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BIRMINGHAM, Ala — Because of heavy rains, major flooding and unsafe navigational waters in the Atchafalaya Basin, B.A.S.S. — working with local officials — has elected to reschedule the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open to fall 2016.

The recent rains in Southern Louisiana have been unseasonable and excessive, especially for this time of year. The city will not be able to host the Open tournament in February because conditions have been deemed unsafe and there will be no-wake zones throughout the Atchafalaya Basin.

“After discussion with local authorities on the magnitude of this weather event, anglers’ safety and empathy for those affected by these flood waters were the primary factors in B.A.S.S.’s decision to move the event,” said Chris Bowes, B.A.S.S. Senior Tournament Manager.

The event has been rescheduled for Oct. 27-29, 2016, and will become the final Central Open for 2016. Official practice will run Oct. 24-26, 2016.

“Due to the high water and the safety concerns, it is in the best interest to reschedule the event to October,” said Carrie Stansbury, executive director of the Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau. “Everyone involved is very disappointed, but we look forward to rolling out the red carpet in October. The weather should be beautiful that time of year.”

“We are grateful for our partnership with the Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau,” said Michael Mulone, B.A.S.S. director of event and tourism partnerships. “They notified us of the conditions and worked with us on a solution.”

Understanding that this may affect the ability for some anglers to compete, B.A.S.S. will offer a full refund of this event or the entire Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Division.

The Atchafalaya Basin is also the host of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Central Regional, Feb. 25-27. At the moment, this event is still on schedule. Officials in Houma, La., are monitoring the situation daily.

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, B.A.S.S. Nation events, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Costa Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.

ANNAPOLIS, MD, January 11, 2016 – With the latest technical advances in recreational boat lights – both for navigation and aesthetic purposes – recreational boaters have more choices than ever when upgrading their boat’s lighting. However, the US Coast Guard wants boaters to know that some of the new lights aren’t up to snuff and could increase the chances of a collision. It has found that some sold for navigation purposes don’t meet regulations, and other aesthetic lighting products such as LED ropes and underwater lights may go against the light provisions of the nautical rules of the road. The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water shares these concerns has these three tips when shopping for or installing boat lights:

1) Navigation lights have to be “approved”. Some manufacturers are selling navigation lights that don’t meet regulations. These lights are typically cheaper, but do not provide the proper color quality, brightness or cut-off angles that boaters rely on to avoid collision. So how do you know you are buying a good nav light?  The US Coast Guard (USCG) says things to look for include 1.) USCG approval, 2.) The rated visibility of the light in nautical miles, 3.) Meets ABYC A-16, 4.) “Tested by: laboratory name,” along with 5.) Manufacturer and model #.

2) Don’t let your boat’s lights confuse. The USCG reports that some boaters have hazardously installed unapproved red and green LED strip lighting on the bow, which hampers other boaters efforts to avoid collision. Also avoid displaying any light that could be confused as another navigation light or another vessel. And do remember flashing blue lights are reserved for law enforcement – at a distance, wave action combined with the steady rocking of below the waterline high-intensity blue lights can give the appearance of a police vessel.

3) Don’t install lights that prevent the operator from maintaining a good lookout. When running between sunset and sunrise, it’s critical that those behind the wheel maintain their night vision, so the #1 goal is to keep light out of the operator’s eyes. Glare from existing nav lights may be a problem, or reflections from aesthetic lighting such as LED rope lights wrapped around a helm station hinder eyesight.

A helpful video by West Marine, “How to Choose the Right Navigation Lights for Your Boat,” can be found at http://goo.gl/o4oYoC.

To see lights tested at night by the BoatUS Foundation, visit BoatUS.org/findings/48.

About Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS):

BoatUS is the nation’s largest organization of recreational boaters with over a half million members. We are the boat owners’ voice on Capitol Hill and fight for their rights. We help ensure a roadside breakdown doesn’t end a boating or fishing trip before it begins, and on the water, we bring boaters safely back to the launch ramp or dock when their boat won’t, day or night. The BoatUS Insurance Program gives boat owners the specialized coverage and superior service they need, and we help keep boaters safe and our waters clean with assistance from the non-profit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. Visit BoatUS.com.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Army Corps of Engineers announced that beginning Jan. 1, 2016, the recreation day use fees charged for boat launches and swimming beaches managed by the Corps was changed to a simpler fee structure, The Fishing Wire reports. The fee for a Corps annual pass to these facilities will also change. These fees were last changed in 2002.

Some locations may also see a change in camping fees and the fee for a special use permit, which covers events, facilities and activities. The Corps conducted a review of its fee structure earlier this year and determined that fee changes are needed to ensure Corps’ fees remain comparable and fair to those charged by other local providers for similar facilities and services.

The day use fee structure at Corps-managed facilities will vary depending upon the comparability study conducted by each Corps project, but the minimum day use fees beginning in January will be as follows:

• Minimum day use fee of $5.00 will be charged per private non-commercial vehicle.
• Minimum day use fee of $2.00 per adult for walk-in or bike-in.
• Minimum day use fee of $20.00 will be charged per bus or commercial vehicle.
• Children under the age of 16 are not charged a day use fee.

Payment of the day use fee entitles the user to launch a boat or use any developed swimming beach at a Corps-operated recreation area for that day. A Corps annual day use pass may be purchased for $40, which permits the holder and accompanying passengers the daily use of facilities managed by Corps for one calendar year.

The public will also be able to obtain Interagency America the Beautiful Passes at more than 240 Corps projects across the country. For information on the new fee structure, visitors should contact their local Corps recreation project. A directory of project offices is available at www.CorpsLakes.us.

Repost from FTR