10.61-pounder takes top prize at Fork event

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Outdoors

More than 2,300 anglers turned out for the 33rd annual Sealy Outdoors Big Bass Splash held Sept. 20-23 at Lake Fork. A few found the big ones biting.

There were 19 fish at the top end of the 16- to 24-inch slot limit brought to the scales. Blake Hardy of New Waverly caught the heaviest bass of the event, a 10.61-pounder. He took home $10,000 cash, a new Triton bass boat and a Ram pick-up.

Jimmy Qualls of Euless took second with a 10.06-pounder. Rounding out the top five were Burl Blosser of Abilene, 9.77; Brigham Bigby of Colmesneil, 9.32; and Carl Parks of Hemphill, 9.25 pounds.

Anglers weighed in 769 bass totaling 1,561.99 pounds during the three-day event, according to reports from Sealy Outdoors.