Cha-ching
Big Bass Splash providing economic shot in the arm

In 1983 Bob Sealy had a dream.

The dream continues this Friday, Saturday and Sunday as the 23rd Annual McDonalds Big Bass Splash and Block Party Festival swings into high gear at Lake Sam Rayburn.

At stake - more than $560,000 in guaranteed cash and prizes.

The McDonalds Big Bass Splash at Lake Sam Rayburn will be the first Splash to kick off five of the best amateur fishing tournaments around including Lake Guntersville, AL, Toledo Bend Reservoir, LA, Lake Fork, TX and making our debut at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, FLin October.

The Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Block Party Festival.

Sealy's dream was to put together the ultimate big bass tournament - one open only to amateurs, the grass roots of the industry - and one that would overshadow even the richest of tournaments on the professional tour. Today that dream has become a reality. The McDonald's Big Bass Splash® events, which have made appearances on lakes in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and South Carolina, are that reality.

For more than 20 years, thousands upon thousands of anglers of every age, race, and gender have participated in the Big Bass Splash® events. They have come from almost every state in the union plus Mexico and Italy for a chance to win some of the millions of dollars that have been paid out; over $15 million dollars in fact. There have also been more than 400 boats, trucks, travel trailers, and fourwheelers awarded to contestants and spectators.

In addition to paying out millions to amateur anglers, Sealy Outdoors, has been able to raise more than $1 million which has been paid to charities along the way too. Aportion of every entry fee has always been given back to the Ronald McDonald® House and select charities making the events not only fun, but truly meaningful as well.

In the beginning, the prize purse was a total of $17,300, given away on Lake Sam Rayburn. It was a two day-event back then with an entry fee of $35 per day. The payback was for the top forty anglers overall plus the top big fish of each hour. The following year, that purse jumped to more than $30,000 and then steadily climbed year after year; $50K, $70K, $100K, $125K, $143K, $148K.

In 1994, to celebrate the 10th anniversary, the event was lengthened to encompass three days. With that, the payback jumped to $250K, but didn't slow down; it continued to climb in 1997 to a whopping $305K where the entry fees did level off at $75 per day. After that, although the entry fees have not changed, the paybacks did, going to more than $400K in '98. This year, the payout for the three scheduled McBass events on Lakes Sam Rayburn, Toledo Bend, and Fork will exceed $1,075,000.

Along the way, the payback format changed as well. What began as a Top 40 overall payback plus one big fish paid each hour became Top 40 plus three each hour, then Top 50 plus five each hour.

By 1994, again for the 10th anniversary, the payback had evolved into the current format; ten places paid in cash each hour plus five overall places featuring spectacular sportsman prizes; boats, trucks, travel trailers, ATVs, etc.

The money and prizes didn't stop there. In 1986 the first "Exact Weight Boat" contest began. This award went to the first angler bringing in a bass weighing exactly five pounds, and they then brought home a fully rigged bass boat. This contest has been extremely popular over the years and has varied to include, on different lakes, as many as five boats given away for three, four, five, six, and sevenpound fish.

Until 1991 all overall and hourly winners were eligible for yet another boat drawing. This was changed in 1991 to include all contestants entered into the tournament and is now know as the "Elimination Draw Boat."

In addition to a dream of competition for grass roots fishermen, Bob envisioned a family atmosphere where everyone could participate. The Little Anglers Division was created in 1989 to reach out to children and promote the future of fishing. In this event, participating kids bring in bass, catfish, crappie, or perch, with prizes awarded for each category. Among the prizes awarded to the kids for their catches over the years have been cash, gift certificates, sponsor product, and plaques certifying their achievement.

Everyone at a Big Bass Splash event gets into the action. Although spectators had been a big part of the "show" from the beginning, they began to get in on the prize action in the second season when the "Open Drawing" was added to the agenda.

Registration will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Umphrey Family Pavilion or call 888- 698-2591 or go online to www.sealyoutdoors.com