Bass Tournament News

From BASS News Reporter's Notebook:
The race is on for the remaining 13 berths in the 2011 Bassmaster Classic

Six of those 13 qualifiers will come from the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens (two from each division: Northern, Southern and Central). Another six will come from the BASS Federation Nation Championship in late October. The 50th and final will be decided Nov. 6. That angler will be the 2010 champion of the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series operated by American Bass Anglers.

The 13 will join the 36 Bassmaster Elite Series qualifiers and defending champ Kevin VanDam on the Louisiana Delta, Feb. 18-20 out of New Orleans. The winner takes the sport’s most prestigious tournament trophy.

Some of the storylines to watch as anglers make their Classic bids over the next few weeks and months:

* Dave Wolak, the Northern Open points leader, bowed out of the second event, this week’s Detroit River tournament. Wolak already earned a 2011 Classic spot (his fifth) through the 2010 Elite Series. His absence in Detroit swings the door wider for other pros to snag a Classic seat.

* Ryan Said of Michigan is No. 2, 15 ticks behind Wolak. Said will be competing on home waters of the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie. The Aug. 19-21 event will be his second Bassmaster tournament as a pro.

* Tracy Adams of Wilkesboro, N.C., ranks 3rd in Northern points, just 20 spots out of first. The Detroit event will be his second Bassmaster tournament.

* Andy Montgomery of South Carolina leads the Southern Open, which will wrap Oct. 9 in Georgia on Lake Seminole. Only four points behind is Elite pro Bobby Lane of Florida. Lane already qualified for the Classic via the Elite Series.

* Davy Hite, Elite pro from Ninety Six, S.C., holds down place No. 5 in the Southern circuit. He’s motivated to return to the Louisiana Delta, site of his 1999 Classic victory.

* Craig Schuff of Watauga, Texas, is proving to be a formidable competitor. He finished 1-2 in the Central’s first two events, giving him 600 points. His lead is 55 points over Keith Combs of Del Rio, Texas.

* Clark Reehm of Arkansas is the only pro in the Central Open’s top six who is not from Texas. The Central will wrap Oct. 23 in Lake Texoma — out of Denison, Texas. Reehm — 3rd with 502 points — will have to climb over Combs, 43 points ahead of him, to get to his second Classic.

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