Tournament organizers announced today that 191 teams representing 380 collegiate anglers are registered to compete in the 2011 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship. Because the field size for the event is capped at 300 anglers, a waiting list has been created to identify which anglers will fill the spots left vacant by registered anglers who are unable to make the trip. 

This year's event will feature an international field, including a team representing the Canadian Collegiate Bass Anglers as well as the defending national high school champions from The Bass Federation, all of whom will meet at Lake Lewisville, Texas on May 26 and 27 to decide the 2011 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing National Championship. The anglers competing for this prestigious championship title have earned the opportunity to represent their schools based on their tournament performances over the past year.

"These students have worked hard to get here," said BoatUS Angler Brand Manager Steve Levi. "Now their sole focus is all about landing the biggest catch. Our focus will be to ensure that boat problems don't stand in their way. We'll be providing on-the-water assistance just like we do in waterways across the country, on every day of the year." Capt. Jay Nunnally of TowBoatUS Lake Lewisville will shadow the fleet daily in his fully equipped response vessel, ready to help with a breakdown, running aground or running out of gas.

The official practice fishing days are May 24 and 25. Following practice on May 24th, the Cabela's retail store in Ft. Worth, Texas, will host the Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Day where the competitors will enjoy meeting professional bass anglers like Clark Wendlandt, Jeff Kriet, Mike McClelland, Kelly Jordon and others who will be on hand providing seminars and shopping assistance. Every two-person team attending the event will be provided a $100 Cabela's gift card to help outfit themselves prior to the event.

Registration, the pre-tournament banquet and rules meeting will take place on the evening of the 25th. Event sponsors will have displays on site for the purpose of providing information about their products and services as well as product samples. All told more than $100,000 in scholarships, prizes and product samples will be awarded during the event.

The full field of anglers will compete on May 26 and 27. Take off will occur at safe light each morning from Sneaky Pete's and weigh-in will begin at 3 p.m. Careco TV will have camera teams on hand to capture all the action for the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship television series which will air on the Versus network this fall on Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. Eighteen-and-one-half hours of dedicated television coverage will showcase the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Series which is sanctioned by the Association of Collegiate Anglers.

Full event coverage, including updates from the water will be available throughout the event at www.collegiatebasschampionship.com.

"The amount of registrations this year has simply been amazing because you've got the best collegiate anglers - as determined by their own schools - competing for the national title," said Tournament Director Wade Middleton. "It's never been more evident on how tough it is for the college teams to determine who competes in this prestigious field, as some of the schools have up to a dozen events that help determine who will represent them at the national championship. This one will be a great one to watch on-site as well as on television, no question about it."