DECATUR-new bass fishing tournament is coming to the waters of Wheeler Lake in 2022, and anyone can win a prize, including a shot at $1 million and other great prizes. Crank for Bank is making its first appearance on Wheeler Lake and registered anglers will be able to fish for a tagged bass and a chance at a $1 million cash prize, new bass boat, new truck or $1500 per tagged bass.
Hosted by OGS Tournaments in partnership with title sponsor Decatur-Morgan County Tourism and One Million Dollar sponsor Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, Crank4Bank is a bass fishing event to be held on Wheeler Lake April 1-July 4, 2022, where anglers purchase a $100 ticket to have a chance to catch one of 200 tagged largemouth, smallmouth or spotted bass and win one of several extraordinary prizes. To be eligible for the tournament prizes, anglers and amateurs must register online and pay the $100 entry fee before catching a prize-winning fish. Once registered, an entrant could fish from boats, banks or docks to win. Prizes include $1 million cash prize, a 2023 bass boat valued at $50,000, a 2023 truck valued at $50,000 or $1500 per tagged bass.
To participate in the tournament and to have a chance at winning one of the prizes, anglers must register on Fishing Chaos (https://fishingchaos.com/). Registration opens early January 2022 and ends July 3, 2022. The registration fee is $100 per person. High school teams in North Alabama will also sell Crank4Bank tickets for the Wheeler Lake event to help raise money for their respective bass teams. To support a high school or collegiate team, obtain the school ID Code from a student angler and enter it in the Fishing Chaos app. OGS Tournaments will give $10 for every registration sold to the high school/collegiate bass fishing clubs.
During Crank for Bank, fish must be caught with rod and reel. Two images of the tagged fish are required for entry. The first image should focus on the tag and the second image should include the angler holding the fish with the tag on it. Both images should be submitted through the Fishing Chaos app. The tag should be clipped and brought to the awards ceremony on Sunday July 10th at 1 p.m. Fish should be released once pictures are taken and submitted into the Fishing Chaos app.
The $100 registration fee also includes entry into the virtual fishing tournament that runs concurrent with the Crank4Bank tagged event. The virtual tournament allows anglers to catch as many bass as they can while out trying to catch a tagged bass. The virtual tournament will have prizes for first through third places and a big fish of the week winner each week of the tournament. To participate in the virtual tournament, anglers will take a picture of each fish caught on a legal bump board style measuring device to determine the length of the fish. The Fishing Chaos app will cull the top fish caught for each angler which will then determine the winners.
All winners must submit to lie detector type tests, which will be administered at 1 p.m., Sunday, July 10, 2022, at Turner-Surles Community Center located at 702 Sycamore Street NW.
“Decatur Morgan County Tourism is excited to partner with the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association to bring a tournament to north Alabama where everyone, children and adults, can participate and a boat is not required,” said Decatur Morgan County Tourism President and CEO Danielle Gibson. “Every year, Wheeler Lake welcomes national and regional fishing tournaments that attract professional and serious anglers from across the country. Crank4Bank has been successful on Lake Martin and we look forward to bringing this different type of tournament to our area of the state.”
For more information and complete rules, visit https://www.crank4bank.com/ or call Gibson at 256-350-2028 or 800-232-5449.
Media Release/Danielle Gibson, President & CEO
Decatur Morgan County Tourism, Inc.
