Oneida Lake To Host Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Empire Division Tournament
The Empire Division of the $8.8 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League® will visit Oneida Lake in
Brewerton Aug. 30 for the fourth of five regular-season events. As many as 200 boaters and 200 co-
anglers are expected to compete in the tournament, which will award as much as $45,000 in cash,
including a top award of $6,000 in the Boater Division.
If the winner is a participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, he will receive a $1,000 bonus from
Ranger Boats and $500 from Yamaha if his boat is powered by Yamaha. Ranger will award $500 to
the highest-finishing Ranger Cup participant if not the winner, and Yamaha will kick in $250 if the boat
is powered by Yamaha. Bombardier will award $1,000 to the winning boater if the winner’s boat is
equipped with a qualifying Evinrude E-TEC or Direct Injection outboard. That’s a potential top award
of $8,000 for anglers who meet contingency guidelines.
The winning co-angler will earn as much as $3,000 cash.
Snickers Big Bass awards of up to $1,000 and $500, respectively, will also be awarded in the Boater
and Co-angler Divisions.
Anglers may register for the tournament online at the FLWOutdoors website or by calling (270) 252-
1000. Onsite registration will be held Aug. 29 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store located at 3018
East Ave. in Central Square. Entry fees are $200 for boaters and $100 for co-anglers.
Oneida Shores County Park in Brewerton will host the takeoff and weigh-in at 6:15 a.m. and 3 p.m.,
respectively.
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers in each of the BFL’s 28 divisions at the end of the season
advance to a no-entry-fee Regional Championship where boaters fish for a new Ranger boat and a
Chevy truck and co-anglers fish for a new Ranger boat. Seven regional championships will each send
six boaters and six co-anglers to the no-entry-fee Wal-Mart BFL All-American presented by Chevy,
which features a $1 million purse and a top award of $140,000 in the Boater Division and $70,000 in
the Co-angler Division. Anglers who compete in all five regular-season events within a division but do
not advance to a Regional Championship are eligible to compete in the Chevy Wild Card, which will
also send six boaters and six co-anglers to the All-American for a total of 48 boaters and 48 co-
anglers advancing through BFL competition.
The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American advance to the no-entry-fee $2 million
Forrest Wood Cup. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the most lucrative tournament in
all of competitive bass fishing. In all, the BFL offers weekend anglers the opportunity to qualify for
three no-entry-fee championships with total cash awards exceeding $3 million. Plus, the top 40
boaters and 40 co-anglers from each BFL division may move up to the Stren Series™ for 2009 while
All-American champions have the option to advance directly to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour®.
A two-day Super Tournament, the division’s fifth and final event, will be held on Lake Champlain in
Plattsburgh, N.Y., Sept. 20-21.
Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers in the Empire
Division will advance to the Albemarle Sound Regional Championship in Elizabeth City, N.C., Oct. 9-11
and will compete against anglers from the Northeast, Shenandoah and South Carolina divisions for an
All-American berth.
In BFL competition, boaters supply the boat and compete from the front deck against other boaters.
Co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.
As the nation’s leading provider of affordable, close-to-home weekend tournaments, the BFL is widely
credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. It also serves as a steppingstone for
anglers who wish to advance to the Stren Series and ultimately the FLW Tour - bass fishing’s most
lucrative tournament circuit.
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest
fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than
90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting
bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, call (270) 252-1000.
Total awards are based on a full field of 200 boats in every tournament.
2008 BASS Club World Championship Set for Fort Gibson Lake
BASS announced today that Wagoner, Okla., and Fort Gibson Lake will host the 2008 Yamaha BASS
Club World Championship presented by Skeeter Boats, set for Oct. 9-11. The event will feature 38 six-
angler teams that qualified for the championship event through their performance at six regional
events.
The six-angler teams will compete for a top prize of six Skeeter/Yamaha boat packages valued at
$50,000 each, one for each winning team member. The first two days of competition will feature a full
field, with only the top seven teams moving on to the final day.
"This unique format makes for an entertaining competition," said Don Corkran, Director of the BASS
Federation Nation. "We applaud the teams who qualified for this marquee event."
Daily tournament launches and weigh-ins will take place at Taylor’s Ferry North. Launches will begin
at 7 a.m. CT, with the weigh-ins starting at 3 p.m. CT. Both are free and open to the public.
Practice days for the event will be Oct. 6-8. Daily coverage of the event, including live, streaming
video, can be found on the Bassmaster website.
In 2007, the Louisiana No. 2 team, consisting of six Baton Rouge Bassmasters club members, won the
inaugural BASS Club World Championship (BCWC) on the Red River by weighing in a combined
three-day total of 150 pounds, 12 ounces.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208.
First Annual South Dakota Walleye Classic
The 1st Annual South Dakota Walleye Classic will be held August 27-29, 2008, in Akaska, SD. With a
guaranteed $145,000 pay out, fishermen from across the country will venture to Akaska to try their
luck at landing the big one in this 3-day tournament.
"The South Dakota Walleye Classic will provide a much needed economic boost to the Great Lakes
region of South Dakota," said George Kessler, event organizer. "Fishermen, fans and festival goers
will spend their dollars and provide essential revenue on items such as gas, food, lodging,
entertainment and much more."
The South Dakota Walleye Classic is open to 120 teams of both professional and amateur fishermen.
A "Fishing Festival" also is planned during the tournament to include entertainment, vendors, food
and displays.
"Like any other sport, the professional fishing world has its stars and celebrities," said Kessler. "With
these fishing superstars descending on South Dakota, our state has an opportunity to garner a great
deal of media exposure through third-party promotion. Having the professional fishermen participate
in the tournament speaks highly of South Dakota and its world-class walleye fishing."
This event is made possible due to the matching promotional funds from the South Dakota Office of
Tourism and Governor Mike Rounds’ Million Dollar Challenge.
BASS Announces Three Years of Bassmaster Classic Venues
2009 Classic in Shreveport-Bossier City, La.; 2010 in Birmingham, Ala.; 2011 in New Orleans
A rockin’ Southern spot, America’s Bass Capital and the Big Easy will usher in the excitement of the
Bassmaster Classic through the next three years.
In 2009, the 39th Bassmaster Classic will be held on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City,
La., where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr., Kitty Wells and Slim Whitman, among
others, started their careers; in 2010, Birmingham, Ala., welcomes back the Classic for the seventh
time; and in 2011, the Classic marches back to New Orleans.
Launches through the three days of competition in 2009 will be from Red River South Marina in
Bossier City, La.
"We’re excited to welcome the Bassmaster Classic back to Louisiana, long known as the Sportsman’s
Paradise," Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu said. "We invite all the anglers, fans, and our
BASS/ESPN family to enjoy Louisiana’s natural beauty, its great fishing, and our unique cultural
heritage."
Dates for the respective Classics, as well as competition waters for Birmingham and New Orleans,
have yet to be determined.
As always, ESPN2 will have Classic programming across several multimedia platforms throughout the
event, and fans can follow the competition by tuning in, attending the daily launches and weigh-ins or
logging on to the Bassmaster website, which will provide extensive hourly coverage.
"BASS is thrilled to bring the Classic to three vibrant and diverse bass fishing destinations," said Tom
Ricks, vice president and general manager, BASS. "This announcement highlights our commitment to
our fans and to our sponsors. Much like the Super Bowl, fans now can make arrangements well in
advance of attending future Classics - bass fishing’s pinnacle event."
With its historic first Bassmaster Classic, Shreveport-Bossier City also earns the distinction of hosting
the first Classic in which a Women’s Bassmaster Tour angler will participate. The winner of the 2008
Toyota Women’s Bassmaster Tour Angler of the Year will automatically qualify for the 2009 Classic.
"The Bassmaster Classic is a dream event," said Mary Ann Tice, executive director of the Shreveport
Regional Sports Authority. "Hosting the Bassmaster Classic will be a defining moment for Shreveport-
Bossier City and Northwest Louisiana. We are completely delighted and proud to welcome ESPN
Outdoor and the entire BASS family to our world."
The Shreveport Regional Sports Authority will roll out the red carpet for Classic weigh-ins at the
CenturyTel Center in Bossier City. The 2009 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will be at the
Shreveport Convention Center.
In 2010, the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, hosting its 11th BASS event, will
feature the weigh-ins and the Classic Outdoors Expo together downtown at the Birmingham-Jefferson
Convention Complex.
"We are very excited to be the host city for the 2010 Bassmaster Classic," said Mike Gunn, vice
president, sales, for the Greater Birmingham CVB. "We feel that there is no other place that can offer
the very best fishing in the country, the Southern hospitality, great accommodations and great food.
"And don’t forget the 2007 Bassmaster Classic champion comes from Alabama. We look forward to
another exciting event and will do our very best to make 2010 the best one ever."
In 2011 in New Orleans, where the Classic returns for the fourth time, the Greater New Orleans Sports
Foundation will host weigh-ins will take place at the New Orleans Arena, while the Classic Outdoors
Expo will be held at the Louisiana Superdome.
"The City of New Orleans has a long-standing reputation as a favorite destination city for major
sporting events, and theGreater New Orleans Sports Foundation has a history of hosting these world
class events that include Super Bowls, Final Fours, and most recently, the NBA All Star Weekend,"
said Sam Joffray, vice president, communications, for the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation.
"We are proud to include previous Bassmaster Classics in that list, and even more proud to announce
BASS’ return in 2011.
"Since Hurricane Katrina,our event partners have played a key role in spearheading the recovery
effort of New Orleans. Make no mistake about it, Louisiana remains a Sportsman’s Paradise."
Those interested in volunteering at the 2009 Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport-Bossier City should
call BASS at 1-877-BASS-USA.
Back To Top
The Empire Division of the $8.8 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League® will visit Oneida Lake in
Brewerton Aug. 30 for the fourth of five regular-season events. As many as 200 boaters and 200 co-
anglers are expected to compete in the tournament, which will award as much as $45,000 in cash,
including a top award of $6,000 in the Boater Division.
If the winner is a participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, he will receive a $1,000 bonus from
Ranger Boats and $500 from Yamaha if his boat is powered by Yamaha. Ranger will award $500 to
the highest-finishing Ranger Cup participant if not the winner, and Yamaha will kick in $250 if the boat
is powered by Yamaha. Bombardier will award $1,000 to the winning boater if the winner’s boat is
equipped with a qualifying Evinrude E-TEC or Direct Injection outboard. That’s a potential top award
of $8,000 for anglers who meet contingency guidelines.
The winning co-angler will earn as much as $3,000 cash.
Snickers Big Bass awards of up to $1,000 and $500, respectively, will also be awarded in the Boater
and Co-angler Divisions.
Anglers may register for the tournament online at the FLWOutdoors website or by calling (270) 252-
1000. Onsite registration will be held Aug. 29 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store located at 3018
East Ave. in Central Square. Entry fees are $200 for boaters and $100 for co-anglers.
Oneida Shores County Park in Brewerton will host the takeoff and weigh-in at 6:15 a.m. and 3 p.m.,
respectively.
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers in each of the BFL’s 28 divisions at the end of the season
advance to a no-entry-fee Regional Championship where boaters fish for a new Ranger boat and a
Chevy truck and co-anglers fish for a new Ranger boat. Seven regional championships will each send
six boaters and six co-anglers to the no-entry-fee Wal-Mart BFL All-American presented by Chevy,
which features a $1 million purse and a top award of $140,000 in the Boater Division and $70,000 in
the Co-angler Division. Anglers who compete in all five regular-season events within a division but do
not advance to a Regional Championship are eligible to compete in the Chevy Wild Card, which will
also send six boaters and six co-anglers to the All-American for a total of 48 boaters and 48 co-
anglers advancing through BFL competition.
The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American advance to the no-entry-fee $2 million
Forrest Wood Cup. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the most lucrative tournament in
all of competitive bass fishing. In all, the BFL offers weekend anglers the opportunity to qualify for
three no-entry-fee championships with total cash awards exceeding $3 million. Plus, the top 40
boaters and 40 co-anglers from each BFL division may move up to the Stren Series™ for 2009 while
All-American champions have the option to advance directly to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour®.
A two-day Super Tournament, the division’s fifth and final event, will be held on Lake Champlain in
Plattsburgh, N.Y., Sept. 20-21.
Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers in the Empire
Division will advance to the Albemarle Sound Regional Championship in Elizabeth City, N.C., Oct. 9-11
and will compete against anglers from the Northeast, Shenandoah and South Carolina divisions for an
All-American berth.
In BFL competition, boaters supply the boat and compete from the front deck against other boaters.
Co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.
As the nation’s leading provider of affordable, close-to-home weekend tournaments, the BFL is widely
credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. It also serves as a steppingstone for
anglers who wish to advance to the Stren Series and ultimately the FLW Tour - bass fishing’s most
lucrative tournament circuit.
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest
fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than
90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting
bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, call (270) 252-1000.
Total awards are based on a full field of 200 boats in every tournament.
2008 BASS Club World Championship Set for Fort Gibson Lake
BASS announced today that Wagoner, Okla., and Fort Gibson Lake will host the 2008 Yamaha BASS
Club World Championship presented by Skeeter Boats, set for Oct. 9-11. The event will feature 38 six-
angler teams that qualified for the championship event through their performance at six regional
events.
The six-angler teams will compete for a top prize of six Skeeter/Yamaha boat packages valued at
$50,000 each, one for each winning team member. The first two days of competition will feature a full
field, with only the top seven teams moving on to the final day.
"This unique format makes for an entertaining competition," said Don Corkran, Director of the BASS
Federation Nation. "We applaud the teams who qualified for this marquee event."
Daily tournament launches and weigh-ins will take place at Taylor’s Ferry North. Launches will begin
at 7 a.m. CT, with the weigh-ins starting at 3 p.m. CT. Both are free and open to the public.
Practice days for the event will be Oct. 6-8. Daily coverage of the event, including live, streaming
video, can be found on the Bassmaster website.
In 2007, the Louisiana No. 2 team, consisting of six Baton Rouge Bassmasters club members, won the
inaugural BASS Club World Championship (BCWC) on the Red River by weighing in a combined
three-day total of 150 pounds, 12 ounces.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208.
First Annual South Dakota Walleye Classic
The 1st Annual South Dakota Walleye Classic will be held August 27-29, 2008, in Akaska, SD. With a
guaranteed $145,000 pay out, fishermen from across the country will venture to Akaska to try their
luck at landing the big one in this 3-day tournament.
"The South Dakota Walleye Classic will provide a much needed economic boost to the Great Lakes
region of South Dakota," said George Kessler, event organizer. "Fishermen, fans and festival goers
will spend their dollars and provide essential revenue on items such as gas, food, lodging,
entertainment and much more."
The South Dakota Walleye Classic is open to 120 teams of both professional and amateur fishermen.
A "Fishing Festival" also is planned during the tournament to include entertainment, vendors, food
and displays.
"Like any other sport, the professional fishing world has its stars and celebrities," said Kessler. "With
these fishing superstars descending on South Dakota, our state has an opportunity to garner a great
deal of media exposure through third-party promotion. Having the professional fishermen participate
in the tournament speaks highly of South Dakota and its world-class walleye fishing."
This event is made possible due to the matching promotional funds from the South Dakota Office of
Tourism and Governor Mike Rounds’ Million Dollar Challenge.
BASS Announces Three Years of Bassmaster Classic Venues
2009 Classic in Shreveport-Bossier City, La.; 2010 in Birmingham, Ala.; 2011 in New Orleans
A rockin’ Southern spot, America’s Bass Capital and the Big Easy will usher in the excitement of the
Bassmaster Classic through the next three years.
In 2009, the 39th Bassmaster Classic will be held on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City,
La., where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr., Kitty Wells and Slim Whitman, among
others, started their careers; in 2010, Birmingham, Ala., welcomes back the Classic for the seventh
time; and in 2011, the Classic marches back to New Orleans.
Launches through the three days of competition in 2009 will be from Red River South Marina in
Bossier City, La.
"We’re excited to welcome the Bassmaster Classic back to Louisiana, long known as the Sportsman’s
Paradise," Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu said. "We invite all the anglers, fans, and our
BASS/ESPN family to enjoy Louisiana’s natural beauty, its great fishing, and our unique cultural
heritage."
Dates for the respective Classics, as well as competition waters for Birmingham and New Orleans,
have yet to be determined.
As always, ESPN2 will have Classic programming across several multimedia platforms throughout the
event, and fans can follow the competition by tuning in, attending the daily launches and weigh-ins or
logging on to the Bassmaster website, which will provide extensive hourly coverage.
"BASS is thrilled to bring the Classic to three vibrant and diverse bass fishing destinations," said Tom
Ricks, vice president and general manager, BASS. "This announcement highlights our commitment to
our fans and to our sponsors. Much like the Super Bowl, fans now can make arrangements well in
advance of attending future Classics - bass fishing’s pinnacle event."
With its historic first Bassmaster Classic, Shreveport-Bossier City also earns the distinction of hosting
the first Classic in which a Women’s Bassmaster Tour angler will participate. The winner of the 2008
Toyota Women’s Bassmaster Tour Angler of the Year will automatically qualify for the 2009 Classic.
"The Bassmaster Classic is a dream event," said Mary Ann Tice, executive director of the Shreveport
Regional Sports Authority. "Hosting the Bassmaster Classic will be a defining moment for Shreveport-
Bossier City and Northwest Louisiana. We are completely delighted and proud to welcome ESPN
Outdoor and the entire BASS family to our world."
The Shreveport Regional Sports Authority will roll out the red carpet for Classic weigh-ins at the
CenturyTel Center in Bossier City. The 2009 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will be at the
Shreveport Convention Center.
In 2010, the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, hosting its 11th BASS event, will
feature the weigh-ins and the Classic Outdoors Expo together downtown at the Birmingham-Jefferson
Convention Complex.
"We are very excited to be the host city for the 2010 Bassmaster Classic," said Mike Gunn, vice
president, sales, for the Greater Birmingham CVB. "We feel that there is no other place that can offer
the very best fishing in the country, the Southern hospitality, great accommodations and great food.
"And don’t forget the 2007 Bassmaster Classic champion comes from Alabama. We look forward to
another exciting event and will do our very best to make 2010 the best one ever."
In 2011 in New Orleans, where the Classic returns for the fourth time, the Greater New Orleans Sports
Foundation will host weigh-ins will take place at the New Orleans Arena, while the Classic Outdoors
Expo will be held at the Louisiana Superdome.
"The City of New Orleans has a long-standing reputation as a favorite destination city for major
sporting events, and theGreater New Orleans Sports Foundation has a history of hosting these world
class events that include Super Bowls, Final Fours, and most recently, the NBA All Star Weekend,"
said Sam Joffray, vice president, communications, for the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation.
"We are proud to include previous Bassmaster Classics in that list, and even more proud to announce
BASS’ return in 2011.
"Since Hurricane Katrina,our event partners have played a key role in spearheading the recovery
effort of New Orleans. Make no mistake about it, Louisiana remains a Sportsman’s Paradise."
Those interested in volunteering at the 2009 Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport-Bossier City should
call BASS at 1-877-BASS-USA.
Back To Top
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