The Maplesville Athletic Club’s second annual bass tournament April 5 at Beeswax Creek on Lay Lake will involve more prize money than the inaugural tournament did for winners.

The first-place prize is $2,000, up from last year’s first-place prize of $1,000.

“Our payout just for winning first place is double this year, but our twist was that we added this incentive for those who are fishing and enter the big fish part of the contest,” club member Vickie Smith said. “If you win the big fish pot and your fish weighs a flat weight, then you can win $25,000.”

The cost to enter the big fish pot is $20, which is covered in the registration fee of $125 per boat.

The registration fee also covers two anglers ($100) and entry into the no-weight pot ($5).

The big fish grand prize of $25,000 in cash can be won if the angler who wins the big fish pot wins it with a bass weighing a flat weight, which is a weight ending in .00, such as 6.00 pounds.

The second-place prize is $500, and third place is $200.

Smith said another “twist” to this year’s tournament is extra prize money for winners wearing Maplesville gear, such as a T-shirt or hat.

“If you are fishing in our tournament and you are wearing any type of Maplesville gear, the highest-placing team can get an additional $200 added to their pot if they are wearing that gear,” Smith said.

For instance, the team that takes first place could win $2,200 if they are sporting Maplesville garb.

Smith said the club had hats left over from the 2013 football season and thought the tournament would be a good opportunity to encourage people to buy and wear the hats.

“We actually had a good many of our hats left from football season that we didn’t sell, so we were trying to figure out how we could get rid of these hats to order new ones for next season,” Smith said.

The tournament has already exceeded the 10-boat minimum for guaranteed payout.

“This year, we already have 18 registered,” Smith said. “We were excited about last year’s first tournament. We’re really excited about this second one.”

Boats will launch at safe light the morning of April 5 from a public boat ramp at Beeswax Creek, located next to Beeswax Bait and Grocery, 25747 Highway 145 in Columbiana.

Several event workers will arrive at 4:30 a.m. to register people before the tournament starts.

Anyone who registers the day of the tournament must pay with cash.

Those who register before April 5 may pay with cash or check.

Weigh-in will be at 3 p.m. Payouts can increase with 50 boats or more.

Door prizes and lunch will be provided at weigh-in.

Proceeds from the tournament will help pay equipment and travel expenses for athletic teams at Maplesville High School.

The club offered a Cardinal Club sponsorship for businesses that each donated $500 or more toward the tournament to help cover the big fish grand prize and the payout for all winners.

Sponsors included Lake Mitchell Construction, Jimmy Parnell family, Heart of Dixie Parts and Equipment, Harrison Hardware, Harrison and Sons Logging, Buffalo Rock and Blackbelt Sewer and Drain.

Registration forms are available on the Maplesville Athletic Club’s Facebook page, Beeswax Bait and Grocery and locations throughout the county: The Fishing Hole in Clanton, M&M Boats in Jemison, G&H Home Improvement in Maplesville, The Barking Frog in Maplesville, Maplesville High School and Blackbelt Sewer and Drain in Maplesville.

For more information, call James and Vickie Smith at (334) 366-2939.