PINE BLUFF, AR.— A bass tournament made deductions from its prize payouts after fewer people entered the event last weekend than expected.

The Big Bass Bonanza paid $100,000 — as advertised — to the winner. But four anglers who were supposed to receive $10,000 only got $1,000.

"I just got ripped out of a pretty good chunk of money,'' said Bart Moore, one of those who was to receive $10,000. "This is the first time I've ever heard of this happening. Everybody is just beside themselves.''

Arkansas Hospitality Association spokesman David Kinkade said published brochures indicated the planned awards were for an event with 3,000 entrants. He said only 2,199 people entered the event, which was rescheduled three times.

Kinkade said had 3,000 people entered, the full $300,000 would have been paid out. Instead, he said, the tournament paid $214,000 in prizes.

Moore said deductions should have been more evenly dispersed.

"Even not having the 3,000 people, there was more than two-thirds,'' he said. "I should have at least received two-thirds of $10,000.''

Kinkade said most of the anglers were happy with their payouts. He said the tournament didn't want to reduce the $500 hourly prizes given out during the three-day event.

"There are any number of ways you could have sliced it and diced it,'' he said. "Beyond that, the hourly prizes are a big motivating factor for some of these fishermen because they see the grand prize as a long shot. We didn't want to cut the hourly prizes.''