Ray Scott Outdoors

Pintlala School Benefit
Hooks Treasurer's Interest

Alabama's State Treasurer Lucy
Baxley to fish for
"Fun & Funds" in Senior's Bass
Tournament Benefit for
Students, May 18th…

MONTGOMERY - If there's anyone concerned with the shortfall in Alabama's school funding and the state of the budget it's Lucy Baxley, Alabama's State Treasurer.

And, she's going fishing for school funds. Mrs. Baxley announced Monday that she is joining the Senior's Bass Tournament, Friday (May 18th) to raise money for the Pintlala Elementary School.

At a press conference in the State Treasurer's office this morning, Mrs. Baxley presented her $500 entry fee check to Ray Scott, director of the Eagles of Angling Senior Bass Tournament.

Scott, the founder of the Montgomery-based Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), has lured former bass tournament fishing greats out of retirement, and invited area anglers, 62 years and older, to compete in the one-day event on his 55-acre lake near Pintlala, in southwest Montgomery county.

"I'm not a professional angler by any stretch of the imagination," admitted Lucy Baxley, "but I do enjoy the outdoors, fishing and the idea of helping raise funds for the classroom needs at the Pintlala School is a very worthwhile cause I'm interested in supporting."

Scott said, "I was delighted when Lucy Baxley called about entering the tournament. I told her get her pole and come on. But, don't mail the check, I'll come and pick it up."

Each angler will be limited to two rods and reels and fish with artificial lures only. All fishing will be from the bank with anglers casting from numbered stakes set up around the 1 ½ mile shoreline.

Having grown up in the country around Pansy, Alabama, Mrs. Baxley knows about fishing ponds and lakes. "Since we have a family place at Gulf Shores, I'm more into saltwater fishing, now," she explained, "but I'm going to have an experienced bass angler at my side."

In the rules of the tournament, each angler has the option to bring a "caddy" or helper to tie on lures, pickout backlashes and be an aid to moving around the course.

Mickey Daughtry, an accountant on the state treasurer's staff and an avid angler, will help Mrs. Baxley in the tournament. "He's already coaching me about not setting the hook real hard, since we'll be fishing with only four-pound test line," said Baxley.

The tournament anglers will all be furnished with STREN's Clear/Blue Fluorescent monofilament line. Only bass that measure 12 inches and under will be weighed-in.

As a first-time tournament entrant, Lucy Baxley can't be ruled out. In 1994, in her first run for elected office, she landed the State Treasurer's job. Four years later, Mrs. Baxley compiled the "highest number of votes received by a candidate for constitutional office in Alabama." But, due to constitutional term limits, she can not seek a third term.

Maybe she'll find more time to fish? "I love to be outdoors. It's wonderful to become so engrossed in landing a fish that I totally forget everything else for a while," she acknowledges. "I think it is truly amazing that the challenge of landing a fish can become such a priority in one's thoughts."

Scott says the tournament field will be close to his target of 100 anglers. "We're going to show," Scott vowed. "I'm hopeful of raising more than the $50,000 we set as a target when we announced the tournament on April 23. Besides the angler's $500 entry fee, we're receiving $5,000 sponsor fees from several area business leaders and others concerned with our educational needs."

Former President George Bush and Governor Don Siegelman will assist Scott in the weighmaster duties at the 5 p.m. Friday weigh-in ceremonies at the Pintlala Elementary School, located at 214 Federal Road.

The weigh-in is open to the public. The angler that weighs-in the most pounds and ounces of "undersize" keepers will be the winner of the $5,000 top prize.

"But, the big winners will be the students, grades 1 to 6, at the Pintlala School. The monies will be for a perpetual fund to support the classroom teaching needs," said Scott.

"Our slogan is" "Fishing for Fun and Small Fry Funds," asserted Scott. "Hopefully, our efforts will spark other communities to 'Adopt A School' and support education."

Lucy Baxley concluded with, "I hope this tournament will motivate other citizens to come up with ways to support education in our State.

FISHING FOR FUNDS - Alabama's State Treasurer Lucy Baxley hands over her $500 entry fee to Ray Scott, director of the Eagles of Angling Senior Bass Tournament, set for May 18th (Friday) in Pintlala. Mrs. Baxley, an avid angler, will join in the bank fishing tournament on Scott's 55-acre lake for the benefit of the Pintlala Elementary School. Scott, the founder of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society, hopes to raise over $50,000 to provide needed classroom supplies and teacher's educational needs. The tournament weigh-in will begin at 5 p.m. Friday at the Pintlala School, located at 214 Federal Road in southwest Montgomery County.

TACKLE TIPS-Ray Scott, right, director of the Eagles of Angling Senior Bass Tournament, offers a few bassin' tips to Lucy Baxley, Alabama's State Treasurer, who will be fishing in the May 18th benefit tournament for the Pintlala Elementary School. Mickey Daughtry, an accountant on the state treasurer's staff, will act as Mrs. Baxley's caddy during the fishing. The anglers will fish from the shoreline on Scott's 55-acre lake. The 5 p.m. weigh-in at the Pintlala Elementary School, located at 214 Federal Road, is open to the public.