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American Bass Anglers Minnesota District 44 was formed in 1991. In those days, only 5 tournaments plus the District Championship were held, and the District Championship was always a two day event on Clearwater Lake in Wright County, MN. The 1st year averaged 8-12 participants per event.
All of the tournaments have always been in Minnesota, primarily on metro lakes. That way, the participants can keep the expenses to a minimum, and avoid several meal and hotel costs. This also minimizes the gas expenditures. Most tournaments have been in Washington, Chisago, Wright, and Scott counties. On rare occasions an event has been held on the Mississippi River.
George Miserendino has been the District 44 Director for 14 years and is headed into year 15. Mike Zimm has been the Assistant Director for 10 years and counting.
Joe Hausladen is the only regular angler from the 1991 class. Several guys who now fish with District 44 started in 1992: Doc Burns, Mike Evans, and Conrad Guttenfelder. The mid 90's added Mike Zimm, Larry Gustafson, Ken Straley, John Larson, Chuck Dapper, Bassin' Bob Woods, Terry Tretsven, Randy Rorman, and Bill Phelps. Over the past 5 years, an average of 35 anglers were in every tournament. Many of the "Old Timers" who have been with us for over 10 years still make the circuit their prime competitive weekend tournament event.
2004 averaged 49 anglers per event. There were 59 anglers at 2 of the tournaments. The record turnout has been 59 anglers for the past 3 years.
Who is American Bass Anglers? (adapted from National ABA Website)
American Bass Anglers is the largest tournament trail dedicated to the weekend angler. The organization was founded in 1975 and was formed for military bass fisherman and called Military Bass Anglers Association or MBAA for short. These founding bass fishermen were looking for alternatives to the normal recreational activities associated with military bases. Little did they know what it would turn into. The tournament trail was limited to military personal only until the early 90s when non-military anglers were allowed to join. The organization grew more rapidly due to this addition, but there still was a perception among anglers due to its name that the organization was still just for military anglers only.
In 2000 Morris Sheehan, a life member and once angler of the year, bought the
organization and located its offices in Athens Alabama. Athens is located
between Nashville and Birmingham and is within 20 minutes of Huntsville.
After purchasing the MBAA, Morris renamed the organization American Bass Anglers
and incorporated the company. This was a move to let anglers nationwide know
that the trail was open to all fishermen. While opening up the organization to
both military and non-military anglers, ABA and its staff still maintains a
strong loyalty to its military and patriotic traditions. The trail provides all
anglers low entry fees, close to home tournaments and a simple path to go to a
same year championship.
Upon the creation of American Bass Anglers, Morris immediately talked to Earl
Bentz, founder of Triton Boats, and Triton became the boat sponsor of American
Bass Anglers. Morris knew companies like Triton that are committed to the
weekend angler would be a strong driving force in the success of American Bass
Anglers.
At the first ABA national championship, Morris showed just how big ABA's and
Triton's commitment was by giving away two 21 foot Triton bass boats rigged with
big block outboards to Angler of the Year Abe Abernathy and the 2000 National
Champion Phillip Anderson. These boats were loaded with sponsor products like
Lowrance electronics and T-H Marine accessories like the famous Hot Foot and Hi-Jacker
jack plates. Ray Scott was on hand at the 2000 awards banquet and awarded the
keys to the new Triton bass boats.
ABA's formula for success is relatively simple: provide a nationwide bass
fishing circuit with low cost tournaments where anglers can just show up and
fish and offer a level playing field with a simple points system so the weekend
angler can win big prizes at the season's end.
The formula continues to work well. The rules and point system keeps the
playing field level for anglers nationwide whereas trails that use a point plus
pounds system make it impossible for anglers to have a chance to catch up toward
the end of the season. One bad tournament can ruin your season with the point
plus pounds system they use. The ABA approach is to only count the anglers best
four 1-day tournaments + their best 2-day tournament for a national ranking in
points and thus allowing them to put a bad tournament behind them. Anglers can
fish as many tournaments as they want, but they do not gain an advantage over
someone that can't fish as many events. The rules also keep the playing field
level in that no guides or professional fisherman are allow to compete in the
draw tournament events.
The American Bass Angler's directors that run these 1 and 2-day events are very
seasoned tournament directors and work hard to make sure their tournaments are
run exactly the same from coast to coast. Many ABA members like traveling to new
lakes and competing in ABA draw events. They know that the director in the
district they visit will be running the tournament the same way as their home
district and the member can earn national points no matter what district they
fish. With over 640 tournaments a year to choose from, a member can see lots of
new bodies of water and learn how to fish these lakes. This is also a great way
to meet other members and where life- long friendships are formed. We often we
hear of members traveling to meet other members to go to new lakes together to
fish a tournament there. What a great way to see new water, fish with old
friends, and maybe make new friends.
There are several professionals that spent time getting ready for the big
leagues in the ABA. Davy Hite, for example, was a national guardsman in South
Carolina. Davy fished the MBAA in the early 90s and then made the move to the
professional level. So you can also look at the ABA tournament trails as a great
way for members that aspire to move into the professional ranks to learn to
compete on different bodies of water without the huge expense associated with
fishing at the professional level. It gives the members time to get ready for
the big leagues.
There are just too many advantages to fishing American Bass Anglers for anglers
out there to not take a close look at what this organization provides such as:
over 1000 tournaments across the US, level playing field, simple points system,
toll free phone number to talk directly with a real person at headquarters, low
entry fees for a one-day tournaments, tournaments designed by fishermen for
fishermen, a national championship the same year, great sponsor programs, a true
national draw trail, service team sponsors, non-boaters always welcome, and 3
Triton Fully Rigged Triton TR21X Series Bass Boats with Mercury Marine
outboards.
There are a lot of new things coming this season for American Bass Anglers and
you will want to be apart of them. Get your membership today and be apart of the
Largest Tournament Trail from the Weekend Angler.
There is a lot of information available online at
www.americanbassanglers.com or you can call or write American Bass Anglers.
American Bass Anglers Inc., PO Box 475, Athens, AL. 35612 or call 888.203.6222