Tavares, Fla., and Harris Chain of Lakes to Host 2009 and 2010 BASS Federation Nation Championships
The City of Tavares, Fla., will be the official host of the next two BASS Federation Nation Championships presented by Yamaha Outboards and Skeeter Boats, the biggest tournaments of the year within the grass roots competition format enjoyed by BASS Federation Nation members.
First up will be the 2009 BASS Federation Nation Championship, set for Oct. 28-30. The outcome of the three-day competition will determine which six amateur anglers will qualify for the 2010 Bassmaster Classic out of Birmingham, Ala.
The agreement signed Thursday by the City of Tavares and BASS will also bring the 2010 BASS Federation Nation Championship to Tavares and the Harris Chain in October. Dates for the 2010 championship will be announced soon.
Competition waters will be the popular Harris Chain of Lakes. The prolific fishery has hosted multiple BASS events through the years, most recently the Jan. 29-31 Bassmaster Southern Open. That event kicked off the 2009 BASS tournament season in style with a winning weight of 68 pounds, 6 ounces. The haul by Florida pro Bryan Hudgins of Orange Park included a Day Two bag that tipped the scales at more than 30 pounds.
To qualify for their annual championship, BASS Federation Nation anglers must work their way up a ladder of local, regional, state and divisional qualifying tournaments. Then, at the BASS Federation Nation Championship, the top finishers within each of six divisions earn a berth in the next Bassmaster Classic.
The six divisional events of 2009 will begin with the March 30-April 3 Southern Divisional.
“We’re extremely pleased that Tavares, our partner in so many other successful BASS tournaments, will host the next two Federation Nation Championships,” said Jamie Wilkinson, senior director of event operations and business development.
The announcement of the agreement between BASS and the City of Tavares was made Thursday at the 39th Bassmaster Classic out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La. The six Federation Nation qualifiers competing in the Feb. 20-22 Classic are: Ken Baumgardner of Monongahela, Pa.; Jay Evans of Corvallis, Mont.; Bryan Schmidt of Olney, Texas; Waine Pittman of Villa Rica, Ga.; Terry Fitzpatrick of Waukon, Iowa; and Scott Parker of Londonderry, N.H.
They’re up against 45 other anglers for the Classic’s first-place prize of $500,000.
BASS Federation Nation presenting sponsors include Yamaha, the official engine; and Skeeter Performance Fishing Boats. Official sponsors include Toyota Trucks, Berkley, Booyah Bait Co., Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, Optima Batteries. Supporting sponsors include Triton Boats.
