A one-hour special broadcast of the Toyota Texas Bass Classic world championship bass tournament will air at 7:00 a.m. Central time Sunday, June 28, on the NBC Sports network.
Brent Ehrler of Huntington Beach, California, edged out Jason Christie of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, for first place with a total three-day catch of 89 pounds, 12 ounces. Fish caught during the tournament are weighed in the boat and immediately released, with anglers being allowed to bring one fish 24 inches long or longer to the weigh-in each day.
The tournament took place on Lake Fork May 23 through May 25. Because of inclement weather, the venue was closed to the public for the final two days, but video crews captured all the action. The Sunday broadcast will be the first chance for the public to witness what happened.
In addition to the exciting fishing action, the show will feature the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) fisheries management practices that have made Lake Fork one of the top bass-fishing destinations in the world. The lake is regularly stocked with Florida largemouth bass and is managed under a 16- to 24-inch slot limit to protect breeding-size bass.
Proof of the success of the management program can be found in the Toyota ShareLunker program, which uses angler-donated 13-pound or larger bass for spawning. Of the 563 entries into that program in the last 29 years, 257 have come from Lake Fork. The current state record largemouth bass, 18.18 pounds, was caught from Lake Fork in 1992.
Proceeds from the TTBC benefit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Departments youth and urban outreach programs. To date the TTBC has raised $2.25 million. For more information visit
www.tpwd.state.tx.us.Current sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, NITRO Boats, Wood County Industrial Commission, Anheuser-Busch, LEER Truck Caps, The Coca-Cola Company, Tellepsen, GoPro, HOLT CAT, JBL, GEICO, Brookshires Grocery Company, Kims Convenience Store, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Allied Waste Systems, Peoples Telephone Cooperative, TLC Media, Tyler Morning Telegraph, 105.7 KYKX, The Ranch KKUS 104.1, KMOO 99.9 and Sabine River Authority.
