Lake Russell Big Bass Event

Features Ray Scott, “Mr. Bass”

ELBERTON, GA – Ray Scott, the man who made casting-for-cash a profession for bass fishermen, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies and weighmaster for the 15^th Annual Lake Russell Big Bass Team Tournament on March 18.

The tournament, sponsored by the 72 Marine Sales, located at 3336 Calhoun Falls Highway, offers a guaranteed first-place payout of $3,500, according to tournament director Andy Johnson. Weigh-in will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the 72 Marine Sales parking lot.

As the founder of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), Scott is credited with awaking the sport of bass fishing from a sleepy weekend recreational past time to the giant in the fishing-marine industry. After building B.A.S.S. to a 650,000 member worldwide organization, Scott left in 1998 to form his own marketing firm.

Ray Scott Outdoors™ is a marketing-consulting group for fishing tackle and marine manufactures. Scott serves as national spokesman for Triton Boats, Mercury Outboards, MotorGuide trolling motors and Sporting Lives, the manufacturer of SOSPENDERS inflatable life vests.

“This will be the third tournament I’ve served as weighmaster at Richard B. Russell,” said Scott, “and I’m expecting to see some really big bass come to the scales.

“We haven’t had a hard winter, and the bass will most likely be moving up to spawn. That’s when the big’uns bite,“ predicts Scott, who was on the weigh-in stage at the Bassmaster Tournament Trail events here in April 1998 and November 1996.

“The quality of the bass fishery in Lake Russell is exceptional with far above-average size fish,“ continues Scott, “The fact the lake has very little development around the shoreline keeps the water quality high.” Prior to the weigh-in, Scott will be on hand to talk bass fishing, sign autographs, and discuss new features on the Triton bass boat. He is appearing as a guest of Triton Boats.

Several members of the Triton Boats pro staff of fishermen, including current world champion Davy Hite, nine-time Angler-of-the-Year Roland Martin, Ron Shuffield, Ray Sedgwick, Guy Eaker, Robert Graham and Gerald Swindle will attend the Russell Big Bass event.

Ray Scott’s inspiring story and the professional bass fishing sport he created is told in the 336-page, “Bass Boss,” co-written by Robert H. Boyle, long-time writer for Sports Illustrated. The book reveals the insider’s look at the history and founding of the world’s largest fishing organization (B.A.S.S.), and the fishing heroes created by the Bassmaster Tournament Trail. Autographed copies of the “Bass Boss” book will be personally signed by Ray Scott at the 72 Marine Open House.

“Visitors, and fishermen, are invited to drop by and meet Mr. Bass, the man behind the modern day sport of bass fishing,“ said 72 Marine owner Andy Johnson, “and see the lineup of new Triton boats on display.”

Triton Boats, built in Ashland City, TN, offers a new TR-22 model, designed for serious tournament fishermen. The Earl Bentz designed Triton line features fully-equipped models from 22 to 16-footers rated for 300 to 115 horsepower. All Triton hulls feature “wood free” composite construction. “There’s no wood in a Triton fiberglass boat…that might rot,” explains 72 Marine’s Sales Manager David Freeman.

To learn more about today’s modern bass boat building, “Triton: The Inside Story” is a video tour of the Triton factory conducted by Ray Scott. Visitors at the 72 Marine Open House can see the videotape story in the Triton display.