2001 B.A.S.S. Federation Championship News
West Virginia state champion James Ayres to compete.
From B.A.S.S. Press Release
MOBILE, Ala. January 5, 2001 -- Fifty-one of the world’s best amateur anglers will converge on Mobile, April
23-28 for the 2001 B.A.S.S. Federation Championship with two goals in mind.
Amateur anglers from Canada, Japan, Italy, South Africa, Zimbabwe and 46 states will compete for a $50,000 purse
with the top angler from each B.A.S.S. Division earning a berth in this summer’s 31st BASS Masters Classic.
“The Federation Championship has much of the same drama and excitement of the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship, but
unlike the USGA which qualifies only the winner for a U.S. Open, B.A.S.S. qualifies the top angler from each of
five geographic regions for our premier event, the BASS Masters Classic” said Al Smith, Director of the B.A.S.S.
Federation which has a membership of over 50,000.
The tournament waters offer a rich history of action dating all the way back to the Spanish Conquistadors of the
1600s. Anglers will test their skills against the tidal waters of the Mobile Delta, which will require a variety
of fishing techniques.
“We are very proud that B.A.S.S. has selected Alabama’s Bass Trail Tensaw Delta site in Mobile to host its’ Federation
Championship,” said Governor Don Siegelman. “We are very excited about the recognition that the Alabama Bass Trail
has received since its creation last October.”
Visitors may also check out the newest products in outdoor recreation at Expo 2001, the mammoth consumer show held
in conjunction with the B.A.S.S. Federation Championship.
Daily weigh-ins and Expo 2001 will be located at the Mobile Convention Center. Spectators won’t want to miss the
excitement and anticipation build each day as the contenders vie for those Classic slots.
The Port City has been a popular spot for B.A.S.S. sanctioned events this past year. Thousands of fans were drawn
to Battleship Park for both a BASSMASTER Top 150 tournament and a Lowe’s World Championship Fishing event.
“The Mobile Tensaw Delta Trail site is a fantastic fishery that is sure to provide an exciting tournament experience
for both anglers and spectators,” said Alabama’s Conservation Commissioner Riley Boykin Smith. “We are proud to
have developed the facilities and cooperative infrastructure to attract tournaments such as this, as well as serving
the needs of Alabama’s recreational anglers.”
The B.A.S.S. Federation is an organization whose members plan, serve, endorse, lobby and support conservation efforts,
community service projects and youth programs. The network of 51 federations and 2,800 clubs provides a critical
lifeline from national ideas to widespread implementation and action.
Sponsors of the 2001 B.A.S.S. Federation Championship include: Ranger® Boats, RangerTrail®
Trailers, Mercury® Outboards, Chevrolet® Trucks, Humminbird®/Zercom® Marine, Flowmaster® Exhaust
Systems, Pennzoil Marine®, MotorGuide® Trolling Motors, Quantum® Rods and Reels, GMAC Insurance, Gore-Tex®
Outerwear, First USA Visa Card, Worldwaters.com, Berkley® Trilene®, Berkley® PowerBait®, Eagle
Claw® Fishhooks, Long John Silver’s Restaurants, Kuhmo Tires, Mobile Sports Commission, the City of Mobile
and the State of Alabama.
For more information contact:
B.A.S.S. Communications
(334) 272-9530
