10.60 Wins the McDonald’s Big Bass Splash

Posted by Shane
Posted on April 19th, 2010
Published in Bass Fishing News & Reports, Community News

Brad Myers of Sulphur Springs, TX weighs in 10.60 and wins the McDonald’s Big Bass Splash on Lake Sam Rayburn, Texas this past weekend.

BBS FINAL: Brad Myers of Sulphur, La. Wins 26th Annual McDonald’s Big Bass Splash with 10.6 lb’er

By PATTY LENDERMAN

April 18, 2010
Posted: April 18, 2010, 7:51 PM CDT

It was intense. It was exciting. It was the 26th Annual McDonalds Big Bass Splash on Sam Rayburn April 16-18,2010. Brad Myers of Sulphur LA beat out over 3,700 participants from all over the globe including Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Italy, Mexico, Japan, and nearly 40 states to win the $100,000 first place prize with a 10.6 lb’er. A guaranteed payback of $580,000 was on the line for this amateur only event along with drawings for various prizes for the spectators. Three days of hourly paybacks and a whole lot more was packed in this fun-filled Block Party weekend.

The suspense was intense while Randy Turner held the top position for nearly 2 Â½ days until the double digit bass started showing up on Sunday. Two over 10 were weighed in just hours apart, and Sulphur, LA angler Brad Myers held his breath and hung on with the heaviest weight to win the grand prize sportsman’s package worth over $100,000.

The final morning started off with big bass coming in to be weighed. Roy Walton won the first hour of the day with his 8.79 lb catch. Another non-bass record was also recorded this weekend as Mike Sampson heaved an enormous flathead catfish to the weigh tanks. It barely fit inside the giant containers! A special scale was brought in and Bob Sealy carefully balanced the fish on it. The big cat locked in at 74.09 pounds! “I was fishing a hump, using 20# test line with a french fry rig. It took me about 30 minutes to get it in!” Once the length and girth were measured, Howard Elder of Texas Parks & Wildlife was on the scene and certified the catch to be submitted as a new possible rod & reel lake record. Sampson released the big catfish back into Sam Rayburn, got in his boat and set out to catch some winning bass before days end.

The 9:00-10:00 hour was bustling with excitement as two exact weight winners came in. Wesley Raines brought in the first 4.00 lb bass of the weekend for $5,000 and J.R. McDonald weighed in his 3.00 bass also receiving a $5,000 check.

Things just kept heating up when Brad Myers of Sulphur, LA was the first to weigh in for the 10:00 hour. He took over the lead of the tournament with his 10.60 lb catch! “Do you know what that bass could be worth?” Sealy asked Myers. “I have no idea!” he answered. “Well over $100,000 with a new Dodge truck, a fully rigged 21′ Triton/Mercury, PLUS a Stealth 4×4!”

This is Myers’ second tournament to ever fish in his life, both being the Big Bass Splash tournaments on Sam Rayburn. “I hadn’t practiced any for this tournament. It was just blind luck. We’ve been trying to figure out the fish for the past two days. Yesterday we finally found them and the pattern they were on.” He said the fish were shallow first thing in the morning, then moved to deeper water around 8:30. “We just followed them as they gradually headed out.” Using a watermelon colored Texas rigged 7″ Ringworm, he put his bait in 14′ of water, a primary point with just a little bit of grass. “She bit at 9:30. Just two small taps.” He set the hook, but had no idea he had a giant double digit bass until it came to the surface. “We didn’t waste any time getting it into the live well, then we headed right in.” The crowd cheered and everyone got loud and excited except for Myers, who stayed as cool as a cucumber. Bob reminded him that there was more than three hours yet to go. “Anything can happen at the McDonald’s Big Bass Splash!”

Two hours later Lee Lacour of Highlands, TX brought in another double digit bass weighing 10.27 lbs. The overall top 5 leaderboard continued to shift throughout the day.

Final Top 5:

1st 10.60 lbs Brad Myers Sulphur, LA

Sportsman’s Package: 2010 Dodge Truck, Triton Bass Boat powered by Mercury, equipped with Minn Kota, Lowrance, Navionics and Power pole, Plus a Stealth 4×4

2nd 10.27 lbs Lee Lacour Highlands, TX

Sportsman Duo - Dodge Truck from Weaver Motors of Kirbyville, TX, Triton Bass Boat powered by Mercury, equipped with Minn Kota, Lowrance and Power Pole

3rd 9.65 lbs Kevin Kubeczka Houston, TX

Triton Bass Boat powered by Mercury, equipped with Minn Kota & Lowrance

4th 9.49 lbs Justin Parks Etoile, TX

Dodge Truck from Weaver Motors of Kirbyville, TX

5th 9.15 lbs Randy Turner Lufkin, TX

Stealth ATV from Stealth Manufacturing, West Monroe, LA

Each year the winner from the year prior receives an exact replica of the bass that won the tournament. Larry McNeese, winner of the 25th Annual event, received his replica for the bass that made him a $250,000 winner.

“We’re going to have another MILLION DOLLAR event!” Sealy announced. In 2014, Sealy Outdoors will be celebrating 30 years, and with it a guaranteed purse of $1 MILLION dollars. “There’s a lot more to come and more surprises in store for you!”

The next McDonald’s Big Bass Splash will be on Toledo Bend at Cypress Bend Marina May 21-23, 2010. For more information click to HYPERLINK “http://www.SealyOutdoors.com” www.SealyOutdoors.com or call 888-698-2591.

For more than a quarter of a century, the McDonald’s Big Bass Splash has evolved to mean many things to many people. Acclaimed as being the largest amateur tournament on the planet, it has become a family tradition for all. “Every year a percentage of every entry is given to the Ronald McDonald house and select charities” Bob Sealy said to the crowd. “Over the past quarter century, this tournament has donated over $4 MILLION dollars to the house that love built. I am proud to present this years donation from the event in the amount of $18,505.” These donations help keep the Ronald McDonald House operating for families that need to stay nearby while their sick children are in the hospital at no expense.. Sealy got teary-eyed while telling a few of the stories people have shared with him in appreciation for the facility and the impact this tournament’s donations has made.

For the entire results please visit either www.thelakecaster.com or www.sealyoutdoors.com