Lake St. Clair is a prominent stop on the Bassmaster Tournament Trail.
This year, the massive lake will host the Bassmaster Angler of the Year Competition.
The tournament, which features a whopping $1 million total purse, will decide the 2019 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year winner, the 2019 DICK’S Sporting Goods Rookie of the Year and the bulk of the lineup for the 2020 Bassmaster Classic.
Takeoffs and weigh-ins will be held at Lake St. Clair Metropark — and they’ll once again feature the party atmosphere that fans have come to expect from the Elite Series’ season-ending celebration.
Anglers will compete Thursday and Friday, Sept. 26-27, and then have an off-day built around interaction with fishing fans on Saturday, and conclude the championship on Sunday.
Saturday’s activities will include an Outdoors Expo with merchandise, food and drink vendors and sponsor activations and promotions.
Elite anglers will provide seminars revealing their best bass fishing techniques, and they’ll be available to sign autographs, mingle with fans and talk fishing.
Anglers will be allowed to fish Lake St. Clair and all rivers, creeks and canals connected to the lake. Anglers will not be allowed to travel south of the Ambassador Bridge Highway 3 in the Detroit River or north of the I-94 bridges in the St. Clair and Black rivers, according to B.A.S.S. Tournament Director Trip Weldon.
The history of the award dates back to 1970 when the first AOY trophy was won by bass fishing superstar Bill Dance. Since then, legends of the sport like Jimmy Houston, Hank Parker, Davy Hite, Rick Clunn and Roland Martin have all earned the title. Martin won the crown an amazing nine times.
In addition to deciding the various season championship races and 39 berths for the Classic, the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship will award $25,000 and an Elite Series trophy to the angler who has the heaviest total weight for the three-day competition.
What: Bassmaster Angler of the Year Competition
When: September 26-29, 2019
Where: Lake St. Clair Metropark (31300 Metro Parkway, Harrison Township, MI)
More information
https://www.bassmaster.com/news/st-clair-host-2019-toyota-aoy-championship
Schedule
https://www.bassmaster.com/sites/default/files/attachments/2019/07/2019_aoy_soe.pdf
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