ABA and BASS

[geobass]

For immediate release
Nov. 14, 2006

BASS TO LICENSE BASSMASTER WEEKEND SERIES TO AMERICAN BASS ANGLERS, INC.

The Bassmaster Weekend Series Operated by American Bass Anglers will continue to
send the overall national champion to the CITGO Bassmaster Classic, the world
championship of bass fishing. American Bass Anglers also plans to continue the
popular one-day tournament structure and operate a schedule similar to the 2006
format. The tournaments will be conducted according to BASS rules and under the
organization’s highest fish-care standards. The first tournament is scheduled
for January 2007.

“American Bass Anglers has successfully operated a tournament trail for weekend
anglers for many years,” said Jim Downs, BASS senior director of events. “This
gives BASS the opportunity to focus on the Elite Series, memberships and
publications while serving the weekend angler with BASS-sanctioned events.”

While all Bassmaster Weekend Series participants must be members of both BASS
and American Bass Anglers, BASS Federation Nation members and BASS Life members
will receive priority entry into the tournaments. Additionally, BASS will
provide priority entry into the Bassmaster Opens for the top six Bassmaster
Weekend Series anglers from the Bassmaster Weekend Series Championship.

“We are very excited to work with BASS and its staff on this alliance,” said
Morris Sheehan, president of American Bass Anglers. “The Bassmaster Weekend
Series is the perfect addition to American Bass Anglers’ current format, and to
have a member of the Bassmaster Weekend Series earn the opportunity to compete
in the Bassmaster Classic is a great honor. American Bass Anglers and BASS are
fully committed to growing the Bassmaster Weekend Series to be the biggest and
best national weekend series in the country.”

BASS will continue to deliver the news and information on the Bassmaster Weekend
Series to members and fans in BASS Times as well as on www.Bassmaster.com. More
information can be found at www.AmericanBassAnglers.com.

About American Bass Anglers

American Bass Anglers offers over 1,100 tournaments per year in 41 states that
are designed for the weekend angler. American Bass Anglers commitment is to
providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the
same time offer each an upward path for angler progression. For more
information on American Bass Anglers and the “Bassmasters Weekend Series
operated by American Bass Anglers” visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call the
weekend angler hotline toll free at 888-203-6222. American Bass Anglers is
headquartered in Athens, Ala.

About BASS

BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000
events through the BASS Federation Nation annually. Guided by its mission to
serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism,
sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years.

BASS sanctions and stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and
culminates with the CITGO Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth
programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia
platforms, BASS offers the industry’s widest array of services and support to
its nearly 530,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration,
Fla.

For more information, contact BASS/ESPN Outdoors Communications at (407)
566-2208 or visit www.Bassmaster.com.

There it is, the big news from this years nationals. I can only see good things coming from this.
George Salov

[MarkW]

George,
You have ideas on what the weekend series schedule will be in KY? If you know, can you tell us now? I have fished this series for 2 years now and I hope it doesn't almost leave KY except for KY/Barkley Lakes. I hope there will be some closer to Louisville area---or at least within a 2 hour drive?

[getthenet]

I guess there will be more to come on this. Reading the above information its unclear to me. Will me still have the traditional ABA tournaments? if so will it be the tournaments that the local directors have already scheduled? or will new schedules come out? Is this something were you sign up as a boater and non-boater and have two entry fees for both? and what will the entry fees be? or will everyone still pay the same? I guess we all have to have 200,000 in insurance under Bass rules? Are we still having the reginal and grand national ABA anounced at the nationals this year. It sounds like we are playing with BASS rules. Does that mean that the new ABA/BASS Format is going to be more like last years BASS Series circuit and we are just joining them. These are just some of my questions. Im sure you may or may not have the answers. Just throwing that out there for anyone who might shed more light on this.

[geobass]

As far as I know, the schedules will be coming very soon. There are some rules that are being looked at. One is the shared weight. I beleive this may go by the wayside. I also think the tournaments will be on Saturday.
The ABA local tournaments will not change at all, they will still be run by the local directors. The BASS weekend series will be run by ABA personel. To fish the BASS weekend tournament both BASS and ABA membership will be required. There is more information on the ABA website.
Mark, I too would hope that this part of Kentucky is included in the BASS weekend series, maybe one that would include the Ohio River.
Will post more information as it becomes available.
For those interested, my next ABA tournament is on Lake Cumberland, Conley Bottoms on Dec. 2, 2006. This would be a good time to come out and check out what the ABA is all about.
George Salov

[SuperSprint007]

well last years bluegrass had two of the four on the ohio river, neither one had a good turn-out and not many fish caught in either one. I hope that they keep it on Sunday, if you want to fish on Saturday then fish BFL.

[MarkW]

Thanks George,
Yeah, the only reason the ones on the river had a poor turn-out was because BASS wouldn't listen to us last year when we requested to have only a River circuit or a Lake circuit, but don't mix the two up. Obviously they didn't listen and thought it would be a good idea to mix it up and well---you saw the results. I was pushing them hard to have a river only circuit back in 2005 when I fished the KY/Tenn. Division. If you look back to the Hoosier Division or look at the Plapps River only circuit, it would show you how many fishermen from the Louisville area to the Cincy Area are interested in fishing this river. Might not be as good as some fisheries, but it's about all we have here close.
Anyways, I too hope they keep it on a Sunday---fridays are real hard for the weekly 8-5 M-F worker to deal with by being off for those tournaments and the other ones we like to fish like the BFL's and the KY Bass Federation Nations circuit.
I am seriously hoping that ABA will look at having more on the Ohio River. I fear that the "Bluegrass Division of 2006" will move to Cumberland,Dale Hollow and Douglas and Cherokee Lakes in Eastern Tenn. Oh well----we'll wait and see.

[geobass]

Mark, Plapp's had great success with the river last year and I'm sure next year will be better.
As far as BASS weekend series, hasn't it always been on Saturday? I know the ABA prefers Saturday's over Sunday's. I'm not sure who will run a division in this area. I will keep you posted.
The ABA district 87 Kentucky Bluegrass, I can tell you that they will not be fishing any lakes in Tenn. other than Dale Hollow. If turnout for the Dale Hollow is not there, it will not be on the schedule next year. This year (2007) schedule is out and on the ABA website as well as on this tournament board. I have had several tournaments on the Ohio River in the past and they did not draw well. I try to keep these tournaments close to Lexington within reason.
George Salov

[MarkW]

No, the BASS Weekend series was always on Sundays. Thanks George for the info. I'll keep watching Bassmaster and ABA's websites for further updates.

[Dave Stewart]

Looks like the ABA is making a lot of changes and growing bigger. I am curious as to the lakes the new Pro trail will be fishing...I am sure the schedule should be out soon or I have missed it since the sign up is scheduled for eary December.

I noticed also the new "couples" trail...I think this would go over very well here in Ky if and when one is started here.