ST. LOUIS (Oct. 25, 2004) - This much is certain - competition will be fierce with this field of anglers. Bassmaster Classic champion Takahiro Omori, all-time money winner Denny Brauer, and 2001 Classic Champion Kevin VanDam are a few of the anglers who will vie for the first "BUSCH Shootout" Championship title and $100,000. But, in a move that has not been seen since the early Bassmaster Classic days in the 1970s, the location and format of the event will not be revealed to the competitors until hours before the tournament.
The "BUSCH Shootout" Championship tournament will take place Oct. 29-30 when the qualifying anglers will be taken to an undisclosed "mystery lake" in the United States. There they will compete under a "modified showdown format" that will not be announced until just before the tournament's start.
"We think that once these guys experience the 'BUSCH Shootout' next weekend, they'll pull out all the stops to make it back in 2005," said Danny Scott, director of marketing, tactical brands, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "The location we've chosen offers some challenges for the anglers and they're going to have a lot of fun trying to bag the biggest catch."
The angler with the largest catch over the two days will collect the grand prize and each of the other 12 anglers will receive a check for $5,000 - creating a "Shootout" for the top honors and a chance for all participants to earn money.
"With this field of anglers, the 'BUSCH Shootout' could prove to be one of the most exciting competitions of the year that angling fans and enthusiasts will get to watch the following weekend," said Dean Kessel, vice president and general manager, BASS. "This event is unique in that it levels the playing field for the anglers throughout the season, giving everyone a shot at winning a spot regardless of their standings."
The "BUSCH Shootout" will be taped for television broadcast to air from 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. EST on Nov. 6 on ESPN2, with three rebroadcasts to follow.
Anglers qualified for the "BUSCH Shootout" by producing the heaviest one-day total weight catch at the 10 stops of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail (Tour and Elite 50), the heaviest single-day weight at the Bassmaster Open Championship, the BASS Federation Championship and the Bassmaster Classic.