Paula Del Giudice: LV fisherman gets biggest state bass

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

A COUPLE of local anglers have made a name for themselves by catching big largemouth bass. Ben Grande of Las Vegas is the Nevada leader in the 1997 TNN Outdoors Big Bass World Championship.

Grande took the lead by catching a 4.12-pound (weight calculated by the length and girth measurements) largemouth bass from Lake Mead on a live shad. If his luck holds through Aug. 15, he will qualify for the BBWC Finals, held Oct. 11-12 at Big Cedar Lodge on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Mo.

In the finals, the one contestant from each state who logs the largest bass and enters the contest will compete for $50,000 cash, a new Dodge truck and a fully rigged Astro bass boat with Humminbird electronics.

To enter the contest, you must be over the age of 18 and hold a valid fishing license. A one-time entry fee of $18 and an entry form are required. Then comes the fun part: catching and entering a largemouth bass that exceeds a state's established minimum.

Any angler who certifies a largemouth bass will receive an instant winner prize package, consisting of a Plano tackle box filled with hooks, line, hook sharpeners and other fishing accoutrements.

To enter by credit card or to obtain an entry form, call 1- 800-348-2642.

Smooth as Velvick

Bryon Velvick of Boulder City took fourth place in the 1997 Red Man Colorado River Division season opener on Lake Pleasant near Phoenix. A Lake Havasu City angler took top honors with his catch of two bass weighing 11 pounds, 11 ounces. Velvick took his five bass weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces using Majenda crankbaits fished shallow in brush in creek backss feeding the lake. His purse totaled $369.

Also placing in the Red Man tourney was Marc Knudsen of Henderson, who caught two bass weighing 7 pounds, 12 ounces. They earned him $233.

The Red Man Tournament Trail is aimed at weekend tournament anglers, instead of professionals. At the end of six qualifying events, the top 30 anglers move on to regional championship competition, where they will vie for a pickup truck and a fully rigged Ranger bass boat. The final rung on the tournament trail is a spot in the Red Man All- American tournament in Pine Bluff, Ark., where the winner will receive $100,000.

* FRIENDS OF WETLANDS: I recently received the The Friends of the Desert Wetlands Park newsletter in the mail. Friends are dedicated to restoring the wetland areas of the Las Vegas Wash. The Wash has been in the news lately, as water quality studies begin to point out the problems with overload of treated effluent that is entering Lake Mead at Las Vegas Wash. This organization needs your support. It's looking for members as well as committee members to work on issues such as membership, volunteer development, public affairs, and resource development. Restoration of the wetlands will have significant positive impacts for humans and for wildlife. You can contact them by writing FDWP, P.O. Box 370127, Las Vegas, NV 89137 or by calling Jack Harvey (451-9775) or Norma Cox (386-6083).

* DUCKS ON WEB: Fans of waterfowl can now find information about their favorite organization, Ducks Unlimited, at its new Web site at http://www.ducks.org. "Establishing a Web site provides Ducks Unlimited with a medium that reaches more than 30 million people worldwide," said Chris Dorsey, director of publishing and communications at Ducks Unlimited. "This also will help us market the more than 5,000 fund-raising events that we annually hold throughout America."

* GOOD: FISHING: According to stats recently released by the Sport Fishing Promotion Council, fishing is America's salvation. The survey shows angling is the key to keeping marriages intact, children off the street and heightening environmental awareness and support. Unfortunately, growth in fishing participation is slow. The SFPC is promoting its Fishing Tackle Loaner Program. In Utah, tackle was loaned over 600 times at each of the six sites in the greater Salt Lake City area last year. For more information, write the Sportfishing Promotion Council, 1033 N. Fairfax St., Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314.