Arkansas River bass tournament good to McGehee fisherman

LITTLE ROCK -- Fishing in the Coal Pile area of the lower Arkansas River, David Shopher of McGehee caught a 6.27-pound largemouth bass to take the overall lead Sunday and win the 2012 Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza.

He was using a Tennessee shad-colored crank bait. "This fish was near a laydown, a fallen tree," Shopher said. He had hits from other bass, left the area and returned in about 15 minutes. One fish hit but missed being hooked. "Then the big bass hit."

For his effort Shopher, a 51-year-old taxidermist won $50,000, as well as a paid spot at the 2012 Bassmaster Open.