The Bass Master Classic is the Super Bowl of fishing. Clifford Pirch has done it again and since joining B.A.S.S. four years ago, he has qualified each year and prior to that he qualified for the FLW Forrest Wood Cup five times. It was fun catching giant small mouth during the BASS 2016 Toyota Angler of the Year event at Mille Lacs Lake, MN last month. In the world of competitive bass fishing, it’s all about long term performance. Fortunate over the years to maintain a high level of success, it would never happen without a supportive family and sponsor team.
This quarter has been very successful with lots of exposure. The top 12 finish on the Potomac River event afforded opportunities to talk with many anglers and outdoor fans about our sponsorship team. Bass fishing is probably like any industry when it comes to media coverage, those who are at the top get the most exposure. Making the day 2 cut when the field is cut to 50 provides exposure to hundreds of thousands of fans and I’ve been fortunate to make that cut during most tournaments this year. On day 3 when the field is cut to the top 12, it increases the exposure exponentially and the exposure goes into the millions. The large number of media outlets requesting interviews provides the vehicle for me to talk about your products and how they help me succeed. With the 2016 season ending, I’m glad to get back to Arizona to spend time with my family, fish some local tournaments and catching up on the backlog of guided fishing trips.
Bass Master Elite Series
The Bassmaster Elite Series is the highest level of professional bass fishing tournaments. Competitors must qualify for the series through the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens or the B.A.S.S. Nation, and anglers who are already on the Elite Series must re-qualify each year by maintaining enough points throughout the season. The pro anglers compete all season for the opportunity to win points toward the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year award and to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic.
Only 111 anglers will compete in the 2016 season, which consists of nine tournaments plus a Classic Bracket event. The series was founded in 2006.