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Iowa Awaits Bassmaster Elite Series’ First Visit for the Genuity River Rumble on Mighty Mississippi

Celebration, FL -(FishNLand.com)- The second longest river in America has been waiting for BASS for a while. The Bassmaster Elite Series travels this month to the Mississippi River out of Fort Madison, Iowa, for the Genuity River Rumble, marking the first Elite Series event for the state.

During the 2008 season, the Elite Series had to cancel the River Rumble in Fort Madison because of flooding along the river that affected nearly a dozen states.

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the River Rumble on The Bassmasters, which airs Saturday, June 20, at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2. The daily weigh-ins for all regular-season Elite events and the two postseason events will air live on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband sports network, while a wealth of unique content will also be available at Bassmaster.com.

The river last was host to a Bassmaster Tour event in 2006, when Elite angler Darrin Schwenkbeck won a Bassmaster Northern Tour competition with a three-day total of 42 pounds, 12 ounces. The river has previously been the site of four other BASS pro tournaments since 1983, including the 1995 Top 100 event won by current Elite Series pro Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla.

The Mississippi, which runs through or borders 10 states on its way to the Gulf of Mexico, has previously hosted BASS events across several states. The Elite pros will launch from Pool 19. Because water levels are always normal there while other parts of the river are at flood stage during rainy season, fish can spawn regularly in Pool 19.

Biffle, who won the 1995 event with a four-day total of 48 pounds, 8 ounces, isn’t sure whether the river will produce good-sized fish for weights similar to his winning total in 1995 or end up pushing overall weights lower.

“I would say it’ll take 15 to 18 pounds a day, maybe,” Biffle said. “It could be better than it used to be, but with the floods they’ve had it might take 45 pounds to win, it might be lower.”

Biffle added that he thought the Elite pros would go with typical river fishing, using crankbaits, spinnerbaits and some flipping.

The Genuity River Rumble includes a top prize of $100,000 and awards valuable points in the 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title race. With 1,298 points heading into this week’s Tennessee Triumph at Kentucky Lake out of Paris, Tenn. Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., leads the AOY standings. Trailing him are 2009 Bassmaster Classic champion and 2007 AOY Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., in second with 1293 points, and 2008 Classic champion Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, in third with 1240 points.

The top 12 pros in the AOY standings at the end of the regular season will advance to the inaugural Bassmaster Elite Series postseason, when the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year will be determined. Toyota Trucks Championship Week is set for Sept. 10-18, and will be played out on two productive Alabama fisheries. The first of the two post-season tournaments will take place on Lake Jordan out of Wetumpka; the finale, the Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph, is slated for the Alabama River from Montgomery.

In the race to qualify for the 2010 Bassmaster Classic, set for Feb. 19-22 on Lay Lake out of Birmingham, Ala., Russ Lane of Prattville, Ala., and Gerald Swindle, of Warrior, Ala., are on the bubble. They are in a tie for 36th place in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 955 points. Another Alabaman, 2000 AOY Timmy Horton of Muscle Shoals, is right behind the pair, in 38th with 951 points. Two-time AOY and 1999 Bassmaster Classic winner Davy Hite of Ninety Six, S.C., trails by just a few more points, in 39th with 942 points. BASS qualifies the top 36 anglers in the AOY standings for the Classic, but Reese, the 2009 champion, will automatically qualify, thereby allowing the angler in 37th place to make the Classic cut as Reese is among the top 36 in AOY points.

Fans are encouraged to attend the Genuity River Rumble’s daily launches (7:15 a.m. CT) and weigh-ins (4 p.m.) Thursday through Sunday at Riverview Park, 902 4th St., Fort Madison. After Day Two’s competition Friday, the field will be cut to the top 50 anglers for Day Three. Only the top 12 will go on to compete in Day Four.

Other activities Saturday and Sunday at the River Rumble will begin at 1 p.m. CT at Riverview Park, featuring the popular Dog Training & Retriever Demonstrations Brought To You By SportDog; a children’s carnival with a bounce house and gummy-worm-eating contest; tethered balloon rides (for a nominal fee); and a live shooting of a cannon brought from Fort Mig.

At 1:30 p.m. Saturday, fans are invited to experience Bassmaster University, which includes the “Ask the Experts” session with Elite pros at 3 p.m.

Also on-site as part of the consumer expo Saturday and Sunday, Monsanto will bring its Mobile Technology Unit (MTU) to the Riverview Marina offering tours free of charge every 30 minutes. The Mobile Technology Unit is a unique traveling exhibit showcasing Monsanto’s latest advances in plant breeding and trait technology.

Furthermore, with its sponsorship of the event, Genuity will be making a donation based on the number of pounds of fish caught during the tournament to the local organization Community Services Food Bank. There will be a check presentation at the final weigh in on Sunday, June 14.

Sunday’s activities will include the live taping of Hooked Up, hosted by ESPN Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders. The show, which will air live at 3:30 p.m. ET on Bassmaster.com, will preview Sunday’s final weigh-in.

All events at the Genuity River Rumble are free and open to the public. The Elite Series regular season culminates with the August 13-16 Champion’s Choice on Oneida Lake out of Syracuse, N.Y. At Oneida, the lineup will be determined for the top 12 anglers who will compete in the inaugural Bassmaster Elite Series postseason and a shot at the 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.

For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit Bassmaster.com. Visit ESPNMediaZone.com for ESPN’s latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video, audio clips and more.

The local sponsor of the River Rumble is the Fort Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Official sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Toyota Trucks, Berkley, BOOYAH Baits, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, OPTIMA Batteries, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards.

Supporting sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Bass Pro Shops, Costa Del Mar, Ramada, SpongeTech and Triton Boats.

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. With its considerable multimedia platforms and expansive tournament trail, BASS is guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer and comprehensive Web properties in ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband sports network, Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com and ESPNOutdoors.com, the organization is committed to delivering content true to the lifestyle. Additionally, television programming on ESPN2 continues to provide relevant content – from tips and techniques to in-depth tournament coverage – to passionate audiences.

The organization oversees the prestigious Bassmaster tournament trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Academy Sports + Outdoors Women’s Bassmaster Tour and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic. Through its grassroots network, the BASS Federation Nation, BASS annually sanctions more than 20,000 events.

BASS also offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

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Murray State Claims BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Title By Narrow Margin Over University Of North Texas

Lake Lewisville, TX -(FishNLand.com)- Under near perfect weather conditions, college bass fishing’s premier event concluded with Murray State University slipping past University of North Texas to claim the 2009 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship title. Murray State joins past champions North Carolina State (2006), Texas A&M (2007) and University of Arkansas (2008) as winners of the event.

“Murray State’s win is very impressive considering this is the largest field we’ve ever had. Over 140 teams from more than 70 schools registered this year. My hat’s off to them for a fine win. They’re going to be great champions and ambassadors for collegiate bass fishing over the next year,” stated Wade Middleton, Tournament Director.

The week long event sanctioned by the Association of College Anglers (ACA) was held at Sneaky Pete’s on Lake Lewisville Texas. Top collegiate bass anglers, sponsors and leading industry professionals enjoyed camaraderie with one another as they participated in activities throughout the week highlighted by the competition. All of the action throughout the week as well as coverage of the 2009 ACA sanctioned regional tournaments leading up to the championship will be televised on Versus; Saturday mornings at 12:30 EST beginning in August.

After securing the day one lead with 21.66 pounds, Kalem Tippett and Vincent Campisano of Murray State University brought 14.50 pounds to the scales for a two day total of 36.16 to win the championship. The team outweighed University of North Texas, who had a two day total weight of 35.36, by less than a pound.

The same offshore ledge that yielded four of the five bass that the team weighed on day one surrendered the winning limit on day two. The first day, a Strike King Series 6 crankbait fished on Loomis Crankin Sticks generated the strikes, however, the team had to switch to Texas rigged Paca Craws to tempt the bass to bite on the final day.

Vincent explained “They were relating to stumps in about 10 feet of water positioned on the sweet spot of the ledge.” When asked what it meant to win the prestigious event, Kalem commented “This is a huge step toward my goal of establishing a career as a bass tournament pro. We want to thank our sponsors: Hinton Archery, Neace Lukens Insurance Co., Jet-A-Marina, Laboratory Supply Co. and Mr. C Refrigeration.”

Brandon Dickenson and Austin Hollowell representing University of North Texas were picked by many as the favorites to win the event. On day one, the pair of anglers used their local knowledge to catch bass throughout the day - eventually culling up to 20.54 pounds. On day 2 they were the first team to catch a limit and seemed to be in control until Murray State made a charge late in the day.

Austin Hollowell of University of North Texas stated “When the lake was off limits we practiced on other nearby lakes to get a feel for how the fish were positioned in the marinas. That helped us determine what we needed to do going into this event. We targeted poles and tire reefs near marinas fishing very slowly with wacky worms and jigs in depths ranging from 8 to 10 feet. On the final day, we were fortunate to catch what we caught.” Brandon Dickerson commented “I have to admit we had some very fortunate luck in this tournament. Going into the event I thought 32 pounds for two days would be the most we could catch if everything went just right. We had two big bites the first day of the tournament that really helped. It was a fun event. Congrats to Murray State - they flat out whacked them!” Austin and Brandon continued to thank Falcon Rods, Pure Fishing, Tackle Warehouse and Excite Baits for their support.

Rounding out the top 10 teams were:

3rd place Northwestern State University 33.02
4th place Eastern Kentucky University 29.66
5th place Louisiana Tech University 29.56
6th place Virginia Tech 29.45
7th place University of North Alabama 29.09
8th place Louisiana Tech University #2 28.46
9th place Texas Tech 28.25
10th place University of Kentucky 26.83

For more information on the event, pictures and full results call 210-697-8081 or go to CollegiateBassChampionship.com

National Supporters of BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship and Association of Collegiate Anglers events include: BoatUS, Cabelas, BoatUS Angler, Ranger Boats, TruckVault, Costa Del Mar, Berkley, Aviva Fishin Buddy, Activision, Sperry Top Sider, Sebile Lures, Frogg Toggs, Gemini Custom Apparel , Yamaha, Plano, Garmin, Power Pole, All Star Rod, Abu Garcia, Lago Vista Lodge, American Rodsmith, Dodge, SureLife, City of Lewisville, Sneaky Pete’s, Columbia Sportswear, The Bass Federation and Anglers Legacy

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Wooten Wins Walmart Bass Fishing League Event On Smith Mountain Lake

Moneta, Va. -(FishNLand.com)– Thomas Wooten of Huddleston, Va., won the Walmart Bass Fishing League® Shenandoah Division tournament on Smith Mountain Lake Saturday with a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 14 ounces. The victory earned Wooten $4,009 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Potomac River Regional Championship in Marbury, Md., Oct. 8-10, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Wooten said he caught the majority of his bass fishing a trick worm on a shaky-head jig head on the lower lake.

Rounding out the top five boaters are James Henderson Jr. of Evington, Va. (five bass, 16-10, $2,005); Ryan Mace of Forest, Va. (five bass, 15-0, $1,336); Boogie Atkins of Greenville, Va. (five bass, 13-14, $935) and Jeff Camp of White Sulphur Springs, W.V. (five bass, 12-5, $802).

Atkins took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $550 for a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass he caught on a drop-shot rig.

David O’Flynn of Gainesville, Va., earned $2,005 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 10 pounds, 13 ounces.

O’Flynn said he caught the majority of his bass fishing docks 3 to 7 feet deep with a shaky-head rig.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Ed Robtison of Roanoke, Va. (five bass, 9-15, $1,002); Nathan Reeves of Lynchburg, Va. (four bass, 9-11, $668); Dennis Burdette of Lindside, W.V. (five bass, 9-8, $468) and Brad Campbell of Concord, Va. (five bass, 9-5, $401).

Kenny Wynn of Gladys, Va., earned $275 as the co-angler Big Bass winner with a 7-pound, 1-ounce bass he caught on a spinnerbait fishing upper lake docks.

The next Shenandoah Division event will be held on the James River in Richmond, Va., June 20.

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 Walmart 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 will advance to the no-entry-fee $2.5 million Forrest Wood Cup in Atlanta in 2010. 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 $3.5 million. Plus, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers from each BFL division may move up to the Stren Series™ for 2010 while All-American champions have the option to advance directly to the Walmart FLW Tour®.

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.

Total awards are based on a full field of 200 boats in every tournament.
About:
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. FLW Outdoors also is taking fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing, offering the largest awards possible in the history of fantasy sports, $10 million in cash and prizes. Sign up for Player’s Advantage for only $10 to get your edge and win.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.

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