Afeman Wins McDonald’s® Big Bass Splash® on Lake Sam Rayburn, Texas

April, 20, 2008- Umphrey Family Pavilion- 24th Annual Big Bass Splash® on Lake Sam Rayburn, TX.

Afeman Wins McDonald’s® Big Bass Splash® on Lake Sam Rayburn, Texas

Umphrey Family Pavilion-Sam Rayburn, Texas- For more than 20 years, Bob Sealy, president of Sealy Outdoors, Inc. has conducted amazing grass roots events on various lakes around the South Central/South Eastern United States. The “granddaddy” of them all is East Texas’ famed Lake Sam Rayburn. An event that guarantees cash and prize paybacks larger than most professional tournaments, the Big Bass Splash® draws thousands of amateur anglers from all over the country to compete each year. Over 3,800 anglers competed in this year’s Big Bass Splash® event for a total purse of $560,000 in cash & prizes in the three-day tournament.  Anglers may compete in one, two, or all three days of competition, and with hourly weigh-ins, have chances to win one of twelve cash prizes each hour of each day for the twelve largest bass brought to the scales during that hour. $154,800 was awarded in hourly paybacks.  The Ronald McDonald House® & Select Children’s Charities received a check for over $19,000.

The fishing conditions for the Big Bass Splash® started off with heavy rain and strong winds Friday morning, but then cleared out by the afternoon and turned out to be a beautiful weekend for fishing. This year the fishing hours have been changed to the first weigh in hour is 6am-7am and the tournament ends each day at 2pm. “This will allow anglers to start earlier and also be able to come enjoy the entertainment in the afternoons”, said Bob Sealy of Sealy Outdoors who started the Big Bass Splash tournament concept on Lake Sam Rayburn 24 years ago.

Jacob Afeman of Rosenberg, Texas took home the Sportsman’s Package worth $123,000, which included a 2008 Dodge Laramie 4 x 4, Triton TR 21X2 Bass Boat powered by Mercury 225 Pro XS, Minn Kota trolling Motor, Lowrance Electronics, Navionics, and Power Pole, and a Bad Boy Buggy ATV with his 11.30 bass. Afeman was fishing in Caney Creek when the big bass hit at 7:15 am.  They were sitting in 4’ of water and casting to the deep area using watermelon/red Senkos, rigged wacky style with a weighted hook- 1/16 ounce. 

Scott Jordan of Vidor, Texas and owner of Jordan’s Marine & Pro Fuel finished 2nd overall with a bass weighing 10.25 and took home a 2008 Dodge Ram pickup and a Triton TR186 powered by a Mercury 150 OptiMax, valued at $60,000. Scott also won two hourly first place checks and an additional check for 12th place in an hour. 

Danny Massey of Jasper, Texas finished third overall with a 9.99 and took home a new 2008 Hornet Hideout Travel Trailer valued at over $14,000.  Mark Jones of Vidor, Texas finished fourth overall with a 9.65 and took home a Bad Boy Buggy valued over $9,000. Danny Abbott of Huntington, Texas rounded out the 5th place overall with a 9.48 and took home a Bad Boy Buggy valued at over $8,000.

One of the biggest surprises of the tournament was when little angler, Hunter Muncrief, 7 years old, of Sam Rayburn, struggled to the stage with his bass. It tipped the scales at 9.02 pounds.  Sealy announced he would have a replica of the fish made for Hunter and present it to him at next year’s event.

“The numbers of anglers are down this year,” Sealy told the spectators at the final awards ceremony. “Gas prices are to blame. Not as many came out but I hope they will next year for the 25th Anniversary.  I’m going to give away $1 Million.  The winner will go home with $250,000 in Cash & Prizes and the hourly winner will get $2,500 in cash and I am not going up on the entry fee.  We will make history as the richest amateur fishing tournament.”

This year’s McDonald’s® Big Bass Splash® was filmed by a crew for ESPN Outdoors online coverage and for an upcoming National Geographic documentary about the weekend warriors in Bass fishing.

Sponsors of the 2008 McDonald’s® Big Bass Splash® includes Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Shimano, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Navionics, Power Pole, (Dodge) Weaver Motors of Kirbyville, Texas, T-H Marine, Texas Fish & Game, Kite Bros RV Center of DeRidder, Louisiana, Bad Boy Buggies, and Brewco Motorsports (Longhorn).

Next McDonald’s® Big Bass Splash® is on Lake Guntersville, Alabama, May 17-18 at Waterfront Tackle & Grill with a GUARANTEED $100,000 in cash & prizes. Then off to Toledo Bend Reservoir for the 22nd Annual, June 20-22 at Cypress Bend Park with a GUARANTEED $360,000 in cash & prizes.  For more information call 888.698.2591 or go online to www.sealyoutdoors.com