Bassmaster College Classic

Collegiate fishing has reached a milestone with the inception of the Bassmaster College Classic. The University of Alabama and Auburn University competed in what is known as the “Iron Bowl of bass fishing”. University of Alabama took the trophy, and bragging rights, in front of hundreds of fans in the one day tournament held in conjunction with the Bassmaster Classic on Feb. 19-21, 2010 in Birmingham, Ala.
     Seeing the need to support bass fishing at the club level, the Bass Angler’s Sportsman Society, which is owned by ESPN, created College Bass in 2005 and has been at the forefront of collegiate fishing ever since. With over 220 schools participating from over 30 states and Canada, it is currently the only organization with a nationally televised national championship of student anglers. “This is a wonderful opportunity for the competitors, and we hope to provide Classic fans with another entertaining competition,” said Jamie Wilkinson, BASS’ senior director of event operation and business development.
     Three two-person teams fished in the College Classic from 6 a.m. until noon CT, Feb. 20 on Logan Martin Lake. Each competitor had the opportunity to fish within the confines a five fish limit and the school with the heaviest cumulative weight wins the competition; University of Alabama with 24 pounds 8 ounces over Auburn’s 15 pounds 5 ounces. The weigh in was held at the Toyota Tundra booth at the Bassmaster Classic Sports Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods in the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex and was streamed live on Hooked Up on Bassmaster.com. The winning college was also recognized at the 2010 Bassmaster Classic and will be invited to defend their title against Louisiana State University in the 2011 Bassmaster College Classic being held on the Louisana Delta in New Orleans.
     This year’s winning Alabama teams were comprised of Ben Weldon and Warren Hoffman, David Rogers and Jeremy Christian, and Matt Carter and Brian Morrow. Morrow had the heaviest five fish limit at 10 pounds 12 ounces. Weldon secured eighth place for University of Alabama in the 2009 College Bass National Championship with teammate Foster Bradley. The 2010 college bass fishing season can be followed on www.collegebass.com.
State Theatre Hosts Fly Fishing Film Tour
     The 2010 Fly Fishing Film Tour will be coming to the State Theatre in Modesto on March 18, courtesy of the Stanislaus Fly Fishers. The Film Tour will bring fly fishing to over 80 cities and will benefit Rivers of Recovery, a non-profit corporation dedicated to improving the lives of disabled American Veterans. Rivers of Recovery provides scholarships to disabled Veterans to experience the rehabilitative nature of two days of fly fishing on Utah’s Green River. Donations can be made and a raffle will be held during the event at the State Theatre (need not be present to win). Raffle tickets can be purchased in advance at Sierra Angler’s Fly Shop and a list of prizes to be raffled is available at www.sierraanglers.com. Tickets for the film $15 at the door or at Sierra Angler’s and may be purchased in advance for $12 at www.thestate.org or the State Theatre box office. A reception and raffle ticket sales will begin at 5:30 p.m. with an introduction to the film at 6:15 p.m. Raffle winners will be announced after the show.

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