Wild Finish at the 33rd Annual Big Bass Splash on Sam Rayburn

'It ain't over, til it's over', is a phrase used quite often during Big Bass Splash tourneys by Bob Sealy from Sealy Outdoors. The 33rd annual event on Lake Sam Rayburn featured 24 hours of fishing over 3 days,  

but it wasn't until the final hour of the final day that the winning big bass was brought in.

Lawrence Scott of Bossier City watched the scales register 9.57 for his huge bass, and then he agonizingly watched the clock as the final few minutes of the Big Bass Splash counted down.  His grand prize catch earned him a winner's package valued at over $100,000.  It included a 2017 Triton 21' TRX bass boat powered by Mercury, a Dodge Quadcab pick up, and $10,000 cash.

In the previous hour, Keith Kainer of Cypress, TX, had brought in a bass weighing 9.45 pounds, but his overall lead of the tourney was short-lived due to Scott's bass from the next hour.  Still, Kainer won a 2017 Triton 19' TRX bass boat powered by Mercury, a Dodge pick up, and $5,000 cash.

Rounding out the rest of the top five were:

Clay Carpenter of Joyce, LA took 3rd place with an 8.73 catch from day number 3.  He won a 2017 18' TRX bass boat powered by Mercury, a Dodge pick up, and $2500 cash.

In 4th overall was Bruce Baggett of Huntsville, TX.  His caught an 8.51 bass on the 2nd day of fishing and that fish was good enough to put him in the overall lead following day 2. His winnings include a Dodge Ram pick up and $1500 cash.

And rounding out the top five was Brian Adams of Sour Lake, TX.  He brought in his 8.42 bass in the same hour as Keith Kainer's 9.45.  Adams may not have even won that hour, but his 5th place overall bass did earn him $10,000 cash.

Now, it's time to get set for the Big Bass Splash on Toledo Bend coming up May 19th-21st at Cypress Bend Park.  The guaranteed payout of cash and prizes totals $490,000.