agency has overseen the protection, conservation and preservation of various species of fish and wildlife in Arkansas. This is done through habitat management, fish stocking, hunting and fishing regulations, and a host of other programs conducive to helping Arkansas’ wildlife flourish.
In November 1996, Arkansas taxpayers passed Amendment 75 to the state constitution. The amendment now directs nearly 26 million dollars annually to wildlife protection and management in Arkansas. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is committed now, more than ever, to assuring a bright future for the state’s natural resources in years to come!
Our agency is more than just managing “critters”. An essential part of ensuring a healthy wildlife population involves people. Through agency programs geared towards the public, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission works with the human element to generate awareness of ethical and sound management principles. Whether it be educational programs, fishing and hunting regulations, or environmental awareness, the agency understands that working with people is just as important a factor in managing wildlife as any other.
The Commission itself consists of seven Arkansans appointed by the governor to seven year terms. An eighth, non-voting, member sits as Chair of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville’s Department of Biology. It is the sole responsibility of the Commission to oversee the agency’s function as a wildlife management entity.
