Lake Guntersville, AL McDonald's® Big Bass Splash®
WHEN WE ASKED "WHO'S NEXT?" ...........THEY ANSWERED!!

Amateur Anglers Win Big in 3rd Annual McDonald’s® Big Bass Splash® on Lake Guntersville
Sealy Outdoors, Inc.; June 2007

The stage was set for amateur bass anglers to win like the pros when the Sealy Outdoors, Inc. crew returned to town for the 3rd Annual McDonald’s® Big Bass Splash®.  Water Front Tackle & Grill at Goose Pond was the site of the event sponsored by The Greater Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and benefiting the Ronald McDonald House® Charities.

The event, an amateur big bass tournament in which anglers may weigh-in and win cash prizes each hour is different from most all other tournaments. Anglers may weigh in one fish every hour with the top five bass for each hour winning cash awards ranging from $500 to $150. The bass that hold up as the heaviest overall for the two-day tournament are then awarded more prizes for the Top Five overall places including a Triton Bass Boat powered by Mercury, equipped with Minn Kota, Lowrance Electronics and Navionics. Other awards are given out also through bonus games such as the Exact Weight Bonus, T-shirt Bonus, Elimination Drawing, Early Bird Drawing, and Open Drawing.

In addition to all this action for the adult anglers, there is a special division for children under the age of twelve. In the Little Anglers Division kids can participate by weighing in bass, bream, crappie, and catfish to win award certificates and Academy Sports & Outdoors Gift Cards. “Our event has always been a family event and we want to foster the interest of children in the sport of fishing; teach them sportsmanship and conservation and get them interested” said Sealy.

So just how much did the amateur anglers win over the weekend? The total tournament payback was $75,000 in cash and prizes! That is unheard of for amateur tournaments, but not when Sealy Outdoors, Inc. puts on an event. For more than 23 years, Bob Sealy has conducted these amazing events in Texas and Louisiana where the paybacks have reached into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. More importantly, as $5 of every entry fee is donated to the Ronald McDonald House and Select RMH Charities, well over $1 Million has been raised and donated during that same time period!

On Day 1 - Kevin Hicks of Gadsden, AL weighed in his bass during the 11-12 Hour and was able to maintain the lead for the two days. Kevin's lunker of the tournament weighed in at 7.84 pounds and earned him not only the title of Champion for the event, but also a Triton TR176 Bass Boat powered by a 115 Mercury engine, equipped with Minn Kota, Lowrance Electronics and Navionics - valued at over $24,500. Kevin said "I was fishing a jig near the Holiday Inn at downtown Guntersville, AL in approximately 17' of water. Kevin said that he and his friend probably caught in two days over 100 bass ranging anywhere from 2-pounds up to the winning fish. Fishing was fantastic where we were because we had no pressure. We Look forward to coming back next year to see if we can duplicate the title."

David Gray of Section, AL weighed in several hours trying his luck at the 3.00 exact weight bass. He was unsuccessful at the 3.00 exact, however his persistence paid off by taking home $1,100 in hourly paybacks along with his 7.78-pound bass to take the second place honors and a $2,500 check. David's fish was caught on a Fat Free Shad in approximately 7' of water. Third  place William Carlton 7.19 -pounds; fourth place Charles Morrow 7.13-pounds and fifth place George Sumner 6.66 -pounds all caught their bass in 10' of water fishing a worm

Another big winner, Mark Ailor of Huntsville, AL was the lucky angler in the Elimination Drawing and claimed a Bad Boy Buggy valued at $8,995. In the Open Drawing, which is open to anyone on-site Sunday afternoon, James Oscar of Scottsboro, AL won another Bad Boy Buggy, also valued at $8,995.

Event sponsors include Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Shimano Rods and Reels, Bad Boy Buggies, Lowrance Electronics, Navionics, Brewco Motorsports, and, Charlotte and Ronnie Dutton, owner/operators of the McDonald’s restaurants of Guntersville, Scottsboro, Boaz, and Albertville, Alabama.

In this year’s Lake Guntersville event, over 600 anglers turned out for a piece of the action. We anticipate a much larger crowd next year since Bob Sealy, Tournament Director announced next year's tournament promises to payback even more money. A total of five places will be guaranteed again each hour but with larger paybacks. The largest bass of each hour will be $1,000 - $500 - $400 - $300 - $200; plus more surprises are to come.

For more McDonald’s® Big Bass Splash® fun this year with events still to come on Lake Toledo Bend in Louisiana, Lake Fork in Texas and Lake Toho-Kissimmee in Florida. Complete event information and entry forms are available at www.sealyoutdoors.com or by calling Sealy Outdoors, Inc. at 888.698.2591

Day 2 - Sun - June 10, 2007