Largest Field in History of B.A.S.S. headed for Dayton

Dayton, TN —  After hosting the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Souuthern Open last week, Dayton brings in an even bigger field on the 36,240-acre Tennessee River.  Last week local Pro Angler Michael Neal brought home a second place finish in a field of over 200.  Dayton community are hoping the local Rhea County High School Team can repeat that success this weekend, April 29-30, in a field twice that size.

The Costa Bassmaster High School Southern Open presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods is scheduled for Saturday, with takeoff at 6:40 a.m. ET from Blue Water Resort and weight in scheduled for 2:40 pm at Dayton Boat Dock.  The field for this B.A.S.S. event will be the largest in the 50-year tournament history of B.A.S.S with a field of 416 boats.

Tournament format is  two anglers and a team captain or coach in each boat.  That would put the number of participants in the water at more than 1,200.  this will break the previous record by over 80 boats.  Last April 332 boats set the record in a High School Open, in tournament held on Lake Guntersville, in Alabama.

Saturday’s event is one of four High School Opens that qualify student anglers for the Costa Bassmaster High School Championship presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.  In addition to top anglers in the Opens, the highest-finishing competitors in state championships and sanctioned high school team trails also are invited to the High School Championship.

Rhea County High School will bring a very large group competing with 15 boats slated to blast off on Saturday for the tournament.