07-14-2009, 11:10 AM
John Higman won the Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza 2009 and took home the $100,000 check. He has been fishing the Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza throughout the past ten years and has finished in the top ten in most of those tournaments. In 2008 he came in 2nd place and was determined to take home 1st place in 2009. He decided that at the 2009 tournament he would fish the Fort Smith pool and head out into familiar water that he had fished growing up. The Fort Smith pool on the Arkansas River payed off and John found himself weighing in a 7.3 lb Largemouth Bass that held the top weight of the tournament. After the receiving the prize money, John contacted Arkansas Tournament Fishing with a very special story. He told us he was going to give $86,000.00 of his prize money to a man he felt needed and deserved it more than himself. We asked Mr Higman who this friend was and he informed us that this was a man he found living in the street 13 years ago. John offered him a job doing demolition/construction work and has been helping this man ever since. This man's name is Floyd G. Hazel and has been a dear friend to John Higman throughout the years. "I (John Higman) won the Big Bass Bonanza in the amount of $100,000.00. I was going to give my dad, Jesse Higman, half of the $100,000.00 but my dad and I decided to help the man that I took off the streets thirteen years ago, who had nothing and has helped me throughout the years in many ways. It's time to give something back. So I am giving $86,000.00 my Big Bass Bonanza winnings to my friend, Floyd G. Hazel."