August 1, 2017
Contact: Montine McNulty
Executive Director
Arkansas Hospitality Association
(501) 376-2323
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Robinette Fox from Hot Springs Continues Lead in Big Bass Bonanza
7.15 Pound Bass is Fish To Beat
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (August 1, 2015) — Robinette Fox from Hot Springs continues the
lead after the end of the second day of fishing in the Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza with the 7.15
pound bass she caught in the Dardanelle pool.
Fox said, “I’ve been fishing this tournament for fifteen years with my husband. This is
like our vacation we take together every year. We were catching a few normal size fish, and
then ten minutes later we hooked the big one. My husband told me I fell down to the floor and
flopped just as much as the fish was in that moment. It was an interesting and strenuous catch
to say the least!”
If her fish remains the biggest catch of the three-day tournament, Fox 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:
• Rusty Gosvener, Roland (6.01) – North Little Rock pool
• Jamey Taylor, Wynne (5.80) – Dumas pool
• John Whitman, Charleston (5.62) – Fort Smith pool
• Rob Stone, Cabot (5.54) – 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.
Academy Sports and Outdoors will be giving the following prizes in addition to any
other tournament prizes. The chance to win these bonuses will be awarded each day and for
each of the five fishing pools.

A $300 gift card to any exact three-pound fish on the third payout hour, 9:01 to10 a.m.

A $400 gift card to any exact four-pound fish on the fourth payout hour, 10:01 to 11 a.m.

A $500 gift card to any exact five-pound fish on the fifth payout hour, 11:01 a.m. to noon.
Academy Winners:

Cody Underhill of Russellville won the $400 gift card for catching an exact 4.0
pound bass in the 11:00 hour at the Dardanelle pool.

Chip Hawkins of Little Rock won the $400 gift card for catching an exact 4.0
pound bass in the 11:00 hour at the Dardanelle pool.

Jon Francis of Pottsville won the $500 gift card for catching an exact 5.0 pound
bass in the 12:00 hour at the Dardanelle pool.

Don Douglas of Maumelle won the $500 gift card for catching an exact 5.0 pound
bass in the 12:00 hour at the North Little Rock pool.
The top fish wins the guaranteed $50,000. Each of the other four pool leaders have the
potential to win a guaranteed $10,000 for catching the largest fish in each of the other pools
during the tournament. Guaranteed place money for each of the five pools is $900 to 2nd place,
$700 to 3rd place and $400 to 4th place to the winners, in each of the five pools. Additional prize
money is awarded for the top-three catches each hour in each pool, and the Willow Leaf Award
of $1,000 will be presented to the parent/child or grandparent/grandchild pair weighing the
biggest fish during the three days. Currently, Lynn Hensley and his son, Trevor, both from
Conway, are currently in the lead for the Willow Leaf with a 4.69 pound bass. The amount of
hourly prizes will be determined by the number of participants for the three days and will not
be announced until Sunday.
The tournament spans more than 300 miles of eligible fishing waters on the river inside
the state’s borders. The event is divided into five pools, and tournament action will resume at 6
a.m. Sunday morning with the final weigh-in being held at 1 p.m. Fishermen can still register
at any weigh-in location. The grand prize and other cash awards will be presented during
Sunday’s awards event, which will begin at 4 p.m. at the North Little Rock RV Park Pavilion, on
the east side of the I-30 bridge.
The five weigh-in sites are: Pool 1 – Clear Creek Park, Fort Smith; Pool 2 – Dardanelle
State Park/Russellville side; Pool 3 – North Little Rock/Verizon Ramp; Pool 4 – Regional Park/
Pine Bluff; and Pool 5 – Pendleton Bridge/east of Dumas.
Major Sponsors of the tournament are Southland Gaming & Racing, Academy Sports &
Outdoors, Arkansas Game & Fish Commission and Hardees. Other sponsors include Heart of
Arkansas, North Little Rock Visitors Bureau, Pine Bluff Convention & Visitors Bureau, and
Russellville Advertising & Promotions.
For more information on the tournament, registration sites and complete results, visit
www.arkansasbigbass.com
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