MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Officials from BASS announced today that the Bassmaster Open Championship will be held Dec. 2-5 in Monroe, La. The tournament waters will be the Ouachita River, the site of last November's Central Open finale.
"We are very excited about our return to the Ouachita River," said Dean Kessel, Vice President and General Manager of BASS. "Last November's Central Open was so well attended by the fans and the media that it just made sense to have the Open Championship there this year."
The daily launches and weigh-ins will take place at the City of West Monroe Lazzarre Point Recreation Area.
"There are a lot of BASS members in the area," said Julia Trichell, the Executive Director of the Monroe/West Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau. "There are so many people in the area that just love BASS, and it makes such an economic impact on the area. We are really excited to have (BASS) back."
The 2003 Open Champion, Arizona's John Murray, is hoping to get back to the Open Championship in 2004, not only to defend his title, but also because the top five anglers in the Open Championship gain entry to the Bassmaster Classic.
"I didn't expect to do so well on Toledo Bend last year," Murray said. "I think there will be a little more pressure on guys to do well in the Opens this year, though, because there's only (five) Classic spots from the Opens. That's what everybody wanted and I think that's the way it should be, too.
"It's so tough to make the Classic from the Tour. Now, it's so much more important to do well in the Open Tournaments just so you can qualify for the Open Championship to have a shot at the Classic."