Justin Rogers of Arkadelphia is the first angler to win the grand prize in the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s (AGFC) Legacy Lunker Program. The prizes, awarded during an Oct. 29 banquet in North Little Rock, included a $75,000 Xpress bass boat for Rogers, who was one of 18 anglers to donate trophy bass to the AGFC’s Black Bass Program during the 2026 donation season.
The event, hosted at the North Little Rock Event Center in the Argenta Arts District, celebrated all participating anglers. Each of them had caught bass weighing more than 10 pounds and donated the fish to the Legacy Lunker program. The fish are used for research and breeding to enhance Arkansas’s trophy bass population.
Rogers participated in a three-step drawing to determine the winner. First, each participant was represented by a numbered ping-pong ball in a cage. Three finalists were selected and asked to choose a sealed cup, one of which contained the key to the boat. Rogers was stunned when he revealed the winning key.
“It’s still unreal. It’s a blessing,” Rogers said of his win. “I can always say I won the first one.”
Rogers had considered upgrading the motor on his existing boat before the drawing but noted the new Xpress boat already features the motor he wanted. Rogers credited the Legacy Lunker program and its staff for their organization and communication, stating, “It’s been ran very well. I’m excited about the program. We’re finally establishing something like that so we can try to keep up with Texas in how many big bass we catch around here.”
The AGFC launched the Legacy Lunker Program this year, inviting anglers to contribute their catches for scientific research and spawning efforts. Donated bass are sent to the Joe Hogan State Fish Hatchery in Lonoke, where they are treated, held, and bred with male Florida bass from Red Hills Fishery, a private Georgia-based hatchery specializing in trophy fish genetics.
Rogers shared that his qualifying catch—a 10-pound lunker—came during a spring break fishing trip with his teenage son in March. An experienced angler and self-taught fisherman, he took home several prizes beyond the grand prize, including apparel, gift cards, and fishing gear, such as a custom bait exclusive to the Legacy Lunker program.
Rogers expressed excitement not only for the prizes but also for the experience at the banquet, emphasizing that all participants were celebrated. “It wasn’t even just the boat; everybody left there a winner,” he said.
The Legacy Lunker donation season runs annually from Jan. 1 to March 31. The 2027 contest will begin on New Year’s Day, offering another chance to win a fully loaded Xpress bass boat. Program rules and details can be found on the AGFC’s website.