Kemp’s climb on day two from 12th to first was due to her being out on the waters of Lake Dardanelle getting’ “jiggy” with it. “I was on a jig bite all day long but I had to find some clean water, or at least partially clean,” Kemp said. “I also had to have a little current in the water I was fishing. I started fishing the grass early and as the heat started pounding on us I went a little bit deeper and found some deep water brush piles and just hammered them.”

Kemp, a Weatherford, Texas resident went on to say, “I’ve competed against these prestigious ladies since 1986 and this is my first win, and I’m so excited to win the inaugural event on this new women’s tour.” Kemp said that she hasn’t planned out how she will spend her winnings, but quickly quipped, “but my husband probably does.”

Emily Shaffer brought one bass to the scales but it was enough to allow her to maintain her grip on second place. Shaffer finished up the event with 11.08 pounds.

3rd place winner Sheri GlasgowDay one leader Sheri Glasgow failed to bring a keeper to the scales on day two and her day one weight of 10.64 allowed her to capture third place. “What I said yesterday held true today – it changed again and the water came up even more,” Glasgow commented. “It never feels good. It’s disappointing, but it’s ok at the same time – it’s fishing,” she stated when asked if she felt this tournament possibly slipped through her fingers.

Plano, Texas’s Cheryl Bowden finished fourth with 9.90 pounds of bass for the event. Bowden also captured big bass honors on day two with a bass that weighed 3.65 pounds. Rounding out the top five was Pam Martin-Wells (Bainbridge, GA.) whose weight totaled 9.67 pounds.

Finishers six through ten were as follows: 6) Lynda Gessner/Foristell, MO. – 8.47 pounds; 7) Judy Wong/Many. LA. – 8.24 pounds; Debbie Warner/Murray, KY. – 7.02 pounds; 9) Judith Hart/Greenville, TX. – 6.88; 10) Patti Campbell/Waxahachie, TX. – 6.82 pounds.

Jan Bruner captured the co-angler side of this inagural LBAA event with a total weight of 6.47 pounds of bass to take home a check for $2,500. Kim Giddens finished second with 5.42 pounds. Giddens was followed in third by Bonnie Ward with 4.82 pounds, Fourth place was captured by Martha Goodfellow with 4.20 pounds and finishing in fifth was Teri Neal with 4.19 pounds.

The LBAA event and festivities at Lake Dardanelle will conclude Saturday with the LBAA Main Street Mission Team Charity Fishing Tournament with the event proceeds going to support The Main Street Mission in Russellville. Teams may register between 5AM and 7AM Saturday morning. The Main Street Mission has been feeding the hungry in Pope, Yell, and Johnson Counties in Arkansas for over 15 years.

The day three charity event will pay a guaranteed $1,000 first place prize. Also there will be $200 in bonus prize money for both the highest finishing team composed that has one female member, and the team that has a child under 12 as a member of that team.

Host lodging for the LBAA Lake Dardanelle 2010 Kickoff Tournament will be the Best Western Inn located at 2326 N. Arkansas Avenue, Russellville, Arkansas 72802-2218. Phone 1-479-967-1000/Fax 1-479-967-3586.

For more information on the Lady Bass Anglers Association contact: Co-founder Cheryl Bowden @ 1-214-738-7518; Co-founder Secret York @ 1-270-748-9041; or Media Specialist Larry Morris @ 1-540-239-7902.

Women have always been eligible to compete in Bassmaster Opens, and several women have done so. One, Pam Martin-Wells, the second woman to qualify for a Bassmaster Classic, has been entering Opens as a pro for three seasons. While 20 women out of 400 entrants may not constitute a core demographic shift, it’s a noticeable change from the circuit’s predominantly male makeup.

A dozen of the 20 will compete at Amistad as pros; eight signed on as co-anglers. Many of them will continue on with the circuit and fish all three Central Opens this season.

One such pro is Meta Burrell. At 22, she is both young and female. From Fort Worth, Texas, Burrell transferred to the Central Open after the Women’s Bassmaster Tour folded in late 2009.

So did Christiana Bradley of Bealeton, Va.

“I prefer to stay with BASS — it’s the premier tour and tournament organization,” said Bradley, whose face is familiar to many anglers since being featured in a full-page advertisement for her primary sponsor, Geico. Most recently, the ad ran on page 3 of the April 2010 issue of Bassmaster.

“Another key (to the decision) was that Geico wanted to see me at a national level,” Bradley said. “I explained to them that I thought I’d get even more exposure with the Opens than I did on the WBT.”

While Bradley retains her “day job” as an IT specialist, Burrell had a decision to make when the WBT disbanded. The Central Opens made the most sense to her.

“I think it’s going to be a good new start in my career, and I’m looking forward to competing at a higher level,” Burrell said. “I’ve fished all my life. It’s my career, and my goal is to make the Elites. I know a lot of people might look at me and say, ‘Oh, a girl, she won’t be able to do it,’ but I’m here to compete and go as far as I can.”

Burrell’s one previous taste of Open competition was as a co-angler in 2008 on Santee Cooper in South Carolina. She limited each of two days of the weather-shortened tournament, finishing second, just 2 ounces behind the winner.

Besides Burrell, Bradley and Martin-Wells, other women entered at Amistad as pros include Dianna Clark of Bumpus Mills, Tenn., a three-time WBT champion and 2006 Toyota Tundra WBT Angler of the Year; Judy Wong of Many, La., winner of three WBT events, including two championships; and Lisa Johnson of Centre, Ala., who competed as a pro in the 2008 Bassmaster Southern Open circuit.

Bassmaster.com will carry all the Amistad action. Coverage from the lake just outside of Del Rio, Texas, includes real-time leaderboards during weigh-ins; BASSCam video reports; extensive photo galleries; and results and standings. Weigh-ins are set to begin at 4 p.m. ET daily.

Deb Johnson

BASS Communications

BASSCam reporter Robbie Floyd was there.

“What brings you out in the freezing cold temperatures on the first day of the Bassmaster Classic?” Floyd asked a fan.

“To watch the Bassmaster Classic, baby!” the fan said as others around him cheered.

At takeoff, the air temperature was 1 degree above freezing. The sun. low in the sky, was blindingly bright in the clear air. Water temperatures ranged from 42 to 45 degrees.

Within the hour, many in the Bassmaster Classic field had already hooked into fish. Fast results out of the gate were somewhat of a surprise, given the less than optimum fishing conditions — especially the cold water, which Classic anglers have been saying hurts the bite of spotted bass and largemouth bass alike.

Full results, analysis and photo galleries of each day’s competition, Friday-Sunday, are available at Bassmaster.com. Ongoing coverage while the anglers are on the water will be available throughout the final two days, Saturday and Sunday. Fans have their pick: Read Steve Bowman’s blog; monitor the live tallies of catches on a system called BASSTrakk; watch the action via BASSCast Powered by Humminbird cameras mounted in the stern of two anglers’ boats (on Friday, Byron Velvick and Takahiro Omori); up-to-the-minute video reports from the water and land venues via BASSCam; and live Toyota Hooked Up! shows five times a day beginning at 10 a.m.

At weigh-in time, Bassmaster.com will carry a real-time leaderboard, while live, streaming video is available each day at ESPN360.com.

Admission is free for the weigh-ins at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex arena. Doors open Saturday at 3 p.m. CT; on Sunday, 3:30 p.m. CT.

BASS BOOTH FUN AS EXPO OPENS: Within hours of opening at noon Friday, the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods — another free-admission Classic offering — was packed.

The fans are being treated to the biggest Classic Expo ever presented in Birmingham. The show, spread over two floors of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, continues Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. CT and Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The BASS booth anchors the top floor, an expanse where official Classic sponsors are showing their latest products and offering games, contests and giveaways.

The BASS exhibit was no exception. A main attraction Friday morning was the BASSTrakk leaderboard, which posts estimated weights of catches as reported from the water from 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Friday morning, visitors to the BASS booth found BASS founder Ray Scott signing autographs and Bassmaster Magazine editor James Hall interviewing the Auburn and Alabama teams for Saturday’s inaugural Bassmaster College Classic (see below).

Showgoers were signing up for BASS’ free hourly giveaways as fast as pens were available. Friday’s lineup of prizes ranged from Abu Garcia Revo reels to Classic backstage tours and tickets for admission to front seats at the weigh-in. A different lineup of prizes will be offered Saturday and Sunday from 12:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

NEW YORK TIMES ON OMORI: Takahiro Omori, the 2004 Bassmaster Classic champ, was the subject of a feature story by Ray Glier published Friday in the New York Times.

Omori’s photo — holding up a bass, of course — appeared with the story. He was wrapped head to toe with cold-weather gear; the photo showing Omori on Lay Lake for practice last weekend, when temperatures hovered near freezing. The photo was shot by Gary Tramontina, a photographer for this week’s Classic as well as for Bassmaster Elite Series events. Fellow Bassmaster Elite Series pro and 2010 Classic competitor Kevin Wirth was quoted about how hard Omori worked in his early years as an aspiring pro.

Omori described his chosen career to the Times reporter: “My father worked the same job for 40 years — 40 years! Boring. I escaped. What else in life is there than this?”

MOONPIE CHALLENGE: At the Toyota booth at the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods, it’s tough to walk past the Tundra with a bed full of MoonPies, a longtime Southern treat.

It’s the setup for the Tundra MoonPie Challenge, happening Friday and Saturday at the Expo. Showgoers are being invited to guess the number of MoonPies loaded into the truck bed. The one person who comes closest to the count will win a prize package designed by Classic home-state favorite Gerald “G-Man” Swindle of Warrior, Ala.

Swindle put together the tackle pack and signed one of his tournament jerseys to give to the winner. In addition, the best guesser will receive MoonPie and Toyota apparel. The winner’s take is valued at $550.

“We’ve also got the Toyota Casting Challenge going on in the booth, so kids and kids at heart can participate and win some small prizes,” said Kendell Mooney, account executive for Toyota.

TIE THE KNOT: Anyone who claims to be an ace at knot tying can test his or her skills at the big Berkley booth at the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Show attendees are invited to tie their best knot in 10-pound Trilene XT. The piece of line is put on a machine that tests its strength; if the knot doesn’t break, the fan wins a pony spool of 12-pound Trilene XT. If the knot breaks, the fan can get a free lesson on tying a knot.

TANKED: A demo fishing tank the size of a tractor trailer is where Berkley seminars and demos will take place throughout the weekend at the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Two-time Classic champ Hank Parker will give several seminars, as will TV personality Jimmy Houston. Demos are scheduled with Parker, Bassmaster Elite Series pro J. Todd Tucker and others.

BEAT HOMER HUMPHREYS: Can a long list of accomplished pros, and an equally long list of young men on the college circuits, beat Bassmaster Open pro and two-time Classic qualifier Homer Humphreys on the casting range?

He says no way. Humphreys won the Mercury Casting Competition at the company’s booth at the 2009 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo, and he’s back at this year’s show to take on all challengers.

Mercury Marine is hosting the casting contest at its booth in the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods.

“I am the champion from last year, I put them all down,” he said, smiling. “The last one I put down, I wasn’t even looking at the target — I just got lucky.”

He said he won “bragging rights and grins” — the same prize offered this year.

“A lot of us touring pros will be going against one another; then the college boys will be coming in,” Humphreys said. “At the end, the best college caster goes up against the best pro caster. Hey, we love competing against the college guys. They come in talkin’ that smack and try to put us old men down.”

The big casting pool has various targets, each worth a set number of points.

Other pros lined up to try for the 2010 Mercury Casting Competition title: Bassmaster Elite pros Marty Stone, Chris Lane, Tim Horton, Brian Snowden, Peter Thliveros and Bernie Schultz. Also slated to try her hand is Judy Wong, the Women’s Bassmaster Tour 2009 Championship winner who will compete on the Bassmaster Central Open circuit this season.

AUBURN VS. ALABAMA: Billed as the “Iron Bowl of bass fishing,” the inaugural Bassmaster College Classic is set for Saturday on Logan Martin Lake.

Three two-man teams from Auburn University and three from the University of Alabama will compete for the first “Iron Fish Trophy” and the right to go on to next year’s event against a Louisiana university. The competition is a one-day, cumulative-weight event, team against team. Two anglers are assigned one boat, and each boat has a five-fish limit.

The six teams will weigh in their catches at 2:30 p.m. CT on a stage at the Toyota Tundra booth at the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo in the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in downtown Birmingham.

Logan Martin — a Coosa River impoundment like Lay Lake, where the Bassmaster Classic is taking place Feb. 19-21 — promises tough fishing, said the presidents of both the Auburn and Alabama teams.

Auburn senior Shaye Baker, the team captain and president of the school’s fishing organization, predicted that the winning team will have to have 10 to 12 pounds per boat for a tournament total of 30 to 36 pounds.

He said his team is out for revenge — not for the Iron Bowl loss to Alabama in football this year, but for the fishing team’s loss in an intercollegiate event last week.

“They won first place, so yeah, we have a little bit of a bad taste in our mouth, and we need to get back at them this weekend,” Baker said. “It’s going to be a rough tournament.”

Baker said his team knows Logan Martin, but their one official practice day last Sunday was “cold and rough, just like on all the lakes here.”

David Rogers, an Alabama senior studying environmental management, said the Auburn-Alabama school rivalry is driving his team.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s football, baseball or fishing,” said Baker. “Going against your rival, you have a burning passion for what you’re doing, and you want to come out with a victory.”

He said he’s counting on the sunshine to warm the lake water come Saturday.

“I think the water temperature will go up a few degrees, and that will be the major factor, maybe turn on the fish in our spots,” Rogers said.

The team captains will call meetings to discuss strategy. With three two-angler teams, each side has to map out which boat should cover which parts of the lake. That way duplication will be avoided, an important factor in a six-hour team event.

The winning team will be recognized Saturday on stage during the Bassmaster Classic weigh-in at the arena inside the BJCC. The event is free; doors open Saturday at 3 p.m. CT.

About BASS
For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing.  The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

-30-

Media contact: Doug Grassian, 407-566-2216, doug.grassian@espn.com

Photo courtesy of ESPN.

Martin-Wells won the coveted 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Women’s Tour Angler of the Year trophy and the 2010 Bassmaster Classic berth and new Tundra that go with it.

A four-time WBT winner from Bainbridge, Ga., Martin-Wells is only the second woman in history to qualify for the sport’s biggest event. Kim Bain-Moore of Alabaster, Ala., was the first, winning the 2008 Angler of the Year and a berth in the 2009 Classic.

“Words can’t describe this,” Martin-Wells said. “I can walk through the living room and see a commercial on TV for the Bassmaster Classic – I freeze, watch it and get goose bumps. Now I’m going to get them for real. It’s going to be an awesome experience.”

After Day 2 of the three-day competition in Louisiana, it was evident that Martin-Wells would take AOY honors, but she did not consider it her prize until the title was officially awarded.

“With these ladies, you don’t know what can happen, they’re all excellent anglers,” she said. “Juanita (Robinson) is a friend of mine, and she’s very consistent, and she had me scared. The first day when I had 13 pounds, it helped. But I wasn’t comfortable until they announced it.”

Wong’s victory Sunday was her second championship title, her first coming in 2007. Her prize this time was $5,000 and a Triton/Mercury boat rig valued at $55,000. With a win last month on Tennessee’s Old Hickory Lake, the championship gives Wong back-to-back victories on the tour.

Along with the AOY title, Martin-Wells took second-place honors in the championship. For that she took home $4,000 and a $39,000 Skeeter/Yamaha boat rig.

With a three-day weight of 36 pounds, 10 ounces, Wong bested Martin-Wells by almost 5 pounds. Finishing in third was a hard-charging Robin Babb of Livingston, Texas, with 30-15. Juanita Robinson of Highlands, Texas, was fourth with 23-5.

Robinson made a run at the AOY title, staying close to Martin-Wells since the season opener, at which Martin-Wells took the win and the AOY points lead. Coming into the Louisiana championship, Robinson had a shot at overtaking the points leader, but her fourth-place finish wasn’t enough.

Wong, 55 points behind Martin-Wells coming into the championship, did all she could to catch the leader, including leading all three days and collecting 15 bonus points. No deal; Martin-Wells was in second place after Day 1 and settled in for the duration.

“I came into this to lead all three days and win this championship,” Wong said. “It was unfortunate that I couldn’t catch her, but I did the best I could.”

Wong and Martin-Wells camped out on a short bridge throughout the tournament, each taking an opposite side. Both worked Gary Yamamoto Senko lures in the rocks, as well as crankbaits. Wong relied on a Rapala DT-14 and DT-10, while Martin-Wells used an Academy H2O Express.

The co-angler competition turned into a rematch between 2008 champion Barbara Gaskins of Suffolk, Va., and 2008 runner-up Monica Altman of Angier, N.C. But Altman made it to the winner’s circle this year with 27 pounds, 0 ounces, earning her a $40,000 Triton/Mercury rig and $3,250.

“It’s always been my goal to make it to the championship and be the best that I can be,” Altman said. “I just came here to get five keepers each day and enjoy being here.”

Most of her fish came out of reeds and grass, but casting to seawalls and docks also helped fill her livewell, said Altman, whose three BASS co-angler wins include the Old Hickory Lake event last month in Tennessee.

Altman finished 10 pounds ahead of Gaskins, who last year bested Altman by 1 pound, 5 ounces. Gaskins took second place with her 17-0 total, worth $2,500 and a $35,000 Skeeter/Yamaha rig.

Rounding out the top five in the co-angler division were Colleen McKay of Worcester, Mass., with 13-14; Donna Newberry of Van Buren, Ark., with 13-11; and Diane Smith of Fayetteville, Ga., with 13-5.

Newberry emerged as the top co-angler of the season by earning the most points through five events.

The complete 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Women’s Tour Angler of the Year points will be available, once finalized, at Bassmaster.com.

Local sponsors for the Bassmaster Women’s Tour Championship include Shreveport Regional Sports Authority.

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Women’s Tour, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

The event will mark the first Bassmaster event on the fishery. The WBT Championship, the culmination of the 2009 season, will feature the top 20 pro and co-anglers from the regular-season Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Women’s Tour Angler of the Year standings.

Anglers will get their first crack at Cypress Black Bayou on Thursday, Oct. 15 on the official practice day. On Friday, the three-day tournament will kick off.

Tournament launches, beginning at 7 a.m. CT each day, will be moved to Cypress Black Bayou Ramp;135 Cypress Park Drive out of Benton, La., 71006. Weigh-ins will be held, as previously scheduled, at the Academy Sports + Outdoors store located at 2801 Beene Blvd. in Bossier City, La., beginning at 3 p.m. CT Friday-Sunday.

Anglers are competing for a piece of $94,000 in prizes, including the winner’s take of $5,000 and a Triton/Mercury boat package valued at $55,000. Twenty other qualifiers will compete in the co-angler division, fishing from the back of pros’ boats for a $40,000 Triton/Mercury boat rig, plus $3,250, awarded to the co-angler winner. In both divisions, the second-place prize is a Skeeter/Yamaha rig.

Besides being the championship event, the Oct. 16-18 tournament is the finish line in the 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Women’s Tour Angler of the Year race, in which the big plums are a berth in the 2010 Bassmaster Classic and a new Tundra. With an entry in the Feb. 19-21 Classic on Lay Lake out of Birmingham, Ala., the 2009 AOY will become only the second woman to qualify for a Classic.

All events are free and open to the public. Fans can visit Academy stores for additional information on the WBT and find out more about the organization at www.Academy.com.

For more information, contact BASS Communications at 407-566-2208 or visit www.Bassmaster.com. Visit www.espnoutdoorsmedia.com for ESPN Outdoors’ latest releases and images.

Live, daily weigh-ins and real-time leaderboards will be available throughout the tournament at Bassmaster.com.

Sponsors of the Women’s Bassmaster Tour: Title Sponsor — Academy Sports + Outdoors; Official Sponsors — Toyota Trucks, Berkley, BOOYAH Baits, Mercury, OPTIMA Batteries, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Marine, Ramada, Triton Boats, LaserLure and Legend Boats.

Local sponsors for the event include Shreveport Regional Sports Authority.

WBT Championship Qualifiers

Pro Field

Place Points

1. Pam Martin-Wells Bainbridge, Ga. 862

2. Juanita Robinson Highlands, Texas 841

3. Laura Gober Pendergrass, Ga. 807

4. Judy Wong Many, La. 807

5. Dianna Clark Bumpus Mills, Tenn. 800

6. Tammy Richardson Amity, Ark. 785

7. Janet Parker Little Elm, Texas 784

8. Sheri Glasgow Muskogee, Okla. 782

9. Debra Petrowski Arlington, Texas 776

10. Kim Bain-Moore Alabaster, Ala. 759

11.Melinda Mize Ben Lomond, Ark. 754

12. Meta Burrell Fort Worth, Texas 748

13. Lisa Sternard Clarksville, Tenn. 745

14. Paula Alexander Lincolnton, Ga. 739

15. Lisa Johnson Centre, Ala. 732

16. Lucy Mize Ben Lomond, Ark. 732

17. Cindy Hill Smyrna, Tenn. 732

18. Robin Babb Livingston, Texas 727

19. Emily Shaffer Mount Juliet, Tenn. 721

20. Patti Campbell Waxahachie, Texas 714

Co-Angler Field

Place Points

1. Terri Bittner McKinleyville, Calif. 870

2. Donna Newberry Van Buren, Ark. 836

3. Martha Goodfellow Simpsonville, S.C. 823

4. Stacy Zhelesnik Hoboken, N.J. 822

5. Debbie Pegoli Loveland, Ohio 802

6. Colleen McKay Worcester, Mass. 781

7. Monica Altman Angier, N.C. 781

8. Bonnie Ward Snohomish, Wash. 768

9. Gail Wood Russellville, Ark. 761

10. Kim Martin Clayton, Ind. 757

11.Linda Owens Brandon, Miss. 756

12. Teri Cindric Hermitage, Tenn. 743

13. Barbara Gaskins Suffolk, Va. 741

14. Sherry Melton Monterey, Tenn. 727

15. Vicki Henderson Ashdown, Ark. 722

16. Charlotte Frazier Dallas, Texas 722

17. Diane Smith Fayetteville, Ga. 716

18. Bertha Cavakis Amity, Ark. 708

19. Kala Wright Spiro, Okla. 706

20. Linda Walker Beebe, Ark. 704

About BASS: For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com; and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster tournament trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Women’s Tour, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

-30-

Media Contact: Doug Grassian, 407-566-2216; doug.grassian@espn.com

Laura Gober. Photo courtesy of ESPN Sports.

“I found out that everybody else already had been there, some since the (Sept. 10-12) Tennessee tournament,” she said. “I’m like, ‘Gee, whiz!’ I was able to practice Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Some of them had been there for weeks.”

Perhaps the Pendergrass, Ga., pro’s comparatively short look at the water will put her at a disadvantage. Perhaps not. With a win on the Red River when the WBT stopped there in September 2007, Gober has at least a confidence advantage when she and 19 other pro qualifiers meet there again this month.

They will compete over three days for a piece of $94,000 in prizes, including the winner’s take of $5,000 and a Triton/Mercury boat package valued at $55,000. Twenty other qualifiers will compete in the co-angler division, fishing from the back of pros’ boats for a $40,000 Triton/Mercury boat rig, plus $3,250, awarded to the co-angler winner. In both divisions, the second-place prize is a Skeeter/Yamaha rig.

Besides being the championship event, the Oct. 16-18 tournament is the finish line in the 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Women’s Tour Angler of the Year race, in which the big plums are a berth in the 2010 Bassmaster Classic and a new Tundra. With an entry in the Feb. 19-21 Classic on Lay Lake out of Birmingham, Ala., the 2009 AOY will become only the second woman to qualify for a Classic.

Gober goes into the championship in third place in the AOY competition, tied at 807 points with Judy Wong of Many, La. They are 55 points behind leader Pam Martin-Wells of Bainbridge, Ga., and 34 points in back of Juanita Robinson of Highlands, Texas.

“A lot of people have asked me, ‘Do you think you have a chance at AOY?’” Gober said. “I do feel like I have a chance, but I know that Pam or Juanita are going to have to stumble. Pam, she doesn’t stumble much, and neither does Juanita. I need a little luck on my side. I’m going to give it my all.”

Martin-Wells, who won the season opener and stayed in first place in the points race the entire season, said she’s done all she can at this point to clinch the AOY victory. “What’s going to happen, is going to happen,” she said. “All I can do is prepare the best that I can.”

Robinson said two key factors, water clarity and water levels, are likely to change from what she saw in practice.

“The river started rising and got really muddy, and didn’t crest until Sunday (Sept. 27), at 21.55 feet in Shreveport,” she said. “Some of the oxbows were still clear — until the wind shifted around to come out of the south and started blowing the muddy water back up in the oxbows. The fish really backed up where you can’t get to them, or get to them easily.”

Wong, who won the season closer on Old Hickory Lake in Tennessee, said her scouting time on the Red River showed her swift, muddy water.

“It isn’t going to be the same for the tournament — hopefully, it will be for the better as the river stabilizes,” Wong said. “On the one official day of practice (Oct. 15), I’ll be running and gunning to test some of the areas I scouted to see if I want to use them.”

Wong said her hope of winning AOY and the Classic berth lies in taking the lead at the Red River and holding it, garnering leader bonus points.

Fishing fans are invited to watch the competition unfold. The pros will launch at 7 a.m. Friday through Sunday from Red River South Marina, 250 Red River Road in Bossier City. The daily weigh-ins will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the Bossier City Academy Sports + Outdoors location, 2801 Beene Blvd. All events are free and open to the public.

BASS has brought several tournaments to Shreveport-Bossier City, including the 2009 Classic in February, when the fan turnout broke Bassmaster event records. Many came to see 2008 AOY Kim Bain-Moore’s historic step for women in sports when she became the first woman to compete in a Classic.

The Alabaster, Ala., pro is this season’s No. 10 qualifier for the WBT Championship, which she won in 2008 addition to the AOY crown. Even though she’s 103 points behind the leader, she has a mathematical shot at repeating her title.

Second to Bain-Moore last season, Robinson barely missed the AOY crown. This year, Robinson finds herself again in that all-too-familiar runner-up spot, but this time to Martin-Wells.

“She had bad days just like I had bad days,” said Robinson, mentioning that she and Martin-Wells are on very friendly terms. “I think she’s scratching her pencil now, trying to figure out what she has to do to keep me from passing her. She knows I’m going for the win.”

Live, daily weigh-ins and real-time leaderboards will be available throughout the tournament at Bassmaster.com.

Local sponsors for the event include Shreveport Regional Sports Authority.

WBT Championship Qualifiers

Pro Field

Place Points

1. Pam Martin-Wells Bainbridge, Ga. 862

2. Juanita Robinson Highlands, Texas 841

3. Laura Gober Pendergrass, Ga. 807

4. Judy Wong Many, La. 807

5. Dianna Clark Bumpus Mills, Tenn. 800

6. Tammy Richardson Amity, Ark. 785

7. Janet Parker Little Elm, Texas 784

8. Sheri Glasgow Muskogee, Okla. 782

9. Debra Petrowski Arlington, Texas 776

10. Kim Bain-Moore Alabaster, Ala. 759

11.Melinda Mize Ben Lomond, Ark. 754

12. Meta Burrell Fort Worth, Texas 748

13. Lisa Sternard Clarksville, Tenn. 745

14. Paula Alexander Lincolnton, Ga. 739

15. Lisa Johnson Centre, Ala. 732

16. Lucy Mize Ben Lomond, Ark. 732

17. Cindy Hill Smyrna, Tenn. 732

18. Robin Babb Livingston, Texas 727

19. Emily Shaffer Mount Juliet, Tenn. 721

20. Patti Campbell Waxahachie, Texas 714

Co-Angler Field

Place Points

1. Terri Bittner McKinleyville, Calif. 870

2. Donna Newberry Van Buren, Ark. 836

3. Martha Goodfellow Simpsonville, S.C. 823

4. Stacy Zhelesnik Hoboken, N.J. 822

5. Debbie Pegoli Loveland, Ohio 802

6. Colleen McKay Worcester, Mass. 781

7. Monica Altman Angier, N.C. 781

8. Bonnie Ward Snohomish, Wash. 768

9. Gail Wood Russellville, Ark. 761

10. Kim Martin Clayton, Ind. 757

11.Linda Owens Brandon, Miss. 756

12. Teri Cindric Hermitage, Tenn. 743

13. Barbara Gaskins Suffolk, Va. 741

14. Sherry Melton Monterey, Tenn. 727

15. Vicki Henderson Ashdown, Ark. 722

16. Charlotte Frazier Dallas, Texas 722

17. Diane Smith Fayetteville, Ga. 716

18. Bertha Cavakis Amity, Ark. 708

19. Kala Wright Spiro, Okla. 706

20. Linda Walker Beebe, Ark. 704

About BASS: For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com; and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster tournament trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Women’s Tour, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

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Media Contact: Doug Grassian, 407-566-2216; doug.grassian@espn.com