When he was notified that he had won the grand prize in the “Fish with Chris and Trait Zaldain” sweepstakes, Kert May of Willis, Texas, couldn’t believe the good news — literally.

“I was skeptical when I opened up the email saying I had won,” he said. “The notification arrived on April 1 — April Fools’ Day. I have friends who would try to pull a trick like that on me.”

Finally, reality sank in, and May — a lifelong angler and B.A.S.S. member since longer ago than he can remember — embraced the fact that he had just won a fishing trip with Bassmaster Elite Series star Chris Zaldain and his wife, Trait, who is a professional angler competing on the Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series.

May’s name was drawn from more than 710,000 entries in the sweepstakes.

B.A.S.S. will fly May to upstate New York, where he will fish with the Zaldains on the St. Lawrence River in August, immediately following the Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River out of Waddington, N.Y. He also receives three nights lodging, a rental car and $500 spending money.

In addition to the fishing trip, May’s grand prize includes a Skeeter ZX190 bass boat with Yamaha VF150LA outboard, rigged with two Humminbird Helix 10 depthfinder/GPS units and other accessories. He also will receive assorted fishing gear from Sportsman Warehouse and prize packages from Seaguar Fishing Line, Trokar, Santone Lures and Megabass.

A director with MBA Energy & Industrial, May’s office is just 10 miles from Lake Conroe, site of the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. He fishes the lake every chance he gets, and he’s excited about getting out on the lake in his new Skeeter soon.

The winner of the next B.A.S.S. sweepstakes will receive a similar prize package, including an expenses-paid trip with Bassmaster Elite Series standout Hunter Shryock. The contest will conclude July 31, and it will award one lucky bass fishing fan $48,000 in prizes, including a new Phoenix 618 Pro XP bass boat with Mercury 150L Pro XS engine.

Other prizes include a Lowrance HDS LIVE 7 fishfinder with Active Imaging 3-in-1; a Rigid Industries Boat Deck Light Kit + Backup kit; Power-Pole $500 gift certificate plus gear; assorted tackle from Abu Garcia, Berkley, and SiderWire; a Field & Stream $500 gift card; Keel shield prize pack; and Bob's Machine trolling motor upgrade package and apparel.

For information and to enter the sweepstakes, fans can go to www.bassmaster.com/fishwithhunter.