Competitors vie for a chance to fish for Mexican Bass
BASS Times Staff Report
With competition underway in three of the six regions of the ESPN Outdoors
Bassmaster Series competitions, a 9-pound, 15-ounce largemouth leads the
qualifying race for a unique big-bass tournament to be held next year.
The big bass was weighed in by John Harlow, a nonboater competing in the first
Okeechobee event, Jan 8. Heavy as it is, a bass that size probably wouldn’t get
much notice if it were caught in the special Monster Bass Challenge at Anglers
Inn Resort on Mexico’s trophy hot spot, Lake El Salto.
Twelve lucky “weekend anglers” who land some of the heaviest bass during the
2006 ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series presented by Advance Auto Parts will
receive an expenses paid fishing trip to El Salto, located near Mazatlan,
Mexico.
The winner of the Monster Bass Challenge will receive a $25,000 account at
Anglers Inn, while the runner-up will get an $11,000 account at the resort. The
special tournament will consist of one day of practice and three days of
fishing.
In recent years, El Salto has been kicking out 10 – to
12-pound bass regularly, so catches in the Monster Bass Challenge should be
huge.
In addition to Harlow’s giant, several other bass heavier than 8 pounds have
been weighed in on the Bassmaster Series trail, which consist of one-day
tournaments at select lakes across the country.Only one angler from each
division, and no more than two from each of the six regions, can earn entry into
the Monster Bass Challenge so that competitiors in northern and central regions
will have a fairer chance of qualifying.
As of March 9, Harlow’s bass led the Southeast Region/Okeechobee Division, while
a pair of 8-12 bass caught by Gary Arnold and Joe Buddin, both at Santee Cooper,
S.C. (Palmetto Division), are runners-up in the Southeast. Big bass catches are
reported along with top finishers in the Bassmaster Series in each issue of BASS
Times. The contest runs throught the end of 2006, and the Monster Bass Challenge
will be held in spring or early summer 2007.
Lake El Salto is an impoundment in the Sierra Madre range of western Mexico, and
it has become known worldwide for the number of 10-pound and heavier bass it
produces. Trophy bass fishing has become almost a year round pursuit there. In
fact, more big bass are caught in the postspawn than in the prespawn and
spawning periods.
Most big bass are caught on large stickworms, 10-inch Texas rigged worms, deep
diving crankbaits, topwater plugs and swimbaits. Lure selections change little
through the seasons, but big bass typically congregate on deeper structure
during the hotter months.
For more information about fishing on Lake El Salto, visit the resort’s Web
site, www.anglersinn.com or phone 1-800-GOTAFISH.
To sign up for the ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series, go to
http://www.bassmaster.com,
or call 877-BASS-USA for more information.
TAKE THE MONSTER BASS CHALLENGE!
If you land one of the heaviest bass in your region of the 2006 ESPN Outdoors
Bassmaster Series presented by Advance Auto Parts, you may win more than the
daily big-fish prize. You might qualify for a special tournament hosted by
Anglers Inn on fabled Lake El Salto, Mexico. After the 2006 season, 12 ESPN
Outdoors Bassmaster Series anglers will compete for additional prizes in the
MONSTER BASS Challenge presented by BASS and Anglers Inn. The tournament will
consist of one practice day and three days of competition.
To qualify, you simply have to catch the biggest bass in your division, and that
fish has to be one of the two heaviest divisional lunkers in your region. So,
the more tournaments you fish, the better your odds of winning an expenses-paid
5-night/4-day trip to Anglers Inn on Lake El Salto (Expenses include round-trip
airfare, transportation to and from Anglers Inn, meals, room and fishing).
The angler who catches the biggest fish in the MONSTER BASS Challenge will win
the Grand Prize of $25,000 to be used on account at Lake El Salto with Anglers
Inn. The runner-up will receive an $11,000 credit with Anglers Inn.
So what are you waiting for?
Register now at Bassmaster.com. Then land a big bass and take the MONSTER BASS
Challenge.
Learn more about LAKE EL SALTO at http://www.anglersinn.com; 1-800-GOTAFISH.