SHEFFIELD-Some of America’s top amateur anglers will battle it out on Pickwick Lake June 15-17 during the National Bass Fishing Trail Championship bass tournament.
The tournament is being staged out of Riverfront Park in Sheffield. Daily weigh-ins begin at 2 p.m. at the park.
Donnie Story, president of National Bass Fishing Trail, said anglers from as far away as Wisconsin and Illinois will compete in the tournament. The anglers qualified for the championship through a series of one-day tournaments held throughout the South and Midwest.
Colbert County Tourism and Convention Bureau is a sponsor of the championship tournament. Susann Hamlin, president and CEO of Colbert Tourism, said the tournament is great for the Shoals economy.
She said the anglers will spend a week in Colbert County while practicing for and competing in the tournament. While here, they will be staying in hotels, eating at restaurants, buying fuel for their boats and vehicles and shopping at local tackle shops and other business.
Many of the anglers bring their spouse and children and make the tournament a family vacation. While the anglers are fishing, the wives and children will visit local attractions and businesses, Hamlin said.
Story said National Bass Fishing Trail is a family oriented organization. Its mission is “to provide an atmosphere of adult fellowship and youth learning by offering affordable tournaments for Bass Anglers and their family with the goal of building relationships and mentoring our youth while improving our fishing ability.” National Bass Fishing Trail tournaments feature divisions for adult and youth anglers.
Story expects plenty of big largemouth and smallmouth bass to be caught during the tournament. When other anglers learn of the successes of the National Bass Fishing Trail competitors, many will plan trips to Colbert County so they too can fish for the big bass they have made Pickwick Lake famous. The National Bass Fishing Trail anglers will also return to Pickwick for vacations.
“The hotels, restaurants, tackle shops, conveniences stores and other businesses will be reaping the benefits of this tournament for a long time,” Story said.
