04-22-2011, 11:10 AM
Ninety-nine of the most talented anglers in bass fishing-representing 27 states and one foreign country-are headed to West Point Lake near LaGrange, Ga., for one of America's premier fishing competitions, May 5-8.
The field for the Bassmaster Elite Series event includes perhaps the greatest competition angler of all time. Kevin VanDam from Kalamazoo, Mich., has more than $5 million in career earnings and is the reigning champion and a four-time winner of the prestigious Bassmaster Classic.
The upcoming event at LaGrange features Dixie Dock Dogs, a Team Sandtastic display, Hamsters Water Balls in which people can walk, jump, roll and float on water, Kids Zone with inflatables and local food vendors, all Friday-Sunday; Chamber Business After Hours on Friday; local bands performing Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The fishing competition is among just eight tournaments offering competitors a $100,000 top prize, a chance to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic, and a shot at the 2011 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.
Elite Series dates, fisheries, locations and winners (to date) include:
March 10-13 Harris Chain of Lakes, Tavares, Fla., Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Fla.<br />
March 17-20 St. John's River, Palatka, Fla., Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla.<br />
April 6-9 Pickwick Lake, Florence, Ala., Davy Hite of Ninety Six, S.C.<br />
April 14-17 Toledo Bend, Many, La., Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.<br />
May 5-8 West Point Lake, LaGrange, Ga.<br />
May 12-15 Lake Murray, Columbia, S.C.<br />
June 9-12 Arkansas River, Little Rock, Ark.<br />
June 16-19 Wheeler Lake, Decatur, Ala.
At each event, fishing fans of all ages can enjoy a variety of free activities such as: daily tournament weigh-ins; Ask the Experts, where fans can pose questions to Elite Series pros; live updates from the Toyota Trucks Hooked Up! stage, the Bassmaster.com preview show that gives fans on-site and online updates from the day's tournament action; B.A.S.S. giveaways; tips and techniques from industry experts; angler autograph sessions; live music from local and regional acts; family- and youth-friendly activities; and product demos. Official B.A.S.S. merchandise will be available for purchase.
For fans who can't be there in person, Bassmaster.com is the ultimate go-to destination for Bassmaster Elite Series event standings, stories, photo galleries, blogs, live coverage of weigh-ins, and on-the-water and behind-the-scenes video.
Each Bassmaster Elite Series event will be taped for broadcast on The Bassmasters, one of the highest-rated outdoors programs on television. One-hour programs air on ESPN2 Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. (ET) and Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. (ET) on ESPN Classic.
2011 Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter, Triton, Yamaha
2011 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance, Luck "E" Strike, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ramada
Bassmaster Elite Series competitors by state:
Alabama<br />
Boyd Duckett, Demopolis, Ala.<br />
Matt Herren, Trussville, Ala.<br />
Tim Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala.<br />
Randy Howell, Springville, Ala.<br />
Steve Kennedy, Auburn, Ala.<br />
Kotaro Kiriyama, Moody, Ala.<br />
Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala.<br />
Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala.<br />
Aaron Martens, Leeds, Ala.<br />
Keith Poche, Troy, Ala.<br />
Derek Remitz, Grant, Ala.<br />
Gerald Swindle, Warrior, Ala.<br />
Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala.
Arizona<br />
John Murray, Phoenix, Ariz.<br />
Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Arkansas<br />
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.<br />
Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark.<br />
Billy McCaghren, Mayflower, Ark.<br />
Mike McClelland, Bella Vista, Ark.<br />
Scott Rook, Little Rock, Ark.<br />
Kevin Short, Mayflower, Ark.
California<br />
Jared Lintner, Arroyo Grande, Calif.<br />
Ish Monroe, Hughson, Calif.<br />
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.
Florida<br />
Matt Greenblatt, Port St. Lucie, Fla.<br />
Shaw Grigsby, Gainesville, Fla.<br />
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla.<br />
Bernie Schultz, Gainesville, Fla.<br />
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.<br />
Lee Sisson, Winter Haven, Fla.<br />
Peter Thliveros, St. Augustine, Fla.
Georgia<br />
J. Todd Tucker, Moultrie, Ga.
Idaho<br />
Brandon Palaniuk, Rathdrum, Idaho
Indiana<br />
Bill Lowen, Brookville, Ind.
Japan<br />
Morizo Shimizu, Matsugaoka, Japan
Kansas<br />
Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan.
Kentucky<br />
Mark Menendez, Paducah, Ky.<br />
Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky.<br />
Kevin Wirth, Crestwood, Ky.
Louisiana<br />
Jeff Connella, Bentley, La.<br />
Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La.<br />
Greg Hackney, Gonzales, La.<br />
Dennis Tietje, Roanoke, La.
Maryland<br />
Grant Goldbeck, Gaithersburg, Md.
Michigan<br />
Ryan Said, Wixom, Mich.<br />
Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.<br />
Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.<br />
Nate Wellman, Newaygo, Mich.
Mississippi<br />
Paul Elias, Laurel, Miss.<br />
Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss.<br />
Pete Ponds, Madison, Miss.
Missouri<br />
Denny Brauer, Camdenton, Mo.<br />
Rick Clunn, Ava, Mo.<br />
Brian Snowden, Reeds Spring, Mo.
New Jersey<br />
Michael Iaconelli, Pittsgrove, N.J.
North Carolina<br />
Pat Golden, High Point, N.C.<br />
Dustin Wilks, Rocky Mount, N.C.<br />
Dave Wolak, Wake Forest, N.C.
Ohio<br />
Brent Broderick, Oregonia, Ohio<br />
Charlie Hartley, Grove City, Ohio
Oklahoma<br />
Scott Ashmore, Broken Arrow, Okla.<br />
Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla.<br />
Terry Butcher, Talala, Okla.<br />
Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla.<br />
Bradley Hallman, Norman, Okla.<br />
Kenyon Hill, Norman, Okla.<br />
Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla.<br />
Fred Roumbanis, Bixby, Okla.<br />
David Smith, Del City, Okla.
South Carolina<br />
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C.<br />
Davy Hite, Ninety Six, S.C.<br />
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.<br />
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C.<br />
Jason Quinn, Lake Wylie, S.C.<br />
Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C.<br />
Jason Williamson, Aiken, S.C.
South Dakota<br />
Jami Fralick, Martin, S.D.
Tennessee<br />
Ott DeFoe, Knoxville, Tenn.<br />
Ben Parker, Union City, Tenn.<br />
David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn.
Texas<br />
Dean Alexander, Georgetown, Texas<br />
Keith Combs, Huntington, Texas<br />
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas<br />
Chad Griffin, Cresson, Texas<br />
Alton Jones, Waco, Texas<br />
Kelly Jordon, Palestine, Texas<br />
Gary Klein, Weatherford, Texas<br />
Yusuke Miyazaki, Forney, Texas<br />
James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas<br />
Takahiro Omori, Emory, Texas<br />
Russell Parrish, Riesel, Texas<br />
Matt Reed, Madisonville, Texas<br />
Clark Reehm, Lufkin, Texas<br />
Zell Rowland, Austin, Texas<br />
Craig Schuff, Watauga, Texas<br />
James Stricklin, Texarkania, Texas
Virginia<br />
John Crews, Salem, Va.<br />
Rick Morris, Virginia Beach, Va.
Wisconsin<br />
Travis Manson, De Pere, Wis.
About B.A.S.S.<br />
For more than 40 years, B.A.S.S. has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.
The Bassmaster brand and its multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications - Bassmaster Magazine and B.A.S.S. Times - comprehensive website Bassmaster.com, ESPN2 and Outdoor Channel television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, B.A.S.S. Federation Nation events presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
B.A.S.S. offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members and remains focused on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
The field for the Bassmaster Elite Series event includes perhaps the greatest competition angler of all time. Kevin VanDam from Kalamazoo, Mich., has more than $5 million in career earnings and is the reigning champion and a four-time winner of the prestigious Bassmaster Classic.
The upcoming event at LaGrange features Dixie Dock Dogs, a Team Sandtastic display, Hamsters Water Balls in which people can walk, jump, roll and float on water, Kids Zone with inflatables and local food vendors, all Friday-Sunday; Chamber Business After Hours on Friday; local bands performing Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The fishing competition is among just eight tournaments offering competitors a $100,000 top prize, a chance to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic, and a shot at the 2011 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.
Elite Series dates, fisheries, locations and winners (to date) include:
March 10-13 Harris Chain of Lakes, Tavares, Fla., Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Fla.<br />
March 17-20 St. John's River, Palatka, Fla., Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla.<br />
April 6-9 Pickwick Lake, Florence, Ala., Davy Hite of Ninety Six, S.C.<br />
April 14-17 Toledo Bend, Many, La., Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.<br />
May 5-8 West Point Lake, LaGrange, Ga.<br />
May 12-15 Lake Murray, Columbia, S.C.<br />
June 9-12 Arkansas River, Little Rock, Ark.<br />
June 16-19 Wheeler Lake, Decatur, Ala.
At each event, fishing fans of all ages can enjoy a variety of free activities such as: daily tournament weigh-ins; Ask the Experts, where fans can pose questions to Elite Series pros; live updates from the Toyota Trucks Hooked Up! stage, the Bassmaster.com preview show that gives fans on-site and online updates from the day's tournament action; B.A.S.S. giveaways; tips and techniques from industry experts; angler autograph sessions; live music from local and regional acts; family- and youth-friendly activities; and product demos. Official B.A.S.S. merchandise will be available for purchase.
For fans who can't be there in person, Bassmaster.com is the ultimate go-to destination for Bassmaster Elite Series event standings, stories, photo galleries, blogs, live coverage of weigh-ins, and on-the-water and behind-the-scenes video.
Each Bassmaster Elite Series event will be taped for broadcast on The Bassmasters, one of the highest-rated outdoors programs on television. One-hour programs air on ESPN2 Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. (ET) and Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. (ET) on ESPN Classic.
2011 Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter, Triton, Yamaha
2011 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance, Luck "E" Strike, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ramada
Bassmaster Elite Series competitors by state:
Alabama<br />
Boyd Duckett, Demopolis, Ala.<br />
Matt Herren, Trussville, Ala.<br />
Tim Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala.<br />
Randy Howell, Springville, Ala.<br />
Steve Kennedy, Auburn, Ala.<br />
Kotaro Kiriyama, Moody, Ala.<br />
Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala.<br />
Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala.<br />
Aaron Martens, Leeds, Ala.<br />
Keith Poche, Troy, Ala.<br />
Derek Remitz, Grant, Ala.<br />
Gerald Swindle, Warrior, Ala.<br />
Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala.
Arizona<br />
John Murray, Phoenix, Ariz.<br />
Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Arkansas<br />
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.<br />
Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark.<br />
Billy McCaghren, Mayflower, Ark.<br />
Mike McClelland, Bella Vista, Ark.<br />
Scott Rook, Little Rock, Ark.<br />
Kevin Short, Mayflower, Ark.
California<br />
Jared Lintner, Arroyo Grande, Calif.<br />
Ish Monroe, Hughson, Calif.<br />
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.
Florida<br />
Matt Greenblatt, Port St. Lucie, Fla.<br />
Shaw Grigsby, Gainesville, Fla.<br />
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla.<br />
Bernie Schultz, Gainesville, Fla.<br />
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.<br />
Lee Sisson, Winter Haven, Fla.<br />
Peter Thliveros, St. Augustine, Fla.
Georgia<br />
J. Todd Tucker, Moultrie, Ga.
Idaho<br />
Brandon Palaniuk, Rathdrum, Idaho
Indiana<br />
Bill Lowen, Brookville, Ind.
Japan<br />
Morizo Shimizu, Matsugaoka, Japan
Kansas<br />
Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan.
Kentucky<br />
Mark Menendez, Paducah, Ky.<br />
Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky.<br />
Kevin Wirth, Crestwood, Ky.
Louisiana<br />
Jeff Connella, Bentley, La.<br />
Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La.<br />
Greg Hackney, Gonzales, La.<br />
Dennis Tietje, Roanoke, La.
Maryland<br />
Grant Goldbeck, Gaithersburg, Md.
Michigan<br />
Ryan Said, Wixom, Mich.<br />
Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.<br />
Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.<br />
Nate Wellman, Newaygo, Mich.
Mississippi<br />
Paul Elias, Laurel, Miss.<br />
Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss.<br />
Pete Ponds, Madison, Miss.
Missouri<br />
Denny Brauer, Camdenton, Mo.<br />
Rick Clunn, Ava, Mo.<br />
Brian Snowden, Reeds Spring, Mo.
New Jersey<br />
Michael Iaconelli, Pittsgrove, N.J.
North Carolina<br />
Pat Golden, High Point, N.C.<br />
Dustin Wilks, Rocky Mount, N.C.<br />
Dave Wolak, Wake Forest, N.C.
Ohio<br />
Brent Broderick, Oregonia, Ohio<br />
Charlie Hartley, Grove City, Ohio
Oklahoma<br />
Scott Ashmore, Broken Arrow, Okla.<br />
Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla.<br />
Terry Butcher, Talala, Okla.<br />
Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla.<br />
Bradley Hallman, Norman, Okla.<br />
Kenyon Hill, Norman, Okla.<br />
Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla.<br />
Fred Roumbanis, Bixby, Okla.<br />
David Smith, Del City, Okla.
South Carolina<br />
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C.<br />
Davy Hite, Ninety Six, S.C.<br />
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.<br />
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C.<br />
Jason Quinn, Lake Wylie, S.C.<br />
Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C.<br />
Jason Williamson, Aiken, S.C.
South Dakota<br />
Jami Fralick, Martin, S.D.
Tennessee<br />
Ott DeFoe, Knoxville, Tenn.<br />
Ben Parker, Union City, Tenn.<br />
David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn.
Texas<br />
Dean Alexander, Georgetown, Texas<br />
Keith Combs, Huntington, Texas<br />
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas<br />
Chad Griffin, Cresson, Texas<br />
Alton Jones, Waco, Texas<br />
Kelly Jordon, Palestine, Texas<br />
Gary Klein, Weatherford, Texas<br />
Yusuke Miyazaki, Forney, Texas<br />
James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas<br />
Takahiro Omori, Emory, Texas<br />
Russell Parrish, Riesel, Texas<br />
Matt Reed, Madisonville, Texas<br />
Clark Reehm, Lufkin, Texas<br />
Zell Rowland, Austin, Texas<br />
Craig Schuff, Watauga, Texas<br />
James Stricklin, Texarkania, Texas
Virginia<br />
John Crews, Salem, Va.<br />
Rick Morris, Virginia Beach, Va.
Wisconsin<br />
Travis Manson, De Pere, Wis.
About B.A.S.S.<br />
For more than 40 years, B.A.S.S. has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.
The Bassmaster brand and its multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications - Bassmaster Magazine and B.A.S.S. Times - comprehensive website Bassmaster.com, ESPN2 and Outdoor Channel television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, B.A.S.S. Federation Nation events presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
B.A.S.S. offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members and remains focused on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.