CELEBRATION, Fla. — The Ouachita River out of Monroe, La., will be the site of the 2011 B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats, Nov. 3-5, 2011.
“Northeast Louisiana is known as the ‘Sportsman’s Paradise,’ so naturally, partnering with B.A.S.S. to bring the Federation Nation Championship here is an excellent opportunity to showcase our natural resources,” said Scott Bruscato, director of convention sales for the Monroe-West Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau, host organization of the championship. “We are proud to be the host city this year and look forward to a great event on the Ouachita River.”
The B.A.S.S. Federation Nation local clubs are organized in 47 states and six countries (Canada, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa and Zimbabwe), which are part of six geographic divisions (North, South, Central, East, West and Mid-Atlantic).
Federation Nation states have been sending teams to divisional tournaments to fish for a chance to win a Skeeter ZX 190, Yamaha VZ 150, trailer, Minn Kota Fortex 80 trolling motor, Humminbird 788c and a prop, valued at $35,000. The top angler from each divisional team will advance to the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship. From there, the top angler from each of the six divisions in the championship will be awarded a berth in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic set for Feb. 24-26 out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
The six anglers who advance to the Classic also receive automatic qualification into the 2012 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central, Northern and/or Southern Opens. The B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship overall winner also earns a berth in the prestigious Bassmaster Elite Series.
“I am excited for B.A.S.S. to return to Monroe, La., and the Ouachita River,” said Don Corkran, director of the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation. “I first visited Monroe for a World Championship Fishing (WCF) event in 2000, and the level of support we got from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city and the citizens was tremendous. It is always special to return to a location that provides great support and is also home to such a great fishery.”
Daily launches and weigh-ins will take place at the Forsythe Boat Dock, 2201 Riverside Drive, Monroe, LA 71201, and are free and open to the public.
Live, streaming video of the weigh-ins is included in the wire-to-wire coverage of the 2011 B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats on Bassmaster.com.
For more information about the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation, go to www.bassmaster.com/federation-series.
B.A.S.S. Federation Nation anglers who have qualified for 2011 B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship (as of June 23)
2010 Champion: Brandon Palaniuk
Southern Divisional:
| State | Angler |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Jamie Horton |
| Florida | Michael Smith |
| Georgia | Jeff Jones |
| Kentucky | Heath Martin |
| North Carolina | Stephen Dyer |
| South Carolina | Jeff Green |
| Tennessee | Mark Pierce |
Western Divisional:
| State | Angler |
|---|---|
| Arizona | Gerald Kimzey |
| California | Don Edmonds |
| Colorado | Ed McCaw |
| Idaho | Josh Polfer |
| Montana | Curtis Spindler |
| Nevada | Aaron Leon |
| New Mexico | Jay Salisbury |
| Oregon | Jim Brinkerhoff |
| Utah | Jared Roos |
| Washington | Aaron Echternkemp |
| Wyoming | Jared Roos |
Central Divisional:
| State | Angler |
|---|---|
| Arkansas | Josh Wray |
| Kansas | Beau Branine |
| Louisiana | Jason Pecoraro |
| Missouri | Daniel Stark |
| Mississippi | Destre Dedeaux |
| Nebraska | Pat Klausen |
| Oklahoma | Jared Miller |
| Texas | Tom Jessop |
2011 Bassmaster Federation Championship and Federation Divisional Championships presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats Official Sponsors: Toyota Trucks, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, Skeeter, Triton, Yamaha
2011 Bassmaster Federation Championship and Federation Divisional Championships presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats Supporting Sponsors: Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, MotorGuide
