More than 850 anglers representing 27 states have registered for the second annual U.S. Bowfishing Championship making this event the largest bowfishing tournament ever. The May 2 – 4 event, which is being held at Table Rock and Bull Shoals lakes in the Ozarks, will feature outdoor celebrities, live entertainment, big time cash and prizes, and will benefit the environment, too.
Outdoor celebrities Lee and Tiffany Lakosky of Outdoor Channel’s “The Crush,” Travis “T-Bone” Turner, co-host of “Michael Waddell’s Bone Collector,” and Brian Quaca, host of Sportsman Channel’s, “Pigman: The Series” are scheduled to attend the event. All will make special appearances on stage Saturday, May 3 at the new Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Academy, 1901 S. Hwy 86, Ridgedale, Mo.
Cash and prizes totaling more than $45,000 will be given away at the bowfishing tournament. Participants can compete for a TRACKER 1860 Bowfishing Boat (an $18,995 retail value), new bows, a big fish package worth $5,000, and $10,000 in cash for the champs. Competitors will also vie for a state record jackpot. Anyone who takes a new state record longnose gar or common carp during tournament hours wins $10,000.
Anglers have chance to win Tracker Grizzly 1860 Bowfishing Boat
All preregistered anglers will have the opportunity to win the Tracker Grizzly 1860 CC Sportsman boat. This exclusive multi-purpose TRACKER boat comes with a 40 ELPT FourStroke outboard Mercury motor and has a retail value of $18,995. New for 2014, the boat features:
• Raised aft casting deck with seat base, removable helm cushion and Honda generator.
• Center console with lockable storage, tachometer and fuel gauge, grab rail, windscreen and vertical rod storage.
• Starboard rod storage with hold-down straps.
• Innovative fish container hold-down with welded-in eyelets.
• Pull-out bow storage drawer.
• Raised fore casting deck with aerated livewell and oversized storage compartment with lid assist, courtesy light and lid-mounted arrow holders.
• Exclusive VERSATRACK® accessory-mounting channel in gunnels.
• Removable bow shooting deck with railing, rail-mounted drink/tool/bow holder, LED spotlights and trolling motor access hatch.
• Custom-fit trailer with EZ lube hubs & GALVASHIELD® protection.
Event features live music, merchandise booths, and kids’ activities
The action kicks off Saturday, May 3 beginning at 2 p.m. at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Academy as anglers prepare to launch their boats. At 3 p.m. there will be live music and entertainment; booths featuring merchandise, activities and information; and lots of giveaways. There are also special activities for kids such as the practice bowfishing tank, inflatable BB gun range, and a casting competition. The King of Bucks mobile exhibit featuring 25 world-record whitetail mounts will also be on display.
A variety of food including hot dogs, burgers, and barbecue will be available for purchase.
Everyone is invited back for the weigh-in on Sunday, May 4, beginning at 7 a.m. at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Academy.
Tournament Supports a Great Cause
Bowfishing is not only fun, it’s good for lakes and reservoirs as well. Bowfishing helps control rough fish and invasive species such as Asian carp. that degrade water quality and ruin game fish habitat.
The U. S. Open Bowfishing Championship will do more than improve the fishery and boost local economies. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the James River Basin Partnership to fund a clean-up effort. The James River Basin Partnership is a grassroots, nonprofit, organization working to improve and protect the water quality of the springs, streams, rivers, and lakes in southwest Missouri’s James River Watershed.
Registration information
For more information and rules and regulations, visit http://www.basspro.com/usopen. To pre-register for the event, visit http://www.Centralpro-am.com. Registration will also be available at the tournament site Friday, May 2, between 4pm-6pm. However; to be eligible to win the boat and bow, team captains must pre-register at least 72 hours prior to the event, and they must be present Sunday morning, May 4, at the fish weigh-in to win.
Sponsors of the 2014 U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship include Bass Pro Shops®, Tracker Boats®, Big Cedar Lodge, Under Armour®, Oakley®, GoPro, Realtree, BowfishingZone.com, NDesigns, Streamlight,Rigid Industries, Coca-Cola, American Airboats, Elite Boats, AMS Bowfishing, Muzzy Products®, Cajun, PSE Archery®, and Rinehart Targets.
Local Contact: Katie Mitchell, Bass Pro Shops Communications Manager, 417-873-5618 kamitchell@basspro.com
Tournament Contact: Mike Webb, 417-425-7513
About Bass Pro Shops®
Bass Pro Shops®, which specializes in outdoor fun, operates 85 retail stores and Tracker Marine Centers across America and Canada that are visited by more than 116 million people every year. Bass Pro Shops stores, many of which feature restaurants, offer hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor gear while their catalogs and website serve shoppers throughout the world. The company’s Tracker Marine Group® (http://www.trackermarine.com), which has produced the number one selling brand of fishing boats for more than 35 years, manufactures and sells a variety of boats for fishing and cruising. Family fun is on tap at Bass Pro Shops resort Big Cedar Lodge® (http://www.bigcedar.com), voted number six by Travel + Leisure Magazine as World’s Best Hotels for Families. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com. To request a free catalog, call 1-800-BASS PRO. Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/bassproshops.