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 FISHING’S GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH
There are so many great tournaments and events associated with our favorite sport that you might think it would be difficult to pick one that stands above all the others. HI-SEAS is proudly associated with many of the finest in both salt and freshwater, but once you’ve attended the Bassmaster Classic, with all the festivities that surrounds it, it is an event that stands alone!
The most recent Bassmaster Classic, held from February 19 through 22, 2009, matched the top 40 professional bass anglers determined by points standings in the Bassmaster Elite Series; the top ten anglers from the BASS Federation Tournament Series; and the points winner of the Women’s Bassmaster Tour for three days of intense competition on the Red River in Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana. The format is simple. The first two days all 51 anglers compete in head to head competition. The top twenty five determined by the weight of their first two day’s five fish limits, go on to the final shootout on Sunday where only one angler will reign supreme and have a $500,000 pay day!
This was the 37th Bassmaster Classic and ESPN set the stage for it to be of historic significance. The reason—it was the first time a female angler earned a berth at this all male event and that angler was none other than HI-SEAS Pro Staff member Kim Bain Moore, most recently of Alabaster, Alabama. Kim is a fishing sensation from Australia who has become a regular not just on the BASS scene, but also a winner on the Southern Kingfish Association Pro Tour with her husband Andre Moore, also a HI-SEAS Pro Staff member. Kim dominated the Woman’s Bassmaster Tour and her presences at the Classic added a new level of excitement to the event. Throughout the tournament the press and film crews in boats and helicopters dogged her every move and her fans came out in droves to show support for her efforts.
A more recent addition to the HI-SEAS Pro Staffer, David Williams of Maiden, North Carolina, was fishing his first Classic, too. David was the winner of the Bassmaster Weekend Series in 2008, which is a huge achievement when you consider the thousands of anglers that compete each year. His impressive finish earned him a coveted slot in the Classic along with nine other memebers of the Federation Nation.
During the three exciting days of fishing BASS and ESPN also held the Bassmaster Classic Tackle and Boat Expo in the Shreveport Convention Center and it was filled to capacity all three days. The tournament and Expo attracted over 100,000 avid fans from around the United States to watch the fishing, weigh-ins and check out the displays and sales going on at the Expo.
HI-SEAS unveiled its new display at the Expo exhibiting our full range of line products for bass fishermen and to introduce our newest product, Wildfire™ thermo-fused braid. In early field testing by our Pro Staff the line has surpassed everyone’s expectation by combining the thin diameter and low stretch benefits of Grand Slam Braid with the ease of casting and knot tying associated with monofilament. The HI-SEAS display was manned by many of our Pro Staff members including Cliff Pace, second place winner of the 2007 Classic, Jeff Connella B.A.S.S. Elite Series Angler, Jason Borderlon, Zach Gagnard and a cadre of tournament anglers from across the country.
The tournament action took place on one of the country’s premiere big bass waters, the Red River. At close of fishing each day the contestant’s boats were loaded onto trailers and towed into the Bossier County Performing Arts Center where they were greeted by over 20,000 screaming fans. The in door weigh in was incredibly well choreographed by ESPN as each pro was towed to the stage and carried his days catch of live fish to the scale. The whole setting was electric and when California’s Skeet Reese was crowned champion the display included pyrotechnics, tons of confetti falling from the rafters and a huge ovation from the crowd.
HI-SEAS was proud to be part of the Classic again in 2008 and wants to thank all of our pro staff members, whether they made it to the big show or not, for the help they have provided us to be able to provide anglers all over the world with the finest fishing lines available today. |
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