The Lady Bass Anglers Association (LBAA) begins its official voyage at “safe light” today (09/16) on the waters of Russellville, Arkansas’ Lake Dardanelle as their 2010 Lake Dardanelle Kickoff Tournament gets underway. The LBAA is now taking flight and is beginning its eagle voyage across the waterways of America.
The LBAA Lake Dardanelle 2010 Kickoff Tournament will be comprised of two days of ProAm competition followed by a third day of charity tournament competition.
Judy Wong, the 2007/2009 Women’s Bassmaster Tour Champion is among the field of competitors at Lake Dardanelle this week. “It’s a little tougher right now as the bass here are in transtition between the summer and fall patterns. The river has been high and the main part of the lake is off color, so water clarity is another issue,” Wong stated.
Wong, who was recently inducted into the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame said in conclusion, “In general it’s been a tough practice.”
“I think in order for a person to do well in this tournament they are going to have to cover a lot of water, and probably do a little bit of junk fishing,” added another veteran tournament competitor Robbie Hartline. “The lake is fishing like it is two different lakes right now,” Hartline added. “Part of it is very, very muddy with other parts of it being very clear yet. So, the problem for the anglers is we’ve got to have two sets of tools to go after the fish in these two very different condtions.”
Speculations on what it will take to win the two day ProAm event are all across the board. Wong estimates the winner will have to catch 35 pounds of bass while Hartline says Lake Dardanelle may be stingy and the winner may have to only catch around 16 pounds or so to win this event.
Anglers on the pro angler side of this ProAm event will be competing for a guaranteed $5,000 first place prize.
The National Weather Service is predicting opening day weather to be have partly sunny skies with a 30% probability of morning showers and a high temperature of 88.
Day three of the LBAA Lake Dardanelle 2010Kickoff Tournament will be the LBAA Main Street Mission Team Charity Fishing Tournament with the event proceeds going to support The Main Street Mission in Russellville. Teams may register between 4PM and 6PM at the LBAA weigh-in or between 5AM and 7AM the morning of the event. The Main Street Mission has been feeding the hungry in Pope, Yell, and Johnson Counties in Arkansas for over 15 years.
The day three charity event will pay a guaranteed $1,000 first place prize. Also there will be $200 in bonus prize money for both the highest finishing team composed that has one female member, and the team that has a child under 12 as a member of that team.
Host lodging for the LBAA Lake Dardanelle 2010 Kickoff Tournament will be the Best Western Inn located at 2326 N. Arkansas Avenue, Russellville, Arkansas 72802-2218. Phone 1-479-967-1000/Fax 1-479-967-3586.
Partners with the Lady Bass Anglers Association for the Lake Dardanelle Kickoff Tournament are: Russellville Tourism and Visitor’s Center, Sure Life, Kick’n Bass, Rayjus, Dawn Outdoors, Castaway Graphite Rods, West Kentucky LED, Nite Owl Media Productions, River Runner Baits, Moors Resort and Marina, Ray Barga and Associates Inc., Sportsmen’s Edge Triton Boat dealership, SHE Outdoor Apparel, Todali Lures, Necessity Jigs, Triton Boats, Dave Stewart’s Big Bass Guide Service, North Texas Marine Triton dealership, Legend Boats, Bass Cat Boats, Phoenix Boats, Skeeter Boats, Arkansas Tournament Fishing, and Fleck’s Hand Poured Baits.
For more information on the Lady Bass Anglers Association contact: Co-founder Cheryl Bowden @ 1-214-738-7518; Co-founder Secret York @ 1-270-748-9041; or Media Specialist Larry Morris @ 1-540-239-7902.By: Larry Morris
