“No. 1 is the invitation to be a part of B.A.S.S.,” said tournament director Chris Lucas. “One of the things we had to change this year is that we are going to have one points champion. We had to figure out a way to determine which team would go to the Toyota Tundra Team Championship, sponsored by B.A.S.S. So we are going to count six of the eight qualifiers for the points. Teams that fish all eight tournaments can have two drops.”

The overall points champions will earn a bonus of $1,250, plus a paid entry into the Toyota Tundra Team Championship, Lucas said.

Beginning last year the Anglers Choice Team series was split into two divisions, one for Virginia and one for North Carolina, with four qualifiers in each division.

“What’s unique is that you can get four qualifiers in two weekends on Buggs Island,” Lucas said. “Make two trips and you have two qualifiers to fish for a boat. Then through the course of the season fish two more and qualify for the whole shooting match. You can fish six of the eight qualifiers in just four weekends the way the schedule is set up.”

The double qualifier weekends are April 5 and 6 and June 7 and 8, with anglers able to fish the Virginia Division qualifier on Saturday and the North Carolina Division qualifier on Sunday both weekends.

“Our anglers really like this opportunity because it helps cut down on expenses for the fishermen,” Lucas said.

“The other aspect of out trail this year is that we are going to have two separate Classics, with a Ranger Boat for the winners on the Virginia side and a Triton for the winners on the North Carolina side. So, with the opportunity to fish both Classics, guys have two chances to win a boat.”

The Virginia Division schedule runs March 8, Smith Mountain Lake; April 5, Kerr Reservoir; May 10, Smith Mountain Lake; June 7, Kerr Reservoir; with the Virginia Classic Oct. 4-5 on Smith Mountain Lake. The North Carolina Division runs March 23 on Falls Lake, April 6 on Kerr Reservoir; May 24 on High Rock; June 8 on Kerr Reservoir; with the North Carolina Classic Oct. 25-26 on High Rock.

Although the region has been under some severe winter weather in recent weeks, the fish are biting in Smith Mountain Lake, Lucas said.

 

“Guys are catching fish and they are catching them about any way they want to. The only problem is the fish may be a foot deep to 45 feet deep. You just don’t know where they are going to be.”

But locating the fish is a minor problem compared to the weather situation, Lucas said.

“Between now and the tournament we have about five different weather systems coming at us. They don’t know what any of them are going to do so we don’t know what we might have to do.” He said. “The guys on Smith Mountain Lake don’t mind fishing in the cold. That doesn’t bother them. But the problem is travel. Safety will be out priority.”

Lucas said he will monitor the weather and make a decision on the tournament by Thursday, March 6, in time to notify anglers who would be traveling to the lake on Friday, March 7.

“We will post it on the website, so if the guys will keep a check on the website they can find information on the tournament up to the last minute,” he said. “They should definitely check the website before getting on the road.”

 

Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail VA Division

Sat, Mar 8, 2014

Smith Mountain Lake

Parkway Marina

Call Chris Lucas 276-358-0844

www.anglerschoicemarine.com