Angler Of The Year Championship Competition Will Resume Monday

The Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship held on Bays de Noc out of Escanaba, Mich., will continue to be postponed because of strong winds Sunday. Photo by Seigo Saito/Bassmaster

ESCANABA, Mich. — Bassmaster Elite Series tournament officials postponed competition in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship for an unprecedented third consecutive day today because of unsafe boating conditions.

The third day of competition was postponed Sunday because of steady north winds gusting to 20 miles per hour which resulted in small craft advisories for the Escanaba area of Lake Michigan.

“Winds through the north were up to 25 mph and higher,” said Trip Weldon, B.A.S.S. tournament director. “It’s especially rough here at the takeoff location.”

The Top 50 Bassmaster Elite Series anglers are competing this week on Big Bay de Noc and Little Bay de Noc in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for the coveted title of Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year and a purse of $900,000.

Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., remains the frontrunner for the Angler of the Year title, but he’s being chased by Todd Faircloth of Texas and Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala. Also at stake are berths in the 2015 Bassmaster Classic to be held on Lake Hartwell out of Greenville, S.C.

Competition is set to resume Monday, Sept. 21 as the final day of the Toyota AOY Championship. Anglers will takeoff from Ludington Park at 7:30 a.m. and weigh in at the same location at 4 p.m.

The Bassmaster Elite Series Expo opens at noon on Sunday and all fans are welcome to attend.

All Bassmaster events are free and open to the public. All times are eastern.

2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha

2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Booyah, Carhartt, Diet Mountain Dew, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Plano, Power-Pole, Rigid Industries, Shimano

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), social media programs and events. For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series presented by Allstate, Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation events, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, Bassmaster High School Series presented by Carhartt, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by Diet Mountain Dew and GoPro.