Bassmaster Weekend Series Northstar Division

[Pherris]

I was wondering if any FM'ers are going to fish this series? Any thoughts or comments? I am considering fishing it as a boater just wondered what others think of the series.

Here is the schedule:

Alexandria, Minn. Lake Le Homme Dieu 6/4/2006

Cross Lake, Minn. White Fish Chain 7/16/2006

Grand Rapids, Minn. Pokegama Lake 8/6/2006

Excelsior, Minn. Lake Minnetonka 9/17/2006

Thanks

[bassn1]

I was thinking about Fishing it as a non-boater. I dont have the time for all the pre-fishing needed to fish it as a "pro". I fished the old Silverado series a few years back as a "pro" and that just got to be way too spendy.

[catchin'whopper]

Where can you find out more info about this? Got a web link for it? What are the costs for pro/amateur and do you have to fish all of them? Thinking of moving up into this level after being in the club level for 14 years....

Sounds interesting though.

Oh also, i think this was the last weekend of bass fishing for me. left work early friday and was out on south lindstrom for the last 3 hours of daylight and got 12 slobs on jig worms-- nothing below 16.5 inches. went out the next day for 5 hours prior to the wind and sprinkles and my bro and buddy and i got 14 mostly on reeling real slow crankbaits on the bottom in 4-10 feet of water. (included a 29" walleye and 12 pound northern too) but we had to keep moving from spot to spot as the bass definitely werent tight together any more...

Thanks for any info on the tourney schedule though!

Catchin'

[Pherris]

I dont think posting links is allowed but you can get all the info on the bassmaster HSOforum. I have pasted the press release in below that should answer most of your questions. Would you enter as a boater or non? I am going to enter as a boater.

CELEBRATION, Fla. — Anglers who fish in the ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series in 2006 should be prepared for more opportunity on the water and bigger prize purses.

Next year, BASS is increasing to six the number of regions and increasing to five the number of divisions in the ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series. Each division will now have four tournaments instead of five. The changes mean another 40 one-day tournaments for total of 120. And because they stretch from Texas to Maine, BASS will reach more local anglers than ever before.

The divisional tournaments will continue to host 200 boaters and non-boaters each and the top 30 boaters and non-boaters in each division advance to the regional tournament, where the field will be narrowed to the top eight. Those eight boaters and non-boaters from each region will advance to the ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series National Championship whose winner will advance to the 2007 CITGO Bassmaster Classic.

"We are very excited about the ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series for 2006," said Bruce Mathis, director of ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series and the Women's Bassmaster Tour. "Based on the feedback we received from anglers throughout the 2005 season, we have expanded our schedule to cover a much larger area of the country and reach an even greater number of anglers."

With more opportunity comes a larger prize purse. Boaters and non-boaters will compete for a total prize purse of $55,055 in cash and merchandise at each event, including a $7,500 boater top prize and $3,750 non-boater top prize. Overall, BASS will pay 30 percent of the field in 2006, up from 20 percent in 2005.

Additionally, BASS is enhancing its shared-weight program between boaters and non-boaters in the Series. In 2006, non-boaters will need to catch at least one bass to be eligible to share the weight of their boaters. "We listened to angler feedback and they indicated the importance of this new standard," Mathis said.

Plus, a second-chance tournament will be offered to those anglers who paid to fish in all four one-day tournaments in their division, but did not qualify for the regional tournament. The top eight boaters and non-boaters from the second-chance tournament also will advance to the National Championship and have a chance to qualify for the 2007 CITGO Bassmaster Classic.

Boater entry fees in 2006 will be $250 for each tournament. Non-boater entry fees will be $125.