“The General” selected for winning name in big bass contest
A 16-pound, 15-ounce largemouth bass discovered in October during a routine electro-fishing procedure at Brown’s Creek Lake in rural Henderson County, Tenn., has been officially dubbed “The General” in a Name That Bass Contest posted on Outdoors with Larry Rea’s web site, www.lroutdoors.com.
Will Garey, 24, of Atoka, Tenn., came up with the winning name. The General was among three finalists in the contest, which was featured throughout November on the Outdoors with Larry Rea radio show, which is in its eighth year on the air on Country Legends WMC 79 in Memphis. More than 30 names were submitted by show listeners during November. The show is broadcast on Saturday mornings from 6-7:30 a.m., CST.
A panel of judges trimmed the original list to The General, Granny Brown (Ron Wong of Memphis) and Shockey (Regina Owen of Memphis) with the winning name selected in a vote of show listeners on Dec. 5.
Gareyl, an August 2009 graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in aerospace, won a prize pack from Collierville-based Strike King Lure Company, Shimano Sonora 2500FB reel with a propulsion line management system and a spool of the award-winning Power Pro 15-pound test Spectra braided line and Grabber Warmer Prize Pack. The Strike King Lure Prize Pack included a tackle box autographed by professional bass angler Kevin Van Dam.
“I’ve never seen so much stuff (prizes),” said Will’s dad, Bart, whose family has owned and operated one of Memphis’ oldest retail outlets, the Hollywood Furniture & Hardware Company, which has been in business for 85 years at 2461 Chelsea Avenue.
Don’t let the fish’s manly sounding name fool you.
Yes, the fish is a female, but according to the U.S. Army’s web site (www.army.mil) women can serve in 93 percent of Army occupations and they make up about 15 percent of the active Army. In fact, on June 11, 1970, Colonel Anna Mae Hays, Chief, Army Nurse Corps was promoted to the grade of brigadier general, thus becoming the first woman in the history of the U.S. Army to attain general officer rank. In November 2008, Ann E. Dunwoody made history when she became the first woman in the U.S. military to attain the rank of four-star general.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency discovered “The General” on Oct. 21 at Brown’s Creek, a state-managed 167-acre lake located in Natchez Trace State Park. The big fish was examined and then released back into the lake where since its discovery has created a frenzy of activity by anglers.
Dave Rizzuto, TWRA Region 1 fisheries biologist, says “The General” is going to get even bigger, possibly topping 18 pounds as she fattens up during January and February. The existing state record for largemouth bass is 14 pounds 8 ounces caught in Sugar Creek in Lawrence County in 1954. It is the state’s oldest state fisheries record.
Among other names considered by the panel of judges were Gilda (Rodney Owen of Memphis), Miss Daisy (Calvin Jones of Memphis), Elvis (Nichol Treuil of Memphis), Lucille (Brian Carroll of Smyrna, Ga.), Lucky (Steve McGoldrick of Memphis), Shamuno (Gil Lackey of Nashville), Mr. T. (Edward Farrell of Memphis), George (Jo Ann Lynch of Memphis), Gertrude (Angela Lusk of Memphis) and It Ought to Be Mine (Les Collier of Lakeland).
