2013 Kevin Vandam Big Bass Classic - Payouts Increased!

[OBBT Staff]

We've increased the payouts this year for the Oakley Big Bass Tour event on Table Rock Lake! This years weigh in will be held at Bass Pro Shops new marina facility at Long Creek Marina. http://bassproshopslongcreekmarina.com/

This should help anglers get to the weigh in and back to the water quicker. There are also launch facilities at Long Creek if anglers prefer to use them.

Event date: May 18th/19th

The grand prize will be a 2013 Nitro Z8 valued over $35,000 for the overall big bass of the tournament.

Hourly Payouts based on 400 anglers.

1st $1000

2nd $500

3rd $400

4th $200

5th $150

The first 100 anglers to register early online for a two day entry will receive a custom Oakley/Quantum rod valued at $150! Online registration is now open. Anglers may also register in person at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield on Friday May 17th from 12-7pm.

All information can be found online at www.oakleybigbass.com

This years event should be the biggest yet! Hope to see you there.

[Fishin Hodge]

Sweet.

It is on my wife's birthday this year, so just know you are causing me problems there though.

[denjac]

I don't know how putting the weigh in at long creek will make it faster for the fisherman. That's a longer run than state park. Its great that the payouts increased, but come on, longcreek, really?

[abkeenan]

I don't know how putting the weigh in at long creek will make it faster for the fisherman. That's a longer run than state park. Its great that the payouts increased, but come on, longcreek, really?

Its literally an extra 3 minutes away from where it was in the past at Big Cedar. Now its just at the old Gages Marina which is now the Bass Pro Long Creek Marina. I think it will be better since you won't have to idle all the way back to the Bent Hook Marina at Big Cedar to weigh in. I don't find it an issue at all.

[OBBT Staff]

I don't know how putting the weigh in at long creek will make it faster for the fisherman. That's a longer run than state park. Its great that the payouts increased, but come on, longcreek, really?

Dennis,

Bass Pro Shops is our second largest sponsor/partner and they are the reason we have such a great event with KVD on Table Rock Lake. Therefore, we are happy to accommodate them. They've recently acquired Long Creek Marina and are making major improvements there. We visited the site last month and agreed to move the event. The facility is a commercial facility and will be better for the anglers competing in this event. There's a shorter idle and less resort traffic to deal with so yes, it will make things a little easier on everyone.

We've never hosted the event at the State Park and don't have future plans to. We think the extra 3 minute drive to Long Creek for the winner to pick up his/her new Z8 should be a short one.

[denjac]

In a nutshell I just wish it was more centraly located. I understand that the sponsers and regatta permits dictate where and when.

[GNSfishing]

In a nutshell I just wish it was more centraly located. I understand that the sponsers and regatta permits dictate where and when.

I agree with you it should be in the middle of the lake. The Longcreek location will put the bulk of the fishermen in the dam area and restrict people from the hourlly weigh-ins because of the distance to be traveled and loss of fishing time for fishermen in the Cape Fair & Campbell point areas. It sure will be take a number and wait to fish the areas say Cow Creek area to Long Creek..

[OBBT Staff]

Appreciate the feedback but we've been in the same location on the lake for the last three years and that isn't changing. We had approx 400 anglers from 12 different states fishing in the event last year and there's very little restricting anyone from making a weigh in regardless of where they are on the lake.

Our staff and $65,000 in cash and prizes will be at Long Creek Marina. If that's not enough motivation for someone to fish then that's okay. If it is, we hope to see you there.

Thanks.

Mark

[Champ188]

Mark, the obvious translation of your comments is, "We'll hold the darn tournament wherever we want and if you don't like it, don't fish it." That mentality is oh so typical of Bass Pro Shops in general and is one reason that many people are very glad that Cabela's came to NW Arkansas and not BPS.

Dennis and GNS made a valid point in that it would be nice if the weigh-in was more centrally located on the lake, particularly for the river fishermen. Yours is valid, too, in that BPS now owns Gages Marina. But your tone comes across as rather condescending.

Also, how is it that downsizing the grand prize from a Z9 to a Z8 is upping the payout?

Good luck with the event. Hope lots of fish are caught.

[OBBT Staff]

Mark, the obvious translation of your comments is, "We'll hold the darn tournament wherever we want and if you don't like it, don't fish it." That mentality is oh so typical of Bass Pro Shops in general and is one reason that many people are very glad that Cabela's came to NW Arkansas and not BPS.

Dennis and GNS made a valid point in that it would be nice if the weigh-in was more centrally located on the lake, particularly for the river fishermen. Yours is valid, too, in that BPS now owns Gages Marina. But your tone comes across as rather condescending.

Also, how is it that downsizing the grand prize from a Z9 to a Z8 is upping the payout?

Good luck with the event. Hope lots of fish are caught.

No James, that's not the translation intended and sorry if that's how you interpreted it. The point of the weigh in being moved to another location is moot. This is the 4th Annual event and we've noted on this forum many times that the option to move the event to another location isn't available so to continue to bring it up isn't productive. I had already answered Dennis in detail to his post explaining the why's, etc. and then the second poster (GNS) brought it up again.

We get it that some anglers would prefer a different location but there's nothing that we can do about it. If we moved it to another location then it wouldn't work for our sponsor and there wouldn't be an event. Therefore we host where we can and are appreciative of their contribution to the event.

Here's the reality. An angler who enters this event gets to experience (in our opinion) one of the best events in the country. If they register early online and are in the top 100 they get a custom Quantum rod free with their entry. They get fed for two days during the tournament, they get to fish for a great payout and a great grand prize on one of the best lakes in the country. We appreciate our anglers and treat them well. We manage the fish care and the resource and this is one of our favorite events of the year. Not to mention that you have the chance to hang out with the #1 angler in the world.

We see it as a can't miss event but if you or someone else doesn't see it that way, then we certainly respect your thoughts/opinion. We focus on the anglers who show up and giving them the best possible tournament experience. We've hosted over 1200 anglers in the last three years at this event, many of them are members of this site. Ask around and see what their overall experience is.

Finally, the grand prize last year was a Z8 not a Z9, so nothing's changed on that end. We've added around $10,000 to the hourly cash payouts, so yes the overall payout has gone up considerably.

Thanks for your feedback. Sorry you took it the wrong way and hopefully this clarification will help.

Looking forward to this event and hope to see everyone there.

P.S. BPS is a very big part of what we do and one of the main reasons that this Tour even exists. They care about anglers, they care about this event and our Tour and it's reinforced by the resources and activation that happens around our events. To make any comment that they don't care isn't accurate on any level. We value them as a partner and as such are happy to help them showcase their properties inside of our Tour. Everyone person that we interact with at Bass Pro Shops and Nitro/Tracker Marine is first class and I can assure you that the weekend angler is someone that they listen to and care about as a customer.

My two cents anyway.

Mark