Clarks Hill to host Military Bass event in 2011

Clarks Hill Lake, located in Columbia County, GA, has been selected as the host city for the 21st annual Military Team Bass Tournament. The week-long event is scheduled for May 2-7, 2011.

“Columbia County, Georgia is delighted to host the 2011 ABA Military Team Bass Championship to be held at Wildwood Park on Clarks Hill Lake”, said Barry Smith, Division Director for Columbia County Community & Leisure Services. “We extend a warm welcome to all branches of the Armed Forces participating in the event”, he continued.

Clarks Hill (J. Strom Thurmond) is Georgia’s largest reservoir at 71,535 acres. This Corps of Engineers (COE) reservoir is located 30 miles northeast of Augusta on the Savannah River. The numerous creeks feeding the lake, over 1,200 miles of shoreline, and large areas of open water provide a wide range of fishing opportunities . Named one of the first Go Fish Georgia sites in the state, the facilities include a 6 lane mega ramp system at Wildwood Park.

“We are excited to be going to Clarks Hill for the 21st annual meeting of our Team Military Bass Anglers”, said Morris Sheehan, President of American Bass Anglers. “Clarks Hill is a great fishery with plenty of room for everyone to spread out and find their own honey hole. The lake has plenty of big fish in it and boasts a largemouth record of 14 pounds, 14 ounces! This is just the kind of lake the Military Bass Anglers like competing on”, concluded Sheehan.

The Military Team Bass Fishing Tournament began in 1991 for all active duty Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, their dependents ages 16 and over (dependents under 18 must fish with a parent or guardian), National Guard, Reservists, DoD Civilians, DoD contractors and retired military.

American Bass Anglers (ABA) originally started as Military Bass Anglers Association (MBAA), in the mid-seventies as a bass fishing tournament trail to promote camaraderie among all branches of the military. Today it recognizes the ‘Angler of the Year’ from each of the military branches as bragging rights for the participants. In 2005, as a way of showing gratitude to active duty and retired military, ABA began offering “Take a Soldier Fishing” events at military installations throughout the country.

Since the inception in 2005, over 12,000 military personnel have had the opportunity to spend the day on a lake with appreciative citizens wanting to say, ‘thanks’