So the million dollar question is……. What does a million dollar fish look like? And the next question is obviously-where do I find that fish?
That million dollar fish looks just like any other bass-he/she may be a largemouth or spotted bass. We don’t know. What we do know is that the fish will be wearing a special fashion accessory that sets it apart. And to answer the second question-that fish is in Lake Martin! I have no idea where on Lake Martin (if I did I would be shopping for the new boat I would be buying with my winnings), but that special fish is swimming around the lake right this second. There are actually 200 tagged fish released in different locations from up the river beyond Highway 280, to Parker Creek near Kowaliga.
While we don’t have a lottery here in Alabama, we do have this special game of chance that also includes a little fun time on the lake as a bonus. In my opinion, that’s much more fun than scratching off a lotto ticket anyway. This little game of chance is called Crank 4 Bank and it is put on by OGS Tournaments. It’s kind of like a fishing tournament, but……. not really. If you are looking for fishing tournaments, they do those too-and have some great ones to participate in. They even do some nighttime tournaments during the summer. But-that’s not what Crank 4 Bank is about. See, this is not about catching the biggest fish, or the most fish-it’s just about catching the RIGHT fish. If you have registered ahead of time, and are lucky enough to catch one of them between April 1-July 4, you could win $1,500. It gets better though-the fish you catch may be one of the extra special fish. Those guys could score you a boat, a truck, or a million dollars. Yes-your fish might be worth $1 million. Can we say best lake day ever???
Another cool thing is that those who choose to participate also get to be a part of the virtual fishing tournament. Again though-this is not like your normal fishing tournament. Basically, you catch a fish, and regardless of size, you upload the picture. They will have 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place big fish winners, as well as weekly big fish winners. They will also have a random drawing every other week and select winners that way as well. It’s just another way you can win, and is something that anyone can do regardless of your fishing experience. Think of it as a way to even the playing field for everyone. I don’t have a fancy bass boat (at least I don’t until I catch that special fish that wins me one), and I’m still learning a lot about bass fishing. I may catch a fish, but it may not be the biggest. That’s ok though, because even if it’s not, there are still ways for me to win. In this game, I could even be fishing off of my dock and have a chance to compete against the pros and win.
I can’t stress enough though that the key to this is registering ahead of time. You can get your ticket and get registered by clicking here. If you don’t, and you catch a tagged fish, you get nothing. No-you can’t go and get registered after you catch your winning fish. That’s not even an option, and is not going to work for you. You have to do it ahead of time-at least 2 hours before you catch your winning fish. You also have to have a current Alabama fishing license. Make sure you check out the rules and know the process before you go out on your mission to find the prize winning fish. You can check those out here.
Another thing I really like is that a portion of the proceeds from the tickets goes to help high school fishing teams. These teams are often underfunded, and I think it is kind of cool to be a part of giving back to something that invests in our future anglers.
I’m not a professional angler by any means, but I do enjoy fishing. I know I am going to be grabbing my pole and hitting the lake this Summer anyway, and I also know I would be kicking myself if I caught one of these tagged fish, and then got nothing…..zero…..zilch. I’ve heard the tales of those this has happened to-and I refuse to let that be me. Can you even imagine that feeling? Reeling in that fish, and seeing that special tag that means at minimum, you would be $1,500 richer-IF you had registered ahead of time? Because I don’t want to experience that gut wrenching feeling, and because I think it just puts a little extra excitement in a day out on the water fishing, I am going to get registered. Why not? It’s my first summer on the lake, so maybe I will have some beginner’s luck. Worst care scenario, it encourages me to get out and do a little more fishing. That’s not too bad either, and a great way to spend a summer day.
