Bassmasters coming to Lake St. Clair The best bass fishermen in the world will be at Lake St. Clair Metropark in Harrison Township on Aug. 22-25 when the 2013 Elite Series wraps up with the Lake St. Clair Championship. The Elite Series has not been to the Detroit-area before, but this will be the fourth B.A.S.S. event to launch from the lake since 1994. The Northern Opens were held on the Detroit River in 2010 and 2012. The 2013 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the year will be crowned at the Lake St. Clair Championships, and as many as 36 Elite anglers will earn berths in the 2014 Bassmaster Classic. Worth noting, Plano Molding Co. has obtained the title sponsorship to the Lake St. Clair event and is calling the event the Plano Championship Chase on Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River. “We are proud that Plano decided to play a central role in our Elite Series season finale,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S., which owns and produces the Elite Series. Plano, based in Plano, Ill., wanted to partner with B.A.S.S. to be the title sponsor for several very good reasons, said Jesse Simpkins, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing for Plano. “Top pros, including Kevin VanDam (from Kalamazoo), will be driving toward the goal of being the Angler of the Year, a title that rivals the Bassmaster Classic as the most coveted title in all of bass fishing,” Simpkins said. VanDam, the seven-time Angler of the Year and a member of Plano’s pro team, is in contention for an eighth title this year. After five of eight Elite events, VanDam is in third place. Ahead of him in the race are two more of the sport’s greats, Edwin Evers and Skeet Reese. Another reason Plano chose to sponsor the finale: Lake St. Clair — and the Detroit River, which connects St. Clair to Lake Erie — are great fisheries. “Lake St. Clair is No. 1 on Bassmaster Magazine’s ‘100 Best Bass Lakes’ list for good reason. There are hordes of hungry smallmouth and pockets full of hefty largemouth,” Simpkins said. Not to mention that Bassmaster Elite Series events are proven fan favorites. For the Elite Series, Lake St. Clair will be a new stop, and first-time Elite venues draw fans. “B.A.S.S. has demonstrated its ability to pull the crowds in, and then give those fans an unbelievable tournament experience,” Simpkins said. As title sponsor, Plano will have top billing in The Bassmasters TV show that features the Plano Championship Chase. On ESPN2, the show will air Saturday, Aug. 31, at 7 a.m., and again on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 6 a.m. Fans also can catch the Plano Championship Chase show on ESPN Classic on Saturday, Aug. 31, at 9 a.m., and on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 8 a.m. For more than 40 years, B.A.S.S. has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and an expansive tournament structure while connecting directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles. The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, Cabela’s B.A.S.S. Federation Nation events and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic. Fans can follow the action live on Bassmaster. Tom Watts writes a weekly outdoors column for 21st Century Media. Contact him at tomwattsoutdoors@gmail.
Posted on: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 01:42:34 +0000
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