ABA National Championship 2006

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Kentucky-Barkley Lakes to host 2006 American Bass Anglers National Championship
ABA returns to site of first championship

January 11, 2006

Athens, AL.- In 1976 Military Bass Anglers Association, now American Bass Anglers, Inc. (ABA), held its first National Championship on Barkley Lake in Kentucky. Forty-nine members competed for the opportunity to become the first National Military Champion and Owen Schroeder, now an outdoor writer, was the winner. Today, American Bass Anglers is proud to announce that the organization will return to the site where it held its first National Championship 30 years ago.

The 2006 National Championship will be held on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes in Western Kentucky the week of October 2-7, 2006. The launch site will be Kentucky Dam Marina and the tournament is being hosted by the Marshall County Tourist Commission which is located in Gilbertsville, KY. The host hotel for the event will be Inn By The Lake located at 2184 US Highway 62 in Gilbertsville, KY. Reservations contact: (270) 362-4278 - 1-877-360-4278

The ABA National Championship, referred to by members as the National, is a huge event with the top 500 point holders at the end of the ABA season competing for over $300,000 in cash and prizes and for two prestigious titles: tournament champion and ABA Angler of the Year. Both the tournament champion and Angler of the Year are awarded fully rigged Triton 21X boats powered by Mercury Optimax Motors.

ABA takes pride in its continuing support of our military by continuing its long standing tradition of recognizing the top 5 point holders from each branch of military service. They are named to their appropriate Service Teams and receive prizes at the awards banquet, but most important thing to them is bragging rights that go with this honor. There is intense competition among the members from each branch of the military to make these Service Teams. The top 5- non military anglers and the top 5 lady anglers are also recognized.

The Collegiate Angler Scholarship Tour (CAST) champion will also be awarded to the CAST member with the most weight at the National and CAST Angler of the Year to the college angler with the most points for the entire season. The top 10 college teams compete not only for scholarships but also the chance to outshine their rivals. The college anglers compete as non-boaters and are allowed to fish ABA tournaments with no entry fee.

The National is renowned for giving all of the participants a chance at big prizes. The angler catching the big bass each day of competition can win over $5,000. At the awards banquet, nearly every contestant wins a sponsor draw prize which might be a Lowrance unit, a MotorGuide trolling motor or one of the top of the line Airrus Rods.

This event is more than a fishing tournament it is a gigantic family reunion. ABA members become close friends and military members see old friends. This is a time when members schedule vacation and bring their families for a week of vacationing, fun and renewing old acquaintances.

?We are very excited to have American Bass Anglers coming to Marshall County and Kentucky Lake for this championship. The anglers and their families will really enjoy staying very close to the lake, launch and weigh-in site for this tournament. The State of Kentucky is working closely with Marshall County Tourist Commission to not only bring this event to Kentucky Lake, but also provide American Bass Anglers the registration and banquet facility at the Kenlake State Resort. October is a great time for fishing on Kentucky Lake and we look forward to having American Bass Anglers for their championship,? stated Randy Newcomb, President of the Marshall County Tourism Commission.

?We held our 2003 National on Kentucky and Barkley,? said ABA President Morris Sheehan, ?and it was a great central location for our members from all over the US. They and their families enjoyed visiting the area with all of its tourist attractions and natural beauty. We had a very successful National in 2005 and we expect this year?s to be the best ever for our members.?

? This will be the final year for the National in its current format,? continued Sheehan, ?and it?s very appropriate and exciting that ABA is going back to the location where it all started 30 years ago. This is the championship that all ABA members will want to make sure they qualify for because the members that finish well at the 2006 National will actually gain an advantage going into the new championship format in 2007. Information about the changes for the 2007 championship format will be released in the coming months.?

The National is comprised of 3 days of practice and 3 days of competition. The competitors will start to arrive several days before the first practice day on Sunday, October 1. The competition will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 5 with the weigh-ins each day at Kentucky Dam Marina. The finale of the week is the awards banquet on Friday night, the 7th.

For more information about Marshall County, Kentucky and the area visit www.kentuckylake.org or contact the Marshall County Tourist Commission, 17 US Hwy 68 W Benton KY 42025, Phone (270) 527-3128 or 1-800-467-7145 or fax: (270) 527-9193

American Bass Anglers is the largest tournament trail in the world offering more than 1,000 tournaments a season designed for the weekend angler and collegiate anglers. American Bass Anglers provides low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler with a huge National Championship the same season. For more information about American Bass Anglers or the 2006 National Championship visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call the weekend angler hotline toll free at 888-203-6222

American Bass Anglers, Sponsored by: Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Gander Mountain, Lowrance, Bayou Outdoors, Anglers Advantage Insurance, HiSeas ? White Lighting Fishing Line, Airrus Rods, EGO Nets, ProBass Networks, MotorGuide, Wave Worm, Hooah Energy Bar, Gambler Lures, Secret Weapon Lures, Rejuvenade, and Keep Alive

American Bass Anglers, MBAA since 1975, Tournament Trail, Military Bass Anglers Association, and ABA are all registered or pending collective membership or service marks of American Bass Anglers, Inc. All rights reserved.

American Bass Anglers, Inc., PO Box 475 Athens, AL 35611 1-800-232-4428 or 1-888-203-6222 (FAX 256-233-2295)



About American Bass Anglers

American Bass Anglers is the largest tournament trail in the world offering over 1,000 tournaments a year designed for the weekend angler and collegiate anglers. American Bass Anglers provide low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler with a huge national championship the same season. For more information on American Bass Anglers visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call the weekend angler hotline toll free at 888-203-6222

American Bass Anglers is sponsored by: Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Lowrance, Berkley, Diamond Cut Jeans, Gander Mountain, Secret Weapon Lures, ProBass Networks, Anglers Advantage Insurance Program, Motor Guide, Bill Heard Chevrolet, Trilene, and Bayou Outdoors.

American Bass Anglers MBAA since 1975, Tournament Trail, Military Bass Anglers Association, and ABA are all registered or pending collective membership or service marks of American Bass Anglers, Inc. All rights reserved.

Contact information. American Bass Anglers, Inc., P.O. Box 475, Athens, AL 35612; 1-888-203-6222 (FAX 256-233-2295) email: info@americanbassanglers.com

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