The Sealy Outdoors Big Bass Splash is known for producing unforgettable moments on the water — but this year, one angler reeled in a catch that didn’t come with fins or a tail.
Instead, it came with a ring.
On September 20, during Day 2 of the Lake Fork Big Bass Splash, amidst $550,000 in cash and prizes, one amateur angler had a very different prize on his mind — and he needed just one thing to make it happen: a fish.
“I had the ring in my pocket all day,” Craig Nix told Wired2fish. “She had no idea.”
That “she” is Tracie Brooks, his longtime girlfriend and fishing partner for the day. The pair had met a year earlier at Lake Fork. The duo, unbeknownst to them, were brought together by mutual friends who intended to set them up. Brooks was living in Dallas, Nix was from Shreveport. But within two months of their arranged meeting, Tracie landed a job in Shreveport, and before the pair knew, they were sharing more than just tackle — they moved in together.
Nix’ plan? Land a bass, make it to the weigh-in between 1:00 and 2:00 p.m., and propose on stage. The only problem? By one, they hadn’t boated a single fish under the slot limit.
Time was ticking. His heart was pounding. And then — at exactly 1:08 p.m. — fortune struck.
“I hooked a 1.89-pound bass, and it was just inside the slot. It was like a miracle,” he said. “All I needed was that one fish to get us to the weigh-in stage.”
With fish in the livewell and a diamond ring in his pocket, they made it to the dock just in time. Tracie thought they were just weighing in a bass — she had no idea what was about to happen.
Then, in front of a cheering crowd at the Lake Fork Marina, he dropped not just a bass, but to one knee.
“I was in total shock,” Tracie said later. “I thought we were just here to fish!”
Surrounded by fellow anglers, tournament staff, and a crowd already buzzing from big bass and big wins, the couple shared a tearful embrace as she said “Yes!” — sealing the deal on the most unforgettable weigh-in of the weekend.
Sealy Outdoors is no stranger to epic moments — with history dating back to 1984 and millions paid out to weekend warriors across the country — but this may go down as one of the most heartfelt catches of the tournament’s legendary run.
As for the bass? It didn’t win an hourly prize — but it did become part of a story that will be told for a lifetime.
Congratulations to the happy couple!
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