For Greg Martin, fishing and family go hand in hand.

“You know you grow up, you’re a kid, you follow your dad around,” Martin said. “And then you have kids, and they follow you around and then they grow up. I’m fortunate enough both my boys live in the same town I do. So we can have a lot of family time.”

That’s why they’ll compete in the 25th annual Big Bass Tournament, with other fishermen from across the Ark-La-Miss, who signed up and will bait their hooks for the weekend’s biggest catch.

“It’s a wonderful, wonderful wholesome family event,” said Georgia Street, Executive Director of the Ronald McDonald House.

The tournament, spanning all weekend long, takes fishermen up the Ouachita River all the way to Felsenthal, looking solely for large mouth bass. All the proceeds will benefit the Ronald McDonald House.

“I ain’t the best fisherman in the world by a long shot,” Martin said. But, I enjoy it. It’s fun, it’s family time. Plus, Ronald McDonald is a good cause.“

Fish will be weighed each hour of the day, and prizes awarded accordingly. But, there are also other incentives. A McDonald’s challenge for extra cash, and a $10,000 grand prize for whoever catches the biggest fish in the tournament.

An amount that’s pushing some a little harder this weekend.

And for Martin, though he’s not sure he’ll win, he’ll know what to do with the money if he does.

"If i could win the big money, I’d buy me a boat,” he said.

A boat he’s sure to share with his family.