Pros Expect Numbers at Lake Norman in PAA Bass Pro Shops Tournament Series Event
Category: press release
Jul 28th, 2010 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Jul 28th, 2010 at 12:00 AM
CORNELIUS, N.C. (July 28, 2010) – Catching bass from Lake Norman shouldn’t be a problem in the second stop of the PAA Bass Pro Shops Tournament Series presented by Carrot Stix.
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The 32,510-acre lake is popular with anglers due to its variety of species and ample fishing areas in deep and shallow water. Largemouth and spotted bass will be the target of the Tournament Series field during the Aug. 12-14 event going out of Blythe Landing.
“I think there will be a lot of fish caught and a lot of spotted bass caught,” said Bojangles pro Guy Eaker of Cherryville, N.C., who has fished Lake Norman for years. “We must have a million docks and most have brush around it, and I don’t think it will be a problem for a guy to catch a limit. It’s just going to be a question of catching quality fish.
“The blueback herring in the lake have changed things, along with the spotted bass population that has exploded in recent years,” Eaker added. “The herring move around and keep the bass deeper, and that changes the way some guys fish. There will be a good mix of deep and shallow fish caught there.”
Launches will go out of Blythe Landing each morning at 6:30 a.m., with the first two days’ weigh-ins at the landing beginning at 3 p.m. Final day weigh-in featuring the top 30 pros in the field will be held at Bass Pro Shops at Concord Mills Mall beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Registration night is Aug. 11 at Bass Pro Shops with fans invited to meet the pros between 5:30-7 p.m. On Saturday, Aug. 14, seminars and other events with the pros will be held at Bass Pro Shops beginning at 12:30 p.m. Launches, weigh-ins and events are open to the public and fans are encouraged to attend.
More than 100 of the nation’s top touring professionals will be competing for nearly $300,000 in cash and merchandise. The winner will receive a Nitro Z-8 boat powered by a 225 Mercury Optimax and outfitted with a T-H Marine Atlas Jackplate. The winner also will take home up to $5,000 for a total purse of approximately $45,000. Three episodes of FishPAA Television will be produced in conjunction with the event and featured on the VERSUS network this fall.
Bass Pro Shops pro Stacey King of Missouri has competed on Lake Norman several times during his career and echoed Eaker’s thoughts.
“Norman is a hard lake anytime of the year and especially in August it will be really hard,” King said. “I think we’ll have a lot of fish caught, maybe not a lot of big ones, but a lot of fish. We’ll see a lot of patterns working.”
Eaker and King ran through a litany of possible techniques, ranging from shaky heads around docks with brush to crankbaiting on deep structure and shallow cover. Eaker said he caught a bass pushing six pounds and a few other good ones in July prior to the off-limits period. He was checking on the lake after not having visited it in a few years due to travel and other commitments.
“One thing about Norman is you can get out on the offshore drops and catch a lot but they seem to be smaller than up on the bank,” he said. “There will be some good fish caught deep, but there will be some good ones caught on the banks.
“I don’t fish the lake as much as I used to and enjoyed getting back out there,” Eaker added. “It’s a big, beautiful lake with a lot of options. I think a guy can catch them just about any way he wants to.”
PAA Associate Sponsors: The PAA Tournament Series is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, E21 Carrot Stix, Lazer Trokar, Markel Insurance, Phoenix Boats, Nitro Boats, T-H Marine, Fishouflage, SolarBat, U.S. Reel, Sign Designs, BoatU.S. Foundation, Mercury Marine and Jasper Engines and Transmissions.
PAA Hosts: VisitLakeNorman.com, Cabarrus County (VisitCabarrus.com), Visit Charlotte (CharlottesGotALot.com), and Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation
PAA Online: www.FishPAA.com and www.facebook.com/fishpaa
Media Contact:
Alan Clemons
Communications Director
[email protected]