Close to 600 anglers participated in the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce 27th Annual Bradford Marine & ATV Buddy Bass Tournament. The tournament was held on Beaver Lake in Rogers on Saturday, May 5. The winning team, with a total weight of 13.75 pounds for the five (5) fish limit, was Schureman & Schureman. The team took home a brand-new Tracker Pro 160 Bass Boat, Mercury 20 hp motor and trailer package thanks to Bradford Marine & ATV and Tracker Boats. The winning team also won two collector’s edition Daisy BB guns compliments of Daisy Outdoors Products. A total of 669 fish totaling 1,185.34 pounds were caught during the “catch and release” Buddy Bass tournament.
In the team division, Pure Fishing won the Division III, two boat entry, with a total team weight of 22.47 pounds. Bella Vista Marine took home the Division II, four boat entry, trophy with a total team weight 37.66 pounds. Hook Line & Sinker took home the trophy for the Division I, eight boat entry, with a total team weight of 80.28 pounds. The big bass of the tournament weighed in at 4.23 pounds and was caught by the team of Roughton & Roughton. The Big Bass winners took home $500 and a collector’s edition Daisy BB Gun.
Proceeds from the tournament help fund economic development efforts of the Chamber. Over the past 27 years, those efforts have resulted in more than 17,000 new jobs and nearly $1.5 billion in capital investments. The tournament alone brings an estimated $120,000 to the Rogers-Lowell Area economy.
The 8th Annual Youth Fishing Event was held in conjunction with the annual Buddy Bass Tournament. Children ages 4 – 15 and their families took part in the event. Participants took home a free t-shirt and fishing rod and reel, and other assorted prizes, thanks to Bass Pro Shops.