Bill Dance’s ‘River Monsters’ brings anglers to town

Bill Dance’s ‘River Monsters’ brings anglers to town

West Memphis hotels, restaurants full as popular pro fisherman hosts catfish contest

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Hotels in West Memphis were packed, the Eugene Woods Civic Center was filled. Nearly 400 anglers squeezed onto the city convention space as Pro Fishing icon Bill Dance conducted the captains meeting for the Bass Pro Shops Mississippi River Monsters Catfish Contest.

“This is the cat’s meow of catfish tournaments,” said Dance on the eve of the second annual tournament.

The meeting lined out the rules and procedures as fisherman vied for a part of the $50,000 purse that included cash prizes, new boats and gear.

Fisherman from as far away as West Texas, Colorado, Nebraska and the Carolinas descended on the Mississippi near Bass Pro’s largest store at the Pyramid on a quest to catch a 100 pound monster blue catfish.

Fisherman filled hotels a week in advance of the tourney and their boats lined the parking lots all around West Memphis. Anglers wanted to test the waters and find the honey holes prior to the big contest.

Hotel Owner and Advertising and Promotion Commissioner Mike Patel enjoyed an bump in busi- ness.

“Some fisherman were here seven days early, most were in five days ahead of the contest,” said Patel at the monthly A& P meeting.

“That’s what we want, events that drive multiple day hotel stays and restaurant dining,” replied commissioner Ramona Taylor.

More than a big time contest, the river monsters were tagged, weighed and released with the data helping wildlife researchers.

Convention and Visitors Bureaus Executive Director Jim Jackson explained to commissioners the tagging and shared results from the first ever effort last year.

“They tagged fish that weighed 50 pounds,” said Jackson. “One they tagged previously was caught it 500 miles up stream and it had gained 20 pounds.”

The West Memphis A& P underwrote the captains meeting and opened the doors to the civic center.

“To me, that was a good investment in West Memphis tourism” said Jackson.

“I did a show of hands at the captains meeting, no one had ever been in the civic center, most had never been to West Memphis.

So if we can get them

back, and they tell their friends for the event next year, it will be even more impressive next year.

The fishing tournament represented an effort to coat tail a Memphis based event and contend for tourist dollars.

“The fisherman stayed everywhere in West Memphis,” said Jackson.

The tournament needed more boat launch capacity.

Jackson reminded commissioners about future plans for the Big River Trail Park on the Arkansas side between the interstate bridges within site of the Bass Pro Pyramid.

“Part of the master plan of the park is a paved boat launch,” said Jackson.

“They are launching at mud island. There is no launch in Arkansas anywhere near here. Bill Dance was very gracious, he said if he could lobby for it he would.”

By John Rech