Hite's Dardanelle Highlights

The City of Russellville and Lake Dardanelle have a definite love affair with the Bassmaster Elite 50 Series, as evidenced by the tremendous reception the tournament received for the second consecutive year.

Last year, the final weigh-in crowd of 7,500 set a BASS record for a regular-season tournament turnout. Last Saturday, the spectator total set a new standard according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Here are a few other highlights you might have missed:

• Davy Hite was the big winner — and the tournament started on his 40th birthday.

• The South Carolina pro has enjoyed a terrific career, but it’s been more than three seasons since his last BASS victory.

• Hite’s win is his first since 2001 when he won two consecutive Tour events en route to winning the CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.

• With the $100,000 payday, Hite joined the elite BASS Millionaires Club. Other members include Denny Brauer, Larry Nixon, Rick Clunn, Jay Yelas, Shaw Grigsby, Kevin VanDam, Gary Klein, Roland Martin, Ron Shuffield, George Cochran and Mark Davis.

“Breaking the million-dollar mark in BASS was a big goal of mine,” Hite said. “That’s an elite group, and it’s an honor to be among the greats like Larry Nixon, Gary Klein, Rick Clunn and Denny Brauer.”

• The victory put Hite in a position to salvage the 2005 season by getting one of the final 10 spots in the upcoming Classic in Pittsburgh, July 29-31. He’s second in the Elite 50 standings with two events remaining. He finished a dismal 54th in the Tour standings.

Hite had the somewhat dubious distinction of winning the Toyota Horizon Award in 2004 as the Tour pro who made the biggest improvement in the Angler of the Year standings from 2003 to 2004.

• Many in the record crowd got a special treat by seeing Klein, Aaron Martens and runner-up Michael Iaconelli matching casts in the last hour of the finals. A sizable gallery watched them fishing within a few yards of each other.
 

From BASS