Bill Dance honored with replica of 110-pound catfish at Vicksburg tournament

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — Legendary angler Bill Dance was honored at the recent 200K MegaBucks Catfish Tournament in Vicksburg with a surprise tribute from the catfishing community: a life-sized replica of the 110-pound blue catfish he caught a decade ago.

“At the recent 200K MegaBucks Catfish Tournament in Vicksburg, my good friend, fishing buddy and director, George Young asked if I remembered the day he netted my biggest blue cat, a 110 pounder, 40 miles up the Mississippi River from Memphis,” Dance said. “How could I ever forget that special moment in time 10 years ago?!”

To his surprise, Dance was presented with an exact replica of the massive catch.

“When I say ‘exact,’ that’s what I exactly mean,” Dance said. “It’s been a long time since I got choked up and was at a loss for words. Receiving this gift is one of the happiest moments in my life except when I met my wife, Dianne.”

The replica, created by Josh Roth of Rivers Edge Reproductions, is set to be displayed at the entrance of the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid in Memphis.

“This detailed replica looked just like the real thing,” Dance said. “Y’all, this will always hold a special place in my heart.”