News Release

For additional information, please contact:
Carey O’Bryant, Marketing Manager, (870) 453-2222

RANGER TO HOLD $3.6 MILLION BASS TOURNAMENT IN ALABAMA

MOBILE, Ala. (Jan. 8, 2001) - Ranger Boat Company of Flippin, Ark. has announced
that the company's second M1 bass tournament will be held at Mobile, Ala., Feb. 27
through Mar. 2, 2002.  With a $3.6 million purse and up to $1 million going to the
winner, the Ranger M1 is the sports richest event in history, equaled only by the premier
M1 held in Nov., 1999.

    Featuring the top 400 bass anglers from hundreds of qualifying tournaments coast
to coast, the Ranger M1 will mark only the second time that top competitors from the
nation's leading fishing organizations have gone toe-to-toe in elimination competition.

    Ranger founder, Forrest L. Wood, participated in the press conference here, in
Mobile, along with Alabama Governor Don Siegelman.  "We are extremely proud to be
hosting the Ranger M1," said Governor Siegelman, "The tournament will have significant
economic impact on Mobile, and the wealth of exposure generated by the event will
highlight fishing and other recreational opportunities statewide."

    Anglers will qualify for the Ranger M1 as pros or as co-anglers, with the pros
fishing from their Ranger's front deck for the tournament's top dollars.  Co-anglers will
fish from the back of the boat for up to $250,000 - the richest non-professional award in
bass fishing history.  Each pro will retain control of his or her Ranger boat throughout the
competition.

    There will be three elimination rounds on the Tensaw Delta, a 100,000-acre
fishery formed by the confluence of the Alabama, Tombigbee and Mobile Rivers at
Mobile Bay.  The full field will compete for two days and then will be cut to the top 10
anglers inboth divisions based on total catch weight.  Starting again at zero weight, these
anglers will compete in a one-day semi-final round, the last day for co-angler
competition.  Only the top five pro anglers will advance to the final day of competition
and will re-start at zero catch weight.

    Weigh-ins for the first two days of competition will be held at Battleship
Memorial Park in Mobile.  The two remaining weigh-ins will be at the Mobile
Convention Center.  Operation Bass of Gilbertsville, Ky., will again be conducting this
landmark event. Ranger Boat Company will be joined by an impressive review of
sponsors - including Wal-Mart, Kellogg's, Pepsi, Chevrolet, Citgo, Fujifilm and Visa, to
name a few. 

    "After the outstanding success of the first Ranger M1 we had to have another
one," said Randy Hopper, Presidents of Ranger Boats.  "Ranger has been a leading
sponsor of competitive fishing for over 30 years.  To us, the M1 is the ultimate
expression of our appreciation to the loyal family of Ranger owners everywhere." 

    The Ranger M1 total purse is based on a guaranteed payback of $1.3 million, plus
$2.3 million in sponsor bonus money.  The winning pro is guaranteed $400,000 and the
top co-angler, $150,000.  All competitors will receive a minimum cash award equal to
his or her entry fee provided minimum sponsor bonus requirements are met.  Entry fees
are $5,000 for pros and $2,500 for co-anglers.

    For more information on how to qualify for the Ranger M1 contact Ranger Boats
at (870) 453-2222 or visit Ranger's website at rangerboats.com.