The event is the third Central Division tournament of the 10-venue EverStart Series of bass tournaments that features two divisions, Central and Eastern, and will award anglers over $1.8 million in cash and prizes during 1999. The series also provides a pathway for top anglers to the prestigious Wal-Mart FLW Tour professional bass series, the $4 million, seven-event tour that is the most lucrative series in fishing history. The winning angler in the professional and co-angler division, along with the top 10 anglers based on points and pounds, for the year will receive priority entry into the prestigious Wal-Mart FLW Tour professional bass tournaments in 2000.
The highest-finishing Ranger boat owner – from each division – in the tournament will qualify to enter the $3.5 million Ranger M1 Millennium tournament, the richest bass event in history, with a $1 million first-place cash prize at stake. The Ranger owner who catches the largest bass in each division over the course of the season will also qualify for the Ranger Millennium tournament.
The EverStart Series consists of eight regular events, four in the Eastern and four in the Central Division, and two EverStart Challenge tournaments. The Challenge events, one per division, feature the same format as the Wal-Mart FLW Tour tournaments.
EverStart™ batteries are marketed exclusively through Wal-Mart stores. EverStart is the world’s largest recycler of batteries. Sponsors of the EverStart Batteries Series bass tournaments include: EverStart Batteries, Chevy Trucks, CITGO Petroleum, Ranger Boats, Evinrude Outboards and Electrics, Black & Decker, Coca-Cola, Coleman, Eveready, Land O’Lakes, Mitchell, SpiderWire, Uniroyal, Wal-Mart, Chex Mix, Hamburger Helper, Wrangler, and Wheaties.