BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Registration Drawing to a Close

2013 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Qualification Criteria

September 5, 2012 - The BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship just completed the seventh consecutive year as the nation’s largest collegiate fishing event. Registrations grew to over 200 teams, and the waitlist was the longest in history. Although everyone that wanted to get in the 2012 event was able to do so, it is unlikely that trend will continue. To accommodate this overwhelming demand, updated registration criteria will go into effect for the 2013 Championship to determine how many teams get to compete on behalf of their university.

All school clubs are still allowed to register up to (3) two-person teams for the 2013 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship. Every club is still guaranteed entry for (1) two-person team; however, the following criteria will be used to determine which school clubs receive entry for (2) or (3) two-person teams:

• Past champions (2006 – 2012) – One extra team for each Championship Victory, up to the maximum of three total teams entered into the Championship
• Participation in the 2012 Collegiate Bass Fishing Open – One extra team, in addition to the guaranteed team, and/or any Past Champion positions, up to the maximum of three total teams entered into the Championship
• Participation in the 2013 Collegiate Big Bass Bash - One extra team, in addition to the guaranteed team, the team secured through the Open, and/or any Past Champion positions, up to the maximum of three total teams entered into the Championship
• Should more or less than 200 teams meet these requirements, the final criteria to determining confirmation will be the date the online registration is received

Regardless of the number of teams that a club sends to the Collegiate Bass Fishing Open, or the Big Bass Bash, the club will only earn one additional position for the Championship. The earned position can be assigned to the actual teammates during the registration process. It does not have to be the same team(s) that competed in prior events. Clubs will be encouraged to register for all three positions, but confirmations of teams two and three will only be issued after evaluating all entries on these criteria.

For complete information on the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship visit www.collegiatebasschampionship.com

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Florence, Alabama to be the home of the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship

FLORENCE, AL, August 30, 2012 - Florence, Alabama and the Association of Collegiate Anglers have entered into a long-term partnership, making Florence and Lake Pickwick the "home" of the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship through 2017.

According to Danny Blandford, Program Director for the ACA, "We're ecstatic to secure such a great host as Florence for many years to come. Traditionally this type of long-term partnership is unheard of in the fishing world, but in this particular case, it was an easy decision for both sides and we are all very excited."

Debbie Wilson, Executive Director of Florence/Lauderdale Tourism, echoed Blandford's sentiments, "College anglers are the future of bass fishing and Florence/Lauderdale Tourism is excited to be part of this growing sport. We are honored to have the opportunity to host the BoatUS Collegiate Championship on Pickwick Lake for the next five years. This event has a tremendous economic impact for the City of Florence and we would like to extend a warm welcome and our Southern Hospitality to all the participating students as well as their friends and family."

Blandford went on to add, "The 2012 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship was so well received by both the community and the anglers, that when the opportunity presented itself to make Florence the home of this event for many years to come, both sides jumped at the chance. We love the facilities at McFarland Park, the fishery is phenomenal, and the Florence/Lauderdale Tourism team is a pleasure to work with, so it was easy for the ACA to make the commitment." Read More

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2012 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Television Series Debuts August 14 on NBC Sports Network

Tune in to the NBC Sports Network for the best college fishing action of the year - including some assistance by TowBoatUS - with the 2012 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship.
Click to download hi-res image

San Antonio, TX, August 13, 2012 -- Fans of collegiate bass fishing will get their first look at the 2012 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Series starting Tuesday, August 14, 2012, when the television series debuts on NBC Sports Network at 11:30 am EST. Programming will start with the Day One coverage of the Cabela's Collegiate Big Bass Bash and follow the anglers through the season, including the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, as well as the Collegiate Bass Fishing Open, presented by Pepsi. Original airings are Tuesdays at 11:30 am EST, repeating on Saturdays at 12:00 pm EST, with the series to conclude on Saturday, October 6, 2012.

"The Association of Collegiate Anglers and the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Series has just wrapped up another year of record-breaking numbers, and we are thrilled with what we were able to capture on the water this year. We'll be showcasing collegiate anglers from across the country during this season's action, which documents their passion, dedication, skills and achievements both on and off the water," stated Wade Middleton, Tournament Director and President of CarecoTV, LLC. Read More

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University of North Carolina Charlotte climbs to the top

The University of North Carolina Charlotte "Bass Rats" are the champions of the 2012 Collegiate Bass Fishing Open, presented by Pepsi. The four angler team of Eric Self, Tyler Beam, Shane Lehew, and Adam Waters amassed a two day total of 41.07 lbs. They started Day Two in third place, less than three pounds behind the first day leaders, North Carolina State. In the end, the Bass Rats brought the largest six fish limit of Day 2 to the scales, at 21.41 lbs. Their haul was more than enough to take home the title, edging out NC State by nearly one pound.

In the true spirit of the Collegiate Bass Fishing Open, they claimed the victory through teamwork, sharing the best elements of each other's patterns. One boat did their work to the south in the grass, while the other worked deeper ledges to the north. They each shared a secondary pattern discovered during practice, which included focusing on marinas when their bites slowed down in their primary areas. Read More

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NC State Basspack Gets It Back!

Florence, Alabama – May 25, 2012 - Ben Dziwulski and Ethan Cox are the 2012 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Champions. Over the course of two days they managed to haul 45.60 pounds of bass, both largemouth and smallmouth from Lake Pickwick. For the first time in its seven year history, the traveling trophy is making a repeat visit, heading back to Raleigh, North Carolina and the campus of North Carolina State.

Ethan and Ben were the last NC State team from the Basspack to be confirmed from the waiting list. Despite having a great network of contacts in the area, their late confirmation prevented them from doing anything but online research prior to making the trip to Florence, but fortunately for the duo, they got off to a great start on the first practice day, plying one particular deep spot on Lake Pickwick with Strike King 5 and 6 XD crankbaits.

According to Ben, “We found an amazingly good deep spot early on Monday, which allowed us to get dialed in pretty quickly and make the most of our time during the official practice period. We made a few casts and had two four pounders and we knew we were set.”

Regarding competition days, Ethan added, “We had our limit within the first hour on Thursday and we knew they were the right fish to win, so once we were comfortable with our first day weight, we backed off and just watched our spot for several hours. I’m glad we finally got to unload on them on Friday.” Read More

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Registration Tops 200 Teams, 106 Collegiate Fishing Programs

San Antonio, Texas, May 1, 2012 - Registration for the 2012 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship has closed, with record registration numbers, including nearly 500 students from 248 teams registering for the 200 available slots in this year’s event. When the final field is released later this week, 400 students, representing 106 collegiate fishing programs, will be confirmed to compete in the largest and most prestigious collegiate fishing event held. Additional students on the waiting list will be learning more this week as staff contacts participants for field finalization. Read More

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2012 BoatU.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Open Announced

PRIS, TN, September 29, 2011 - Collegiate anglers throughout the country will be setting their sights on Kentucky Lake for the 2012 Collegiate Bass Fishing Open, Presented by Pepsi. Serving as host for the third consecutive year, The Henry County Alliance of Paris, Tennessee, and the Paris Landing Marina will be tournament headquarters. Fishing takes place June 23-24, with the registration, dinner, and activities to be held Friday, June 22, 2012.

This unique event features a true team format that allows teammates to share information and work together to amass the largest amount of weight possible over two days of competition. The winning team will be determined by the combined weight of each team's top two boats each day.

"Our unique format in the Collegiate Bass Fishing Open, presented by Pepsi has proven to be a popular concept in collegiate fishing," said Danny Blandford, Program Director of the Association of Collegiate Anglers. "Between the team aspect of competition, and a first-class fishery like Kentucky Lake, we have a winning combination in Paris, and it's great to keep growing the event with the Henry County Alliance. We are looking forward to a few new elements in 2012, which will just add to the overall event experience for our anglers and the community."

To kick off the event, anglers will be participating in a "Spirit Parade" through town, featuring the trucks, boats, and of course, school spirit. The route will lead everyone to the Henry County Fairgrounds, where anglers will be treated to a fish fry and registration banquet. In addition to the competitors, the public is invited to come out and meet the students and attend free professional fishing seminars by some of the nation's top touring bass professionals.

Tournament Director, Wade Middleton, commented, "The parade, the fish fry, and the seminars and social are the BoatU.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Series and ACA's version of a pep rally the night before the big game. The anglers have a blast in the Collegiate Bass Fishing Open, Presented by Pepsi, and it's certainly a big game for the teams. We film more fish catches in those few days, than we would normally film in a month. The south end of Kentucky Lake is simply amazing, especially that time of year."

Tyler Moberly, of the Eastern Kentucky University team, summed it up best in 2011, "The lake was on fire, and it was by far the most fun my partner, Kyle Raymer and I have had on the water." The EKU fishing team is currently two-time defending champions in the Open, with the goal of making it three in a row. The event is open to all collegiate fishing teams recognized by their university, and there is no entry fee to participate. The Open will also be the last qualifying tournament for the 2012 ACA School of the Year Program, meaning winners of this inaugural program will be crowned in Paris on Sunday, June 24 at the conclusion of the event. Those teams interested in learning more should visit: Collegiatebasschampionship.com.

Daily weigh-ins will be held at Paris Landing Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24. Collegiate fishing fans, family members, and friends of competitors can follow the action by visiting Collegiatebasschampionship.com and Facebook.com/CollegiateBassChampionship. Televised coverage will be seen on Versus, now part of the NBC Sports Group, and available to over 75 million households.

About the ACA
The Association of Collegiate Anglers, a division of CarecoTV, is a sanctioning body developed to facilitate growth, development, and structure within competitive collegiate bass fishing. The ACA provides support to dozens of regional events nationwide and owns the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Series, the largest collegiate tournament circuit in the country. With dedicated programming on the Versus network, three nationally televised collegiate bass fishing events, and thousands of members, the ACA is the leader in competitive collegiate bass fishing. For more information on the ACA, or the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Series, visit www.collegiatebasschampionship.com. For more information on CarecoTV, visit www.carecotv.com.

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Eastern Kentucky Repeats as Open Champions
2011 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Open presented by Pepsi

PARIS, TN, July 2011 – It’s not often in a sport as competitive as collegiate bass fishing that a team wins back-to-back tournament titles; although that’s exactly what the Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) bass team accomplished today by winning the 2011 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Open presented by Pepsi for the second year in a row.

The unique format of the Open tournament allows each school club to send as many teams as they like, with each team consisting of up to six anglers and three boats. EKU claimed the Open title in 2010 when Tyler Moberly and Kyle Raymer competed as a single boat team. This year, Tyler and Kyle, along with teammates Jonas Ertel, John Smith, Matt Salmons and Will Pope, fished as a three-boat team and combined their talents and knowledge of Kentucky Lake to successfully defend their Open title with a total weight of 42.73 pounds.

Ertel and Moberly shared a boat and located several schools of suspended bass, catching over 100 per day, including about 50 small keepers. The pair also fished a spot that yielded some better quality bass using swimbaits. Although their teammates weren’t catching big numbers of bass, they succeeded in catching some bigger fish from ledges with worms and jigs that helped propel the team to victory. The EKU team wishes to thank J&J Marine, who repaired an electrical problem with one of the boats at no charge following the first day of competition.

Starting the day in third place with 23.83 pounds, The University of North Carolina-Charlotte team amassed a tournament total of 41.27 pounds, which was good enough to claim second place. Teammates, Eric Self, Tyler Beam, Shane Lehew and Adam Waters shared three sweet spots located on main river ledges that produced approximately 100 bass, with most in the 2.5 pound size range. The majority of the bass the team brought to the scales were caught using a combination of Strike King 6XD crankbaits, 12” Berkley Power Worms and watermelon craw ER football jigs.

Finishing in third place with a total weight of 39.45 pounds, the University of North Alabama bass team stayed close to Paris Landing Marina and maximized their fishing time. The team caught all their bass from three sweet spots. One is a 20-foot deep river ledge, another is a shell bed positioned on an island point and the third spot is a sharp point on a river ledge that drops from 10 to 19 feet and features heavy cover. A combination of football jigs and Carolina rigged soft plastics proved to be effective for tempting more than 150 bass to bite. The team explained that they utilized their Lowrance HDS Structure Scan units to locate the fish and their HydroWave units to activate the schools of bass.

David Lambert, representing the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, secured the Costa overall big bass and Berkley day one big bass awards for his team by landing a 9.49-pound lunker on a spot the team located during the Open event last year. The big bass was fooled with a Carolina rigged Berkley Power Worm and was positioned on a shell bed located on a river ledge that dropped from 13 to 15 feet.

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga team claimed the Berkley day two big bass awards when Robby Crosslin boated a 7.54-pound bass that was coaxed into biting a Carolina rigged Berkley Power Worm.

Rounding out the top ten is:

4 - Tennessee-Chattanooga 38.79
5 - Northwest Shoals 37.88
6 - Murray State 37.05
7 - Austin Peay 36.95
8 - Purdue 34.76
9 - Tennessee-Martin 33.61
10- Louisville 33.28

The BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Series is sanctioned by the Association of Collegiate Anglers and will be televised on Versus by Careco TV beginning July 31 at 2:00 pm CST. The weekly television series will showcase the 2011 series of tournaments, including the Collegiate Bass Fishing Open presented by Pepsi.

The Series is sponsored by BoatUS, BoatUS ANGLER, Cabela’s, Sperry Top-Sider, Columbia Sportswear, frogg toggs, Lazer TroKar, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Costa, Ranger Boats, Onyx, HydroWave, Mountain Dew, Gemini Sport Marketing, Big Bite Baits, Yamaha, Spro, PowerPole, Pepsi and Sunline.

For complete standings, photo album and additional information, please visit www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com or contact Wade Middleton wademiddleton@aol.com.

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Florence/Lauderdale Tourism will Host Championship On Pickwick Lake in 2012 and 2013

FLORENCE, AL, June 7, 2011 - The Association of Collegiate Anglers (ACA) announced today that Florence/Lauderdale Tourism will host the 2012 and 2013 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship events on Pickwick Lake, AL.

"We are delighted for the opportunity to host the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship in 2012 and 2013," said Debbie Wilson, Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Executive Director. "We look forward to a spectacular event in Florence on Pickwick Lake. Beth Agee and our Florence tourism team have big plans for providing a memorable experience for the collegiate anglers."

The 2012 Championship event will be held May 21-25 and will feature a two person team format. Each school will be allowed to send their top three teams and it's expected that as many as 200 teams will compete for the prestigious national championship title. The full field will compete both days and the winners will be determined by the heaviest cumulative weight.

"We're very excited that Florence. AL will host the 7th and 8th annual BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship events on Pickwick Lake," commented Wade Middleton, Tournament Director and President of Careco TV. Since the innaugural national championship event in 2006, our goal has been to provide more opportunities for collegiate anglers while growing the sport of bass fishing. "Florence/Lauderdale Tourism and Pickwick Lake provide many resources that will contribute greatly to the future growth of the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Series.

The 2012 event promises to be a highly contested tournament featuring the big catches that Pickwick Lake has become known for during the late spring time period. In addition to quality largemouth bass, Pickwick is home to big smallmouth and spotted bass as well. Weigh-ins will take place at McFarland Park on May 24 & 25 beginning at 3:00 pm each day.

Camera teams from CarecoTV will capture all the action and extensive coverage of the event will be featured on the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship television series; which will consist of 18 half hours of programming that will air on the Versus network, now part of the NBC Sports Group, during the Fall of 2012.

Under the leadership of the ACA, collegiate bass fishing continues to grow at an astounding pace as new fishing clubs are forming at universities throughout the United States. There are currently more than 200 institutionally recognized fishing clubs nationwide.

Visit www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com for current news and more information about collegiate bass fishing events.

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UCF Knights Win 2011 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship

Sonar Burghoff and Casey O’Donnell Tame Wind Churned Lake Lewisville

LEWISVILLE, TX, May 27, 2011 – Sonar Burghoff and Casey O’Donnell of the University of Central Florida were very confident heading into the final day of competition in the 2011 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship. Trailing the day one leaders by less than a quarter of a pound, the team believed they were on the fish to win the National Championship.

After weighing in 17.07 pounds on day one, Sonar and Casey caught one of only six, five bass limits recorded on the final day. They added 10.85 pounds to their day one weight for a total of 27.92 pounds, giving the team a comfortable margin of victory. The key to their tournament winning pattern was to concentrate on small pockets that featured deep water near the back. The team relied on the Navionics Platinum map chip to locate the productive pockets and Texas rigged Ouzo Chunky Monkeys as well as Secret Lures jigs to catch quality bass positioned around isolated dead willow trees. “We expanded on our water as the tournament unfolded both days,” said Sonar. “As we moved around the lake, we’d stop and fish isolated bushes positioned in pockets that had the right contour features.”

In an emotional moment, Sonar thanked Topwater Clothing, Jetworks Air Center and Business Air for their support. “There’s no way I could fish competitively without their support,” he commented.

Starting the final day in 9th place with 12.39 pounds, Scott Jones and Andrew Sanders of the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff hauled a 13.28 pound limit to the scales and claimed second place with a total weight of 25.67 pounds. “It feels good to do so well in an event of this magnitude,” said Scott. “We never caught a fish prior to 11:00 either day but we persevered and it paid off.”

The key for Jones and Sanders was to concentrate on green bushes positioned in 2-3 feet of stained water and avoid the muddy water resulting from the strong winds. The team utilized ¾ ounce Texas rigged Sweet Beavers and 5/16 ounce Eakins jigs to entice the finicky Lake Lewisville bass to bite. The team wishes to thank Berkley, Abu Garcia, Poor Man Jigs, BoatUS and all of the event sponsors for their support.

Finishing day one in 17th place with 10.71 pounds, Cody McCrary and Neil Arnaud of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette rallied to claim third place on the strength of an 11.17 pound five bass limit, giving the team a two day total of 21.88 pounds. “We just junked fished,” explained McCrary. “We hit a bunch of spots based on previous experience and caught fish both shallow and deep.” The team used a variety of lures including a shaky head, Carolina rig, Texas rig and crankbait.

McCrary and Arnaud wish to thank their sponsors: Wildlife Energy Drinks, Concrete 79520, Courtesy Automotive Group, Don’s Specialty Meats, Seaguar, Lazer TroKar, Tony Chachere’s Foods, Duckett Fishing Rods and OCR Custom Rods.

Rounding out the top 10 is:

4th Louisiana-Monroe Nick LaDart & Daniel Echols 21.55
5th Wisconsin-Steven’s Point Adam Kolbeck & Tyler Gollakner 21.38
6th Arkansas Mook Miller & Kyle Billingsley 21.30
7th Tarleton State Matt Carr & Cody Morrison 20.09
8th Alabama Jeremy Christian & Logan Johnson 20.02
9th Alabama Dustin Connell & Keith Kirkley 19.38
10th Arkansas Tech Dustin Huggins & Evan Barnes 18.95

The 2011 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship awarded scholarships, travel funds, incentive awards and merchandise prizes to the top finishers thanks to the support of numerous event sponsors such as BoatUS ANGLER, Cabela’s, Sperry Top-Sider, Columbia Sportswear, frogg toggs, Lazer TroKar, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Costa, Ranger Boats, Onyx, HydroWave, Gemini Sport Marketing, Big Bite Baits, Yamaha, Spro, Pepsi, and Sunline.

The 2011 Champions will advance to fish the 2012 Bass Federation National Championship where they’ll have the opportunity to win the “Living the Dream” prize package and move on to compete in the Forrest Wood Cup.

The BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Series is sanctioned by the Association of Collegiate Anglers and will be televised on Versus, part of NBC Sports Group, by CarecoTV beginning the last Sunday in July at 2:00 p.m. ET. The weekly television series will showcase the 2011 series of tournaments including the Collegiate Bass Fishing Open presented by Pepsi which will be held June 27-30.

For complete standings, photo album and additional information, please visit www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com or contact Wade Middleton wade@carecotv.com.

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2010 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship News

University of Georgia Bulldogs come from behind to win 2010 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing National Championship
University of North Carolina - Charlotte and Western Kentucky round out top three

LAKE LEWISVILLE, TX, May 28, 2010 - In what was easily the most dramatic final day in the five year history of the event, the University of Georgia outweighed the University of North Carolina-Charlotte by 2.85 pounds to win the 2010 BoatU.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship.

The anglers endured blistering heat described as brutal by many as temperatures climbed into the mid 90's with very little wind both days. The more than 300 collegiate anglers from across the nation registered to compete in the event this year showcased their fishing skills in this year's national championship despite the challenging conditions.

The Results:
1st - Univ. of Georgia - Ben Cleary & Bo Page - 36.41
2nd - Univ. of North Carolina-Charlotte - Eric Self & Taylor Beam - 33.56
3rd - Western Kentucky - Andy Southard & David Stephens - 30.60
4th - Univ. of Arkansas-Fayetteville - Clay Ramey & Kyle Billingsly - 30.44
5th - Eastern Kentucky University - Richard Cobb V & Tyler Moberly - 28.86
6th - Tarleton State Univ. - John Anderson & Brandon Foard - 28.85
7th - Texas A & M Univ. - Andy Shafer & Matt McArdle - 28.67
8th - Georgia College & State Univ. - Matt Henry & Walker Smith - 27.82
9th - Oklahoma Univ. - Chip Porche' & Mark Johnson - 27.58
10th - Louisiana State Univ. - Shreveport - Zach Caudle & Joe Landry - 27.17

Ben Cleary and Bo Page of the University of Georgia turned in an impressive performance as they came from third place to claim the national championship title with the most consistent performance of any team in the field in recent history. "It really means a lot to win the biggest collegiate bass fishing event ever held," said Cleary and Page "It hasn't even fully sunk in yet."

After weighing in 18.34 pounds on day one, the pair accumulated 18.07 pounds on day two, giving them a total weight of 36.41 pounds and a comfortable margin of victory. On day one they were able to coax the Lake Lewisville bass into biting by swimming a watermelon/red Git-Bit football jig. After catching a 5 pounder on a Pop R first thing on day two, a much slower presentation with Texas rigged watermelon/red Zoom Baby Brush Hogs dipped in JJ's Magic soft plastic dye was required to get bites. Cleary reported catching a 6 pounder and a 3 pounder when he popped his Texas rig free from the rocks that were scattered on the bottom. As it turned out, their consistent creel of over 18 pounds per day, resulting from six keeper bites each day, proved to be more than enough to take the trophy home to Georgia.

When the scales settled on day one, Eric Self and Tyler Beam representing the University of North Carolina - Charlotte were in 12th place with 15.81 pounds. Their day two haul of 17.75 pounds landed them in the hot seat where they sat until the University of Georgia claimed it. The team endured an extremely tough practice that only yielded 4 small keepers in two days. "We started on the dam rip rap that produced the keepers in practice and ended up catching our three biggest bass there on day one," explained Self. We only caught one off of it on day two but it was our biggest." To finish their limit each day, Self and Beam skipped ER jigs in oyster blue and watermelon craw colors under marina catwalks and any other cover that offered shade in about 5 feet of water. The team thanks ER Lures and The Great Outdoors for their support.

Sitting in second place after day 1 with 19.68 pounds, Andy Southard and David Stephens of Western Kentucky were concerned about the number of competitors they saw fishing their key area. Due to the crowded conditions on day 2, the team abandoned the spot and pursued their backup pattern which involved pitching wacky worms to standing timber in about 8 feet of water. "We fished as slow as molasses," said Southard "We'd just cast over and over to the same spot. Southard and Stephens also reported that they missed 7 key bites on day one and 6 on day two. They added 10.92 to their day one weight for a total of 30.60 pounds which was enough to secure third place. The team wishes to thank the following sponsors: Renegade Marine, Slongs Fishing Lures.

The 2010 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship featured over $100,000.00 in scholarships, travel funds, incentive awards and merchandise prizes presented to the top finishers via numerous sponsors such as BoatUS ANGLER, Cabela's, Sperry Top-Sider, Columbia Sportswear, frogg toggs, Lazer TroKar, Wohali Rods, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Costa, Ranger Boats and Gemini Sport Marketing.

The 2010 champions will advance to fish the 2011 Bass Federation National Championship where they'll have the opportunity to win the "Living the Dream" prize package and move on to compete in the Forest Wood Cup.

In addition to the full lineup of prizes listed above, Pure Fishing also recognized the top 3 entries in the Berkley Conservation Institute College Angler of the Year program. Anglers in this program provided a formal presentation that consisted of their ideas to better support and conserve the outdoors. The winners of this prestigious award are:

1st place - Cody Salzman - Univ. of Wisconsin-Steven's Point
2nd place - Shawn Stamps - Northwest Shoals Community College
3rd place - Alex Craw - Univ. of Tennessee-Chattanooga

The BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, sanctioned by the Association of Collegiate Anglers, will be televised on Versus by Careco Mulitmedia beginning in August of 2010. The weekly television series will showcase the year-long lineup of events leading up to the championship including the inaugural Collegiate Bass Fishing Open presented by Pepsi which will be held in June.

For complete standings, a photo album and more information please visit www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com or contact Wade Middleton at 210-697-8081.

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

LAKE LEWISVILLE, TX, June 1, 2009 - 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, BoatUS ANGLER, Cabelas, 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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2009 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Announces Largest Collegiate Bass Fishing Event Ever Held

LAKE LEWISVILLE, TX, May 20, 2009 -- With 286 student anglers representing 73 universities registered for the 2009 BoatUS National Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, it will easily surpass last year's record field of 194 by over 90 anglers making it the largest collegiate bass fishing tournament ever held. Officials for the event this year had to expand the field to accommodate the record number of registrants.

"The explosive growth that club fishing has had among America's colleges over the past few years is a testament to the quality of this event, which is the premier collegiate fishing tournament. The participating anglers are the future of our sport, and we are proud to support them in their quest to be successful - and safe, tournament anglers," stated Chris Edmonston of BoatUS.

Every two-person team attending Cabela's College Day at the Cabela's retail store in Fort Worth, Texas on May 25 will be treated to a $100 shopping spree complements of Cabela's. Seminars will also be provided by several top bass fishing pros such as Clark Wendlandt, Kelly Jordon, Dave Smith, Sean Hornke, Mike Hawkes and Jeff Kriet.

The collegiate anglers will enjoy numerous incentive and discount purchasing programs provided by BoatUS ANGLER, Cabela's, Pure Fishing, Costa Del Mar, Sperry Top-Sider and Gemini Sport Marketing, as well as product samples provided by all the sponsors on site at the event. Contestants will also receive travel stipends and complementary meals to further offset costs. Scholarships and merchandise awards will be made to the top finishers - all designed to promote the growth of collegiate bass fishing.

"We continue to be impressed by the rapid growth of this tournament and collegiate bass fishing as a whole, but we're most proud to be here to provide these students the support they need both on and off the water. The dedication and can-do attitude that they bring to the table is so encouraging for the future of tournament angling and the sport of recreational fishing," said Mike Pellerin, Director of BoatUS ANGLER.

All of the action and excitement during this event will be captured by Careco Multimedia's camera teams and will be featured on the television series airing on the Versus network starting this August on Saturdays at 12:30PM EST.

"This field size this year is amazing. This event features some of the anglers who participated in our very first event in 2006. As seniors this year, they will be transitioning into the business world and will be ambassadors of the sport of fishing based on their experiences at this event and others," stated Wade Middleton, Tournament Director.

All tournament activities will take place at Sneaky Pete's, located on Lake Lewisville in Lewisville, Texas. The official practice period is May 26 & 27. Registration and the pre-tournament banquet will take place on the evening of May 27. Competition days are May 28 & 29. For updates on the event, visit CollegiateBassChampionship.com.

The 73 schools that will be represented include : Arizona State University, Arkansas Tech University, Auburn University, Baylor University, Boise State University, Clemson University, Drury University, East Carolina University, Eastern Kentucky University, Eastern Oklahoma State College, Faulkner University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Freed-Hardeman University, Friends University, Georgia College & State University, Henderson State University, Indiana University, Kansas State University, Lamar University, Louisiana State University - Shreveport, Louisiana Tech University, Metro State College of Denver, Midwestern State University, Murray State University, North Carolina State, Northeastern A&M College, Northwestern State University, Oklahoma State University, Penn State University, Purdue University, Radford University, Sam Houston State University, Southeast Missouri State University, Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, Stephen F. Austin State University, Tarleton State University, Tennessee Tech University, Texas A&M Galveston, Texas A&M Kingsville, Texas A&M University, Texas State University, Texas Tech University, University of Alabama, University of Alabama - Birmingham, University of Arkansas, University of Arkansas - Little Rock, University of Arkansas - Monticello, University of Central Arkansas, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of Iowa, University of Kentucky, University of Louisiana Lafayette, University of Louisville, University of Mississippi, University of Montevallo, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, University of Nevada - Reno, University of North Alabama, University of North Texas, University of Oklahoma, University of Oregon, University of South Alabama, University of Tennessee - Chattanooga, University of Tennessee - Knoxville, University of Tennessee - Martin, University of Texas - Arlington, University of Texas - Austin, University of Texas - Tyler, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, Virginia Tech University, Wabash College, and Western Kentucky University.

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

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