For Immediate Release

June 25, 2016

Contact: Montine McNulty

Executive Director, Arkansas Hospitality Association

(501) 376-2323

Herbert Holman Holds onto Lead

7.25-pound bass is the fish to beat in the Simmons Bank Big Bass Bonanza

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (June 25, 2016) — Herbert Holman of Delaware, Ark. continues to lead the Simmons Bank Big Bass Bonanza with a 7.25-pound bass.

Holman has battled sun, river and bass in hopes of taking home the $50,000 grand prize. Now, it’s down to the 24-hour clock with one day of competition remaining. “It has definitely been exciting. I knew I had a big fish right away but I thought it was 6 pounds at best. If you’d had been there you would have heard me yell when the scale read 7.25-pounds,” said Holman. If his fish remains the biggest catch of the three-day tournament, Holman will take home the guaranteed $50,000 grand prize.

Don Douglas and his Little Rock pool leading 5.55-pound bass.

Excitement built in North Little Rock as Justyn Tucker and Don Douglas battled for the pool’s top money spot. Douglas took the lead with a 5.55-pound fish. Douglas has fished in the tournament for almost a decade and has enjoyed several hourly wins—including two hourly wins Friday and a first and second place Saturday.

Leaders in the other four pools are:

Steve Sanchez 5.18 – Fort Smith Pool

Don Douglas 5.55 – North Little Rock Pool

Gary Goodman 5.25 – Pine Bluff Pool

David Shopher 6.11 – Dumas Pool (2012 Winner)

Anglers still have from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday to try and catch 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.

The top fish of the three-day tournament wins the guaranteed $50,000. Each of the other four pool leaders has the potential to win a guaranteed $10,000 for catching the largest fish in each of the other pools during the tournament. Place money per pool is $900 to second place, $700 to third place and $400 to fourth place. 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. The amount of hourly prizes will be determined by the number of participants for the three days and will not be announced until Sunday.

Current overall Simmons Bank Big Bass Bonanza leader Herbert Holman.

Academy Sports and Outdoors will be giving the following prizes in addition to other tournament prizes:

• $300 gift card to any exact three-pound fish on the third payout hour, 9:01 to10 a.m.

• $400 gift card to any exact four-pound fish on the fourth payout hour, 10:01 to 11 a.m.

• $500 gift card to any exact five-pound fish on the fifth payout hour, 11:01 a.m. to noon.

The chance to win these bonuses will be awarded each day and for each of the five fishing pools.

Academy Winners (day two):

Todd Chapen, Alma Ark.

Anthony Davis, Stigler, Okla.

David Heslep, Vilonia, Ark.

Five lucky anglers who fish all three days of the tournament will win a fishing prize package including a Plano A-Series Tackle bag, Aqua-Vu Micro Underwater Camera and a St. Croix Rod Mojo Bass Rod. Winners will be announced during the awards event on Sunday afternoon.

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 Sunday at 1 p.m. Fishermen can still register at any weigh-in location Sunday before the 6 a.m. start. The grand prize and other cash awards will be presented during Sunday’s award event, begins at 4 p.m. near the North Little Rock/Verizon Arena boat ramp.

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 Simmons Bank, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Arkansas Game & Fish Commission and Hardees. Other sponsors include Heart of Arkansas, Southland Park Gaming & Racing, North Little Rock Visitors Bureau, Pine Bluff Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Russellville Adventures & Promotions.

For more complete information on today's results, visit http://www.arkansasbigbass.com/results/

Media Contact:

Jill Thiel

Director of Membership Services & Special Events

Arkansas Hospitality Association

501-376-2323

501-376-6517(fax)

jill@arhospitality.org