GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — Just days before the world’s best anglers take to the water to compete in the 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, volunteers spread out along the shores of Lake Guntersville to ensure the area is Classic ready as part of the Bassmaster Classic Clean-Up Challenge sponsored by AFTCO, Huk, TVA and Yamaha.
Volunteers from the City of Guntersville, Keep Guntersville Beautiful, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful, Marshall County, Tennessee Valley Authority and the Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation collected 93 bags of trash from the shoreline around the Tom Jackson Boat Ramp and Civitan Park, site of daily takeoffs.
Conservation efforts are a cornerstone of the B.A.S.S. tradition, and leading efforts to collect litter can have a sizable impact on the waterways the organization and its fans frequent.
“B.A.S.S. was founded on three things: tournament fishing competition, youth participation and conservation,” B.A.S.S. Conservation Director Gene Gilliland said. “(B.A.S.S. Founder) Ray Scott used to always talk about the three-legged stool. This is one of the legs, and it doesn’t get talked about a lot.”
Bags of plastic bottles, cans, paper and plastic trash, tires, styrofoam, a Barbie doll and even a bowling ball were collected in the clean-up effort.
“One of the things that we want to try to do is to improve the resource anytime we have a chance,” Gilliland said. “An event like this builds camaraderie between those participating. It builds goodwill with the communities that host our events.
“Most importantly, it helps us leave the venue better than we found it.”
The next B.A.S.S. Nation Clean-Up Challenge is scheduled for March 21 at Chickamauga Lake in Dayton, Tenn.
The latest information on B.A.S.S. conservation efforts can be found on their group Facebook page or at Bassmaster.com.
2020 Bassmaster Classic Title Sponsor: Academy Sports + Outdoors
2020 Bassmaster Classic Presenting Sponsor: Huk Performance Fishing Apparel
2020 Bassmaster Classic Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2020 Bassmaster Classic Premier Sponsors: Abu Garcia, Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Talon, Yamaha
2020 Bassmaster Classic Local Partners: Alabama Power, Black Rifle Coffee, Books-A-Million, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Jack’s Family Restaurants, Thompson Tractor, TNT Fireworks, TVA, Wind Creek Casino
2020 Bassmaster Classic Hosts: Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau, Alabama Tourism Department and Marshall County Convention & Visitors Bureau
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About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster
and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.