LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Red Man Tournament Trail bass fishing season will draw to a dramatic close Sept. 17 on the Mississippi River when the region’s top weekend anglers cast for up to $12,000 in the Great Lakes Division regular season finale – a two-day Super Tournament.
Up to 400 contestants will compete in two divisions – boater and co-angler – for a share of approximately $64,800 in cash based on a full field. The winning boater will pocket up to $12,000, and the winning co-angler will take home up to $6,000. Big bass in each division is worth up to $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.
This is the first season for the Red Man Super Tournaments, which feature twice the prize money of other regular season events and double the points. By awarding double points, the new tournaments could be a turning point for anglers on the bubble who otherwise might not advance to regional competition. A Super Tournament will be held in each of the trail’s 22 divisions nationwide.
The Saturday, Sept. 16, weigh-in at the Great Lakes Division Super Tournament will be held at the Best Western Midway marina in La Crosse, Wis. The Sunday, Sept. 17, weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart in Onalaska, Wis. Both weigh-ins begin at 3 p.m. Following the event, the top 30 boaters and co-anglers – based on a system of pounds and points earned in five regular season tournaments – will advance to a regional championship where they will compete against the top anglers from three other divisions.
The Great Lakes Division Regional Championship will be Oct. 10-14 on Lake Cooper near Fort Madison, Iowa. Regional winners will receive a new Chevy truck and Ranger boat. The top eight boaters and co-anglers in five regional events plus the top four in the Western Regional and the top three in two Chevy Wild Card events will advance to the 2001 All-American Championship on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Ark. The 2001 All-American, which will feature 100 contestants for the first time, will award $100,000 to the winning boater and $50,000 to the winning co-angler. Overall, more than $5.7 million could be awarded in 2000.
The boater/co-angler format introduced by Red Man this season is reminiscent of the lucrative Wal-Mart FLW Tour and other pro/am style events, which have grown increasingly popular with bass fishing enthusiasts. Under the old Red Man format, anglers shared equal time at the front of the boat, picking fishing locations and running the trolling motor. Now, boaters fish from the front of the boat while co-anglers cast from the back seat.
Brian Sayner, vice president of communications for Operation Bass Inc., the organization that conducts the Red Man Tournament Trail, says: “The changes were brought about to help open tournament fishing to even more anglers by eliminating the intimidation factor. We found that many people who enjoy bass fishing competition did not compete because they felt their skills weren’t up to par, or they didn’t want the responsibility of operating another person’s boat. The new format alleviates these concerns.”