03-09-2011, 12:10 PM
More than a hundred of the most talented anglers in bass fishing-representing 27 states and one foreign country-will be converging on Florida for two of America's premier fishing competitions, beginning March 10 and 17.
The field for both Bassmaster Elite Series events includes perhaps the greatest competition angler of all time. Kevin VanDam is a Michigan fisherman with more than $5 million in career earnings.
Both tourneys also will feature free outdoor activities for the whole family.
Florida event dates and locations:
March 10-13 Harris Chain, Tavares, Fla.
March 17-20 St. John's River, Palatka, Fla.
The Florida competitions are among just eight tournaments offering competitors a $100,000 top prize, a chance to qualify for the legendary Bassmaster Classic, and a shot at the 2011 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.
Other event dates and locations:
April 6-9 Pickwick Lake, Florence, Ala.<br />
April 14-17 Toledo Bend, Many, La.<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; Hooked Up, 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 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 Trucks, Berkley, Bass Pro Shops, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter, Triton, Yamaha
2011 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance, 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 />
Clark Reehm, Russellville, 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, Palm Beach Gardens, 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, Osaka, 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.
Massachusetts<br />
Byron "B.J." Haseotes, Centerville, Mass.
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 />
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, 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 />
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, Springville, Tenn.<br />
David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn.
Texas<br />
Dean Alexander, Florence, Texas<br />
Keith Combs, Del Rio, 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 />
Zell Rowland, Austin, Texas<br />
Craig Schuff, Watauga, Texas<br />
James Stricklin, Jasper, Texas
Virginia<br />
John Crews, Salem, Va.<br />
Rick Morris, Virginia Beach, Va.
West Virginia<br />
Jeremy Starks, Scott Depot, W.Va.
Wisconsin<br />
Travis Manson, Green Bay, 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, and ESPN2 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 both Bassmaster Elite Series events includes perhaps the greatest competition angler of all time. Kevin VanDam is a Michigan fisherman with more than $5 million in career earnings.
Both tourneys also will feature free outdoor activities for the whole family.
Florida event dates and locations:
March 10-13 Harris Chain, Tavares, Fla.
March 17-20 St. John's River, Palatka, Fla.
The Florida competitions are among just eight tournaments offering competitors a $100,000 top prize, a chance to qualify for the legendary Bassmaster Classic, and a shot at the 2011 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.
Other event dates and locations:
April 6-9 Pickwick Lake, Florence, Ala.<br />
April 14-17 Toledo Bend, Many, La.<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; Hooked Up, 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 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 Trucks, Berkley, Bass Pro Shops, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter, Triton, Yamaha
2011 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance, 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 />
Clark Reehm, Russellville, 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, Palm Beach Gardens, 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, Osaka, 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.
Massachusetts<br />
Byron "B.J." Haseotes, Centerville, Mass.
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 />
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, 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 />
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, Springville, Tenn.<br />
David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn.
Texas<br />
Dean Alexander, Florence, Texas<br />
Keith Combs, Del Rio, 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 />
Zell Rowland, Austin, Texas<br />
Craig Schuff, Watauga, Texas<br />
James Stricklin, Jasper, Texas
Virginia<br />
John Crews, Salem, Va.<br />
Rick Morris, Virginia Beach, Va.
West Virginia<br />
Jeremy Starks, Scott Depot, W.Va.
Wisconsin<br />
Travis Manson, Green Bay, 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, and ESPN2 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.