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Ram Truck Open Series raises payout for the weekend angler

Category: press release

 Oct 7th, 2015 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Oct 7th, 2015 at 12:00 AM

Today American Bass Anglers announced a new series that will offer a guaranteed minimum first place to boaters of $5,000 at one-day bass tournaments. The 2016 Ram Truck Open Series will offer four one-day bass tournaments in 16 divisions in a Pro/Am format. Anglers can advance to local Ram Truck Area Championships that will offer a guaranteed minimum first place to boaters of $10,000. In total, the series will offer more than $450,000 to guaranteed first place payouts in regular season.

“Never before has this kind of payout been offered to the weekend angler in this format”, said Morris Sheehan, President and Owner of American Bass Anglers. “This dramatic increase in payout will mean tournament anglers will shoot for first place prizes of up to $11,000 in Ram Truck Divisional one-day bass tournaments. All divisional anglers can advance to a local Area Championship and compete for up to $20,000 for first place. Plus, the opportunity to qualify for the no entry fee Ray Scott Championship with a payout of more than $200,000 which makes the Ram Open Series the tour to fish.”

The Ram Truck Open Series divisional tournaments payout increases based on the number of entries. With a field of 200 boaters, first place will win $11,000 and qualify for contingency bonuses up to $7,500 each divisional event. With a field of 200, Co-Angler first place will win $5,500 and qualify for contingency bonuses. The payout is to the top 20% of the field at each event with second place through the last paying place of the fields are paid based on the total number of entries.

The 16 Ram Trucks Open divisions are divided into eight local areas with two divisions per area. The two divisions within an area will fish a combined Area Championship with a guaranteed minimum of $10,000 first place for boaters and $5,000 for the winning co-anglers, regardless of the number of entries. Ram Truck Area Championships payout will also increase based on the number of entries. With 200 boater entries first place boater payout increases to $20,000 plus contingency bonuses. With a field of 200 Co-Angler first place will win $10,000 and qualify for contingency bonuses.

Area Championships will be held on a lake that both divisions compete on, a local but neutral lake, or in some cases the location will be flipped between the two divisions within their area annually. The locations are selected to level the playing field as much as possible for the anglers while reducing travel.

All anglers that fish a minimum of three events within a division or four events in combination within two area divisions will automatically advance to an Area Championship. The top 20 boaters and co-anglers by place of finish at each Area Championship advance to the Ray Scott Championship in 2017.

Ram Trucks Open Series Divisional entry fees for boaters is $200 and $100 for co-anglers. Ram Trucks Area Championships entry fee is $300 for boaters and $150 for co-anglers. The Ray Scott Championship has no entry fee.

For all Ram Trucks Open Series Events, launch and flight position will be assigned to pre-registered boaters by time and date of registration for the 2016 season. Pre-registered co-anglers will be paired with boaters by random draw.

Boaters are given guaranteed use of their boats at all Ram Trucks Open Series events. Co-anglers registering as a package entry will receive priority entry into each event in that division. Co-anglers will also be able to “link” with a registered boater in an effort to help guarantee their spot in an event.

More information can be viewed on the all new RamOpenSeries.com website including payouts, schedules and additional information.

Registration will open at 8am October 19, 2015 on the RamOpenSeries.com website or by calling 256-232-0406.

Special Registration Promotions:
1. Package Registrations by Dec. 31, 2015 will each receive a free ABA membership and Freedom Pass.
2. Ram Truck Owners receive their first year membership free
3. Triton Boat Owners receive their first year membership free
4. Active Military receive their first year of membership free
5. Anglers registering for 2016 package entries by 11:59 pm on November 18, 2015 will be entered into a prize drawing to win one of two prizes:

    • First Place Prize – Garmin 93 SV unit
    • Second Place Prize – Garmin VIRB camera

Divisions and Areas

Area Division 1 Division/2 – Area Championship
1 North Alabama/East Tennessee – Guntersville Lake
2 Tennessee/Kentucky – Kentucky Lake
3 Georgia/South Alabama – Lake Eufaula
4 North Carolina/South Carolina – Lake Wylie
5 Central Florida/South Florida – Toho (Okeechobee in 2017)
6 South Texas/Louisiana – Toledo Bend
7 Central Texas/Oklahoma – Texoma
8 Maryland/New York – Raystown Lake

2016 Schedules:

Area 1 – North Alabama
4/2 Neely Henry
5/14 Guntersville
7/9 Weiss
8/13 Neely Henry

Area 1 East Tennessee
2/6 Guntersville
5/7 Guntersville
7/16 Chickamauga
8/20 Chickamauga

Area 1 Championship – 10/1-2 Guntersville

Area 2 – Tennessee Central
2/28 Percy Priest
4/16 Center Hill
6/25 Old Hickory
8/27 Old Hickory

Area 2 – Kentucky
3/12 Kentucky Lake
5/7 Kentucky Lake
6/18 Lake Barkley
7/23 Lake Barkley

Area 2 Championship – 9/24-25 Kentucky Lake (Paris Landing)

Area 3 – South Alabama
2/6 Mitchell
3/19 Eufaula
5/14 Jordan
7/16 Lay Lake

Area 3 – Georgia
1/30 Seminole
2/27 Sinclair
4/30 Eufaula
6/25 West Point

Area 3 Championship – 9/17-18 Eufaula

Area 4 – North Carolina
2/20 Norman
3/5 Badin
5/7 High Rock
6/4 Norman

Area 4 – South Carolina
3/5 Keowee
4/16 Russell
6/11 Hartwell
7/30 Clarks Hill

Area 4 Championship – 8/27-28 Wylie

Area 5 – Central Florida
1/16 Toho
3/12 Harris Chain
4/23 Toho
6/18 Kissimmee Chain

Area 5 – South Florida
1/23 Okeechobee
2/20 Okeechobee
4/2 Okeechobee
5/21 Okeechobee

Area 5 Championship – 9/24-25 Toho

Area 6 – South East Texas
2/6 Sam Rayburn
3/26 Toledo Bend
6/18 Sam Rayburn
7/23 Toledo Bend

Area 6 – Louisiana
2/27 Toledo Bend
4/23 Black Lake Campti
6/25 Red River
8/6 Atchafalaya Basin

Area 6 Championship – 9/24-25 Toledo Bend

Area 7 Central Texas
3/12 Cedar Creek
5/21 Richland Chambers
6/11 Bob Sandlin
7/30 Lake Palestine

Area 7 – Oklahoma
4/16 Lake Eufaula
5/14 Lake Tenkiller
7/16 Ft. Gibson
8/27 Grand Lake

Area 7 Championship – 10/8-9 Texoma

Area 8 – Maryland
3/26 Potomac
4/23 Chesapeake Bay
5/14 Potomac
6/18 Chesapeake Bay

Area 8 – New York
6/11 Lake Champlain
7/9 Lake Champlain
7/30 Oneida Lake
8/20 St. Lawrence River

Area 8 Championship – 9/10-11 Raystown Lake

About: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Ram Open Series, the Ram American Fishing Tour, the American Couples Series, the Military Team Bass Tournament, or the Ram 100% Plus Team Tour visit www.americanbassanglers.com. For the Ram Open Series visit ramopenseris.com