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Card Hosting College and High School Open
This fall I’ll be hosting my third college and high school tournament on Norris Lake in Tennessee. We’re expecting somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 anglers this year. That’s a huge increase over last year, and exactly what we want to see.
This is a really fun event for my family, friends and me. We all help out, and it’s awesome to see how it comes together every year.
My wife, mom and stepmom take care of all the paperwork including registration and payouts. My brother helps me emcee and weigh all the fish, and my dad’s company, AB Card Construction, sponsors and cooks the free food at the weigh-in on Saturday. Even my high school buddies help with building the stage and setting everything up.
There’ll be a dinner and registration meeting on Friday before the tournament starts. Twin Cove Marine and Coal Creek Smokehouse BBQ sponsor and cater the dinner. During the dinner Chad Pipkens and John Hunter, my Suzuki teammates, will join me at the front of the room for a Q & A session about anything fishing.
We had several guys from Kansas fish my event a couple years ago, and I hope we draw anglers even farther away this year. There’s a $50 entry fee per boat (one or two anglers per boat) that enables us to boost the payouts which are pretty darn good.
First place in the college division will pay $2,500. First place in the high school division will pay $1,500. Last year we were able to give away more than $20,000 in cash and prizes for the tournament payouts and free raffles.
Our event is open to any college or high school angler in America. The college teams will compete against each other, and the high school teams will compete against each other. It’s two separate tournaments being run at the same time.
The registration dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 30 at the Campbell County High School. The competition gets underway on Saturday, Dec. 1. For more details please check out the flier or contact Curtis Hoskins at 423-494-2578.
The presenting sponsors for this event are Suzuki, Navionics and the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce. There are a lot of other sponsors, too. I can’t say enough about their help and participation. Without them this event wouldn’t happen. Everyone connected with the tournament encourages you to use their products when you can.
Several of the Bassmaster Elite Series pros hold tournaments in the offseason or between events. We do that because we love this sport, and we know that without grassroots action it won’t survive and it’ll never grow. That’s my motivation, too, but my history with the sport plays into things as well.
I fished for the University of Kentucky when I was in college. I was the first collegiate angler to qualify for the Elite Series and was fortunate enough to win the Toyota Bassmaster Rookie of the Year title in 2012. UK is responsible for much of that success.
The goal of our tournament is to keep things moving forward through the educational ranks. If we can push high school anglers along, they’ll be better when they get to the college ranks. And, the better they are at the college level the better they’ll be in the Opens which will give them a better chance to move into the Elite Series.
This is my opportunity to give something back to the sport of bass fishing. I’m a huge advocate of growing this awesome sport, and I love seeing the younger generations of anglers so excited about bass fishing. It’s going to be awesome seeing how big this sport will be in 10 or 20 years.
California’s Randy Pierson Wins B.A.S.S. Nation Championship At Pickwick
Randy Pierson of Oakdale, Calif., won the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors with a three-day total weight of 55 pounds, 11 ounces on Pickwick Lake, Alabama.
Photo by Stephen Findley/B.A.S.S.
FLORENCE, Ala. — Randy Pierson’s scouting trip to Alabama’s Pickwick Lake paved the way to victory for the Californian at the Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors.
Pierson of Oakdale, Calif., encountered the best of worst-case scenarios during the October visit.
“Every fishing scenario I could possibly come across on Pickwick happened while I was there,” said the Oro Madre Bass Anglers club member.
High water and tough post-front fishing conditions were all in play. As fate would have it, those same conditions prevailed this week.
Today, Pierson weighed 15 pounds, 8 ounces to complete his winning catch of 55-11. Kyle Dorsett of Odenville, Ala., finished second with 51-14, while Jacapo Gallelli of Firenze, Italy, took third with 46-4.
Pierson, Dorsett and Gallelli received invitations to bass fishing’s most prestigious event, the Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. The Classic is March 15-17, 2019, in Knoxville, Tenn., where the anglers will compete for a total purse of $1 million on the Tennessee River.
Pickwick’s water level rose 7 feet during Pierson’s rainy scouting trip. The Tennessee Valley Authority responded by releasing massive amounts of water from Wilson Lake into Pickwick. Pierson then took a crash course in how to pattern fish in strong current, which helped him win the tournament.
There was more of the same this week and the current put Pierson’s lesson to the test.
“It was all about the current,” he said. “When the current turned on, so did the fish.”
The current got stronger each day, ideally playing into his hand. Pierson rotated through areas where the bass sought refuge from the strong flow — behind rocks, bluff walls and points — where they fed on passing baitfish.
Timing was everything. Pierson located so many prime areas that eventually he would end up where the fish were actively feeding. When a stop at one area failed to produce he moved on to the next spot.
“Having plenty of areas to go through, which I found during the scouting trip, allowed me to increase my odds of eventually catching them sometime during the day.”
Early in the tournament he found the bass positioned on the extreme outside edges of the current breaks. As more water was released the fish moved away from the edges.
Pierson made his lure presentations down current in the swift water, which was nothing like he had experienced before.
He rotated through three lures for the win. A 1/4-ounce homemade hair jig with a Zoom trailer was his most productive bait. Alternatively, he used a 1/8-ounce homemade darter jighead with a 3.3 Keitech Swing Impact FAT Swimbait. A 5/8-ounce Zorro Aggravator Spinnerbait was another choice.
Dorsett fished the Wilson Dam tailrace, where he focused on current breaks created by isolated rocks, bluffs and points. Dorsett fished the same area all three days and never had another competitor near him.
“I caught all 13 of my keepers from one area,” he said. “It was a textbook kind of spot that really held a lot of fish in the strong current and the more of it, the better.”
Dorsett used a 1/2-ounce Kajun Boss Outdoors Spinnerbait without a trailer to catch all of his fish.
Gallelli became the first Italian angler to qualify for the Classic. His campaign to earn it was serious, considering the fact he bought a new fully rigged bass boat to fish the championship.
Like the other top finishers, he concentrated on current breaks created by rocks near the river channel. A 3/8-ounce spinnerbait was his best lure.
Pierson, Dorsett and Gallelli also earned the “Nation’s Best” package, which includes paid entry fees into the 2019 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series division of their choice, and the use of a fully rigged Phoenix boat for the year.
Pierson also received an invitation to fish the 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series, and $16,000 toward entry fees. He also won a Nitro Z20, custom trailer with Mercury outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor and Lowrance electronics.
Dorsett won a Skeeter ZX190 with trailer, Yamaha outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor and Lowrance electronics. Gallelli won a Triton 189 TrX and trailer, Yamaha outboard, and factory-installed accessories.
The championship is the only international competition of its kind for bass club anglers. Competing were qualifiers from 47 states and 10 foreign nations. Canada, Mexico, Australia, Japan, Portugal, France, Italy, Zimbabwe, Namibia and the Republic of South Africa were represented.
The Florence/Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau was event host.
2018 B.A.S.S. Nation Title Sponsor: Academy Sports + Outdoors
2018 B.A.S.S. Nation Presenting Sponsor: Magellan Outdoors
2018 B.A.S.S. Nation Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2018 B.A.S.S. Nation Premier Sponsors: Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Huk, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole
2018 B.A.S.S. Nation Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance, Nationwide, Phoenix Boats, T-H Marine, Carhartt, Livingston Lures
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. 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), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For 50 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, Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation presented by Magellan Outdoors, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors 11/8-11/10
Pickwick Lake, Florence AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 15 55-11 0 $42,595.00
Day 1: 5 20-07 Day 2: 5 19-12 Day 3: 5 15-08
2. Kyle Dorsett Odenville, AL 13 51-14 0 $41,190.00
Day 1: 3 13-07 Day 2: 5 19-01 Day 3: 5 19-06
3. Jacopo Gallelli Firenze ITALY 15 46-04 0 $34,695.00
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 5 15-08 Day 3: 5 13-06
4. Joshua Miller Roberts, WI 13 43-08 0 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 14-13 Day 3: 3 07-03
5. Albert Collins Nacogdoches, TX 13 43-01 0 $1,500.00
Day 1: 3 10-00 Day 2: 5 16-01 Day 3: 5 17-00
6. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 15 41-14 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 16-01 Day 3: 5 12-13
7. Travis Lugar McGaheysville, VA 13 39-00 0 $2,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 4 13-08 Day 3: 4 10-00
8. Bob Bayless Indianapolis, IN 13 37-08 0 $500.00
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 4 09-04 Day 3: 4 10-01
9. David Cavell Prairieville, LA 10 36-03 0 $750.00
Day 1: 4 18-11 Day 2: 3 10-15 Day 3: 3 06-09
10. Jeff Lugar Cross Junction, VA 12 36-01 0 $500.00
Day 1: 4 12-06 Day 2: 5 13-07 Day 3: 3 10-04
BIG BASS OF TOURN
David Cavell Prairieville, LA 08-04 $0.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 16 182 551-10
2 11 160 468-04
3 5 45 129-12
———————————-
32 387 1149-10
Bass Pro Shops Signs Multiyear Agreement To Sponsor B.A.S.S. And Bassmaster Events
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Bass Pro Shops has signed a multiyear agreement to sponsor B.A.S.S. and Bassmaster events, B.A.S.S. announced today.
Under the agreements, Triton and Nitro will continue as premier, official boat sponsors of B.A.S.S. tournaments, including the Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, the Bassmaster Elite Series, the Bassmaster Opens Series, B.A.S.S. Nation competitions, and the College and High School Series tournaments.
Bass Pro Shops becomes a supporting sponsor of the Bassmaster Elite Series, a supporting and title sponsor of the Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, supporting and presenting sponsor of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops and supporting sponsor of the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series.
“Triton and Nitro are among the most popular bass boat brands in America today, and we are pleased that they will again be showcased through their sponsorship of the Classic, Bassmaster Elite Series and other Bassmaster competitions,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO.
“In addition, the support Bass Pro Shops is providing for our Opens, College, High School and other Bassmaster events is invaluable to our fans and the anglers competing in those tournament series,” Akin said. “This partnership not only serves our millions of fans and followers, but it also provides great opportunities for B.A.S.S. and Bass Pro Shops to reach new audiences and to grow the great sport of bass fishing.”
“We’re very proud to expand upon our longstanding support for B.A.S.S. through these significant partnerships with our fishing brands,” said Bass Pro Shops and White River Marine group founder Johnny Morris, himself a five-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier. “B.A.S.S. events help us advance our goal to connect more people to nature by engaging people of all ages and skill levels to the great sport of fishing.”
Under the agreement, all White River Marine and Bass Pro Shops brands will receive exhibit space in the extremely popular Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, as well as at Elite Series expos and other Bassmaster events during the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons.
As in previous years, most final-day weigh-ins for Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens tournaments will be held at the nearest Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s stores.
Triton also will award two $500 scholarships to the winners of the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Championship.
The agreement includes advertising and promotion on behalf of Bass Pro Shops and White River Marine brands in B.A.S.S.’s industry-leading media, including Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times magazines, Bassmaster.com, Bassmaster LIVE programming and The Bassmasters TV show on ESPN2.
“B.A.S.S. and Bass Pro Shops share common roots, dating back all the way to the earliest days of B.A.S.S., when Johnny Morris was a Classic competitor and a rising star in our professional tournaments,” Akin added. “And we share a common dedication to conserving our natural resources and promoting sportfishing as a family recreation. We are especially grateful to see the history of our sport showcased in the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame located within Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium.”
About Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. 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), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For 50 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, Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Series presented by Magellan Outdoors, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.