Somerset, N.J. – ePropulsion announced today it was the title sponsor of the Georgia Total Electric Championship Invitational bass tournament – the ePropulsion GA Bass TEC. The event was held on May 29, 2021 on the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir in Walton County, Georgia. Nine clubs with a total of 72 anglers competed, with winners earning the State Championship title and a new ePropulsion Navy 6.0 Evo outboard engine.
“We are excited to sponsor the Georgia Bass TEC this year,” said Danny Tao, CEO of ePropulsion. “The tournament anglers are passionate about fishing and protecting the environment. While some may see restrictions on the type of propulsion as a challenge, these dedicated anglers embrace alternative sources of power, such as our ePropulsion Navy 6.0 Evo Series. We are proud help them pursue their passion and enjoy their time on the water.”
The team of Blake Yarter and Charlie Dick took home the top prize with a combined bag of over 19 pounds. Their team was one of four competing from the Five Alive Bass Club, which won Top Club honors with a combined weight of 61.07 pounds. Brett Cummings of High Voltage Bass Anglers landed the biggest fish of the tournament, weighing 6.26 pounds.
“Fishing in the Bass TEC is always a highlight of my year, and this year was no exception,” said three-time Bass TEC champion, Blake Yarter. “The conditions were perfect, and we were able to get out there and nail the win. We can always rely on our ePropulsion Navy 6.0 to get us to and from our fishing areas quickly and quietly to be able to compete at the highest standards. We can’t wait to use the new Navy 6.0 Evo we won, in next year’s competition.”
For many years, Georgia held a State Championship called Georgia JBAIT (Jon Boat Angler Invitational Tournament). It was so popular among clubs that, once disbanded, founding club presidents joined together to continue the legacy. Georgia Bass TEC was formed in 2019 and planning for the 2021 event took place over following two years; with ePropulsion joining as title sponsor in 2020. During the competition, two-person teams competed to bring in their largest five-fish limit to the scales. Qualifying anglers must have placed in the top four teams in points from each club to earn their right to compete. Once qualified, competitors pre-planned during a two-week blackout period before the event.
Electric only jon boat fishing has been deeply rooted in Georgia for over 30 years. The metro Atlanta area population has grown rapidly over the decades and created future water supply needs that required the construction of a number of small reservoirs. To maintain the water quality of these sources of potable water, regulations were passed that limited combustion engines. Resourceful anglers originally mounted trolling motors on their transom to comply with regulations while fishing these waters. As technology evolved, ePropulsion and other manufacturers filled the demand for reliable, quiet and efficient electric outboards to power these craft. Most anglers chose to shave as much weight as possible for their boats and all aluminum boats are commonly chosen. Pairing these lighter weight vessels with the higher speeds of ePropulsion’s Navy 6.0 Evo series and their lighter weight lithium battery packs keep these boats ahead of the competition.
“When the electric only bass fishing sport originated it was typical to achieve speeds of three to four miles per hour,” said Merrick McClure, director, ePropulsion GA Bass TEC. “Now it may not seem drastic but these ePropulsion motors are reaching speeds nearly four times higher depending on the boat setup. The range of ePropulsion’s motors when paired with lithium battery packs are much greater than the competition. Anglers can go longer distances at higher speeds with ePropulsion; leaving others in their wake.”