ST. LOUIS – Regardless of where the anglers find themselves this Thursday, competition will be fierce as 13 competitors vie for the “BUSCH Shootout” Championship title and $100,000. Bassmaster Champion Kevin VanDam will compete as the only returning BUSCH Shootout angler. All-time money winner Denny Brauer, who competed in the inaugural “BUSCH Shootout” last year, will return to emcee the weigh-ins and interview the anglers throughout the competition.
The “BUSCH Shootout” will take place Sept. 16-17 when the qualifying anglers will be taken to an undisclosed “mystery lake” in the United States. There they will compete under a “modified showdown format” that will not be announced until the day before the tournament’s start.
“We’ve got a lot of great competitors for this year’s ‘BUSCH Shootout’ and we think they’re really going to like the location we’ve chosen,” said Jim Lukowski, director of marketing, tactical brands, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. “This body of water offers some challenges for the anglers and they’re going to have a lot of fun trying to bag the biggest catch.”
The angler with the largest catch over the two days will collect the $100,000 grand prize and each of the other 12 anglers will receive a check for $5,000 – creating a “Shootout” for the top honors and a chance for all participants to earn money.
“BASS is so pleased to work with Anheuser-Busch in rewarding this sport’s top performers with additional opportunities to win outstanding payouts,” said Don Rucks, BASS vice president and general manager. “This event, stemming from our collaboration with BUSCH beer in recognizing anglers who catch the heaviest one-day total during our tournaments, is something that every bass fishing enthusiast can enjoy. Lending even more excitement to the tournament is the mystery lake and tournament format, which is completely unique.”
The “BUSCH Shootout” will air at 10 a.m. EST on Sept. 24 on ESPN2. It will re-air on Sept. 30, Oct. 6, Oct. 7, Nov. 26 and Dec. 24.
John Murray of Phoenix was the champion of the inaugural “BUSCH Shootout” last year, which was held at Anheuser-Busch’s Kingsmill Resort and Spa in Williamsburg, Va.
New this year, 13 lucky fans will have the opportunity to fish alongside the BUSCH Shootout anglers.
Angler - Home - One-Day Heavyweight
Lake Event
Morizo Shimizu Suita Osaka, Japan 30 lbs. 5 oz. Lake Guntersville, Ala.
Edwin Evers Mannsville, Okla. 27 lbs. 15 oz. Lake Guntersville, Ala.
Gerald Swindle Hayden, Ala. 27 lbs. 15 oz. Lake Guntersville, Ala.
Jim Bitter Fruitland Park, Fla. 26 lbs. 12 oz. Harris Chain of Lakes, Fla.
Frank Ippoliti Smithburg, Md. 26 lbs. 7 oz. Clarks Hill, Ga.
Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, Mich. 24 lbs. 2 oz. Lake Lewisville, Texas
Scott Rook Little Rock, Ark. 22 lbs. 8 oz. Harris Chain of Lakes, Fla.
Zell Rowland Montgomery, Texas 22 lbs. 6 oz. Lake Guntersville, Ala.
Brent Chapman Shawnee, Kan. 22 lbs. 5 oz. Table Rock Lake, Mo.
Guy Eaker Cherryville, N.C. 20 lbs. 7 oz. Clarks Hill, Ga.
Greg Hackney Gonzales, La. 16 lbs. 9 oz. 2004 CITGO Open Championship
Ed Cowan Greeley, Pa. 20 lbs. 6 oz. 2005 CITGO Federation Championship
Jimmy Mize Ben Lomond, Ark. 6 lbs. 2 oz. 2005 CITGO Bassmaster Classic
BUSCH beer is the “Official Beer of BASS,” and committed to supporting BASS anglers across the country through its continued association with BASS, and its sponsorship of Denny Brauer, 14-time winner of the CITGO Bassmaster Tournament Trail and 1987 BASS Angler of the Year.
BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation annually. Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years.
BASS stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates with the CITGO Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry's widest array of services and support to its nearly 550,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit www.bassmaster.com.
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