“This is the third year for the Jamie McMurray big Bass Classic on Lake Norman and it will be year two for the Blue Ridge Bass Classic at Smith Mountain Lake, and we have had outstanding registrations so far for both events,” said Mark Jones with the Oakley Big Bass Tour.

And, Jones added, reports he has been getting from both lakes indicate anglers will find good fishing both weekends.

The Oakley Big Bass Tour is the nation’s premier open big bass tournament series designed exclusively for amateur anglers, providing anglers of all skill levels an exciting tournament format and event experience on some of the nation’s best bass fisheries. Established in 2007, the tour is focused on the promotion of bass fishing and bass conservation at the amateur level.

Anglers not eligible to fish the Oakley Big Bass events include those who have guided professionally on the host lake during the 12 months before the tournament, those who have competed professionally in three or more tournaments with an entry fee of $1,000 or more in the preceding 12 months, and those who have career fishing tournament earnings of $250,000 or more.

The 2012 Tour features stops in Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia

“The tournaments are a big bass format,” Jones said, “with seven hourly weigh-ins on Saturday and seven hourly weigh-ions on Sunday.”

On a lake like Lake Norman, Jones noted, it is not always an overly large bass that wins, just the largest every hour, with the overall largest bass of the weekend taking the grand prize, a Nitro Z7 Bass Boat package valued at $28,500. Hourly payouts include : 1st Place, $500; 2nd Place, $400; 3rd Place, $300; 4th Place, $200; and 5th Place, $100.

“Last year at Lake Norman just under a 5-pound fish won the grand prize, so it’s anybody’s game. It’s a pretty cool deal when a 4- to 5-pound fish can win you a boat,” said Jones.

“At Smith Mountain last year just under a 6-pound fish won and we were there in May. Being the third weekend in April for this year’s tournament, fishing should probably be a little better, so we expect it to take a little bigger fish.”

Entry fees for the Oakley Big Bass Tour are $100 for one day or $150 for two days. Registration will be held at the Bass Pro Shops at Concord, N.C., from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 12, for the Jamie McMurray event and again at Queen’s Landing on Lake Norman from 12 noon to 8 p.m.. Friday, April 13.

“For Smith Mountain we will have a one-day registration on Friday, April 20, from 12 noon to 8 p.m., but anglers are also able to register online for all our events right up to Friday before the tournament,” said Jones.

“And we have a special event lined up for the Jamie McMurray tournament. That Saturday night there will be a free concert at Queens Landing by a country-western group out of South Carolina called The Piedmont Boys. It’s free to the public, so anybody who wants to come and enjoy the music is welcome.”

The Lake Norman tournament is named for NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray, whose wins include the 2010 Daytona 500 and 2010 Brickyard 400. McMurray lives near Lake Norman in Mooresville, N.C., and enjoys fishing when he is away from the track.

 

Oakley Big Bass Tour – Jamie McMurray Big Bass Classic

April 14-15, 2012

Lake Norman

Queen’s Landing

Call Mark Jones 214-605-4600

www.oakleyfishing.com