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| FishTails: September
2000 |
2000 Eastern Divisional Tournament
Sept. 24-29, 2000
Potomac River
Waldorf, Maryland
Preview Story
West Virginia B.A.S.S. Federation Team among Amateurs to Test Potomac River
Waldorf, Maryland, Sept. 18, 2000 - WALDORF, Md., Sept. 18, 2000-Exactly one month ago to the week, the sport's
top B.A.S.S. pros fished the Potomac River in the Maryland BASSMASTER Top 150. True to its reputation, one of the
nation's top bass fisheries lived up to its reputation. Next week it will be the B.A.S.S. amateurs who will visit
the historic tidal fishery. And there is one notable difference in this competition beside a flip of the calendar.
This wave of B.A.S.S. anglers aspires to be like their predecessors who make cast-for-cast fishing a full-time
career.
The B.A.S.S. Eastern Divisional Championship is Sept. 27-29 with 156 anglers from 13 east coast states competing
in the grass-roots tournament held by the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.). Represented are 12-angler
teams from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. There is not one but 13 winners in this competition that will determine
state champions. Each angler who places first on his team advances a step closer to every amateur bass fisherman's
dream. And that is a berth as an amateur in the 2001 BASS Masters Classic. The Eastern Divisional advances the
state champions to the B.A.S.S. National Championship to be held next spring. In all, 46 state champions will be
joined by their peers from Canada, Japan, Italy, Zimbabwe and South Africa to compete for the five coveted spots
in bass fishing's world championship. One state champion from this competition will represent the Eastern Division
at the Classic. Others will come from the Eastern, Central, Southern, and Western divisions comprising the B.A.S.S.
Federation.
A total prize purse of $51,600 will be divided between the state teams for conservation and civic projects at home.
The winning state gets $17,500. The B.A.S.S. Federation's Eastern Division has been a hot recruiting ground for
vaulting everyday bass fishermen into their dream job as a pro angler. The most recognized is former Connecticut
state champion Bryan Kerchal, the first amateur to win the Classic in 1994. This tournament also launched the career
of New Jersey's Mike Iaconelli, one of the hottest pros on the pro circuit.
For now, the focus will be on the Potomac River. Last month, South Carolina pro Carl Maxfield fought off the sport's
top pros to catch 64 pounds, 3 ounces in four days of fishing. At the core of Maxfield's win was the type of bass
fishing area that has made this river a favorite. The spot held a mixture of hydrilla and eelgrass growing against
a sharply tapered sloping bank. The sharp break in depth was key. His spot dropped from three to five feet before
dropping into an eight-foot creek channel. The bass were stacked up on this combination of depth and cover.
Much of the same type of bass fishing scenario could hold up for the amateurs. And the fishing could be even better,
because the fall weather has acted as a feeding catalyst to the bass bulking up on food for the coming winter.
Winning stringers, wherever they come from, routinely top 50 pounds even in three-day tournaments. Bass fishing
structure on this tidal fishery ranges from hydrilla beds, pilings and shipwrecks to submerged rockpiles and other
natural cover scattered up and down the some 50 miles of water open to the competition.
The rules for this contest are strict, focusing on boating and angler safety and maintaining a healthy catch of
bass. The contestants are allowed to return each day with 5 bass that must measure 12 inches or more in length.
Live bass are returned to the Potomac River after being weighed. The few that are not cost each angler 4 precious
ounces per fish, meaning that weight is deducted from his daily score.
How they win does not really matter. The only thing that counts is to advance to the next wrung on the ladder of
a quest for the top. And that is a berth in the Classic and a dream job as a B.A.S.S. pro. To find out who takes
that next step, check out the daily weigh-ins at Smallwood State Park. The anglers return each of the three competition
days at 2:20 p.m. The state champions and state team championship will be determined on Friday.
Story: http://www.bassmaster.com/federation/
Sponsors of the B.A.S.S. Eastern Divisional Championship are: Ranger Boats, RangerTrail Trailers,
Mercury Marine, Chevrolet Trucks, Humminbird/Zercom Electronics, Pennzoil Marine, ACDelco Batteries, Flowmaster
Exhaust Systems, Motorguide Trolling Motors, Quantum Rods and Reels, Berkley Trilene, Berkley Power Bait, Eagle
Claw Fishhooks, Worldwaters.com, First USA Bank, GMAC Insurance and GoreTex Outerwear.
For additional information
Please contact: B.A.S.S. Communications at
(334) 272-9530
Chris Murray
Communications Coordinator
B.A.S.S., Inc. Communications
5845 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36117
phone: (334) 272-9530 ext. 436
fax: (334) 270-8549
http://www.bassmaster.com |
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