JL Marine Systems Inc., maker of the popular Power-Pole shallow water anchoring system, has renewed and extended its premier-level sponsorship for all Bassmaster tournament circuits through 2021, B.A.S.S. announced today.

The sponsorship includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, BassPro.com Bassmaster Opens, Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation events presented by Magellan Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series and the “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing,” the Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.

Power-Pole stepped up from supporting sponsor to the premier level in 2016 and this year renewed the relationship through the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons.

“Power-Pole anchors have become indispensable equipment on the boats of competitive anglers, whether they fish the Bassmaster Elite Series or one of our grass-roots circuits,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S. “Just a few years ago, you could identify a top-level pro angler by whether he had two Power-Poles on his boat. Now, almost everybody who is serious about bass fishing has them.

“We’re excited that Power-Pole has decided to continue this great partnership.”

The idea for the first Power-Pole anchor came to Florida resident and lifelong angler John Oliverio during a saltwater fishing trip about 20 years ago. Oliverio spotted several big snook on a sandy flat, but using a traditional anchor to hold his boat in place near the fish proved problematic due to windy conditions and the skittish nature of the fish.

Believing there had to be a better way, Oliverio built a model of the first Power-Pole out of LEGOs. Then with the help of his friend Len Mriscin, he eventually constructed a working prototype that he used during a saltwater fishing tournament in 2000.

He sold the first Power-Pole hydraulic anchor shortly after the event, and that led to the formation of JL Marine Systems, which now occupies a 38,000-square-foot facility in Tampa, Fla. Power-Pole has become a world-famous brand, and the shallow water anchors have become especially popular among serious bass anglers.

“B.A.S.S. has been a great partner over the years, and we are proud to continue our relationship as premier-level sponsors,” said Robert Shamblin, vice president of JL Marine Systems, Inc. “Our relationship with B.A.S.S. has always allowed us to showcase our products at the highest level of competition. B.A.S.S. provides a great platform for us to reach millions of bass fishing fans across the country. With all of the new and exciting changes at B.A.S.S., the next couple of years will be amazing, and we are looking forward to being a part of it.”

The sponsorship deal entitles Power-Pole to prime exhibition space during all 2019, 2020 and 2021 B.A.S.S. events, beginning with the season opener, the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open on the Harris Chain of Lakes, Florida, Jan. 24-26, and including the Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, scheduled for March 15-17 in Knoxville, Tenn.

The Power-Pole Captain's Cash Rewards Club program will also provide a $1,000 contingency award to a qualified angler who wins an Elite Series event and an award of $500 to a Rewards Club member who wins an Opens tournament. Contingency awards also are being offered to winners of B.A.S.S. Nation, Team and College Series events.

Fans of the long-running The Bassmasters TV show will have more opportunities to watch their favorite fishing program thanks to a new multi-year agreement between B.A.S.S. and the Pursuit Channel.

Under the agreement, the Pursuit Channel will air 26 episodes on Saturdays during the first and second quarters of 2019, with each show repeating on the following Sunday morning and other times to be announced. Pursuit reaches more than 30 million households after a remarkable 15 percent growth year to date in 2018.

“This partnership with Pursuit means more opportunities for fans to find and enjoy our Bassmaster Elite Series and Bassmaster Classic programming — and that means more ways for anglers to learn how to catch the five biggest bass on their next fishing adventure,” said Mike McKinnis, vice president of media content of JM Associates and producer of Bassmaster LIVE and The Bassmasters.

“Pursuit Channel is honored by this new partnership with B.A.S.S., the worldwide authority on bass fishing,” said Rusty Faulk, CEO of the Alabama-based television network. “B.A.S.S. features the best pro anglers competing in the best tournament series across America, and our viewers will eat it up! We also look forward to other natural opportunities to jointly grow our brands and the angling community.”

B.A.S.S. will continue to air its award-winning programming from the Bassmaster Elite Series and Bassmaster Classic on ESPN2, as it has done since 2000. Because the first event of the 2019 Elite Series season does not occur until early February — the Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River, Florida, Feb. 7-10 — the first episodes of Bassmaster competition to appear on Pursuit will be re-airs of the most exciting Elite events and Classics of recent years, including those won by Elite Series standouts Steve Kennedy, Rick Clunn, Drew Benton, Keith Combs and others.

“We are thrilled to be able to air The Bassmasters on Pursuit Channel, which has an unmatched track record of growth among the audiences our anglers and sponsors most want to reach,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “With Pursuit and ESPN2, plus our incredibly popular Bassmaster LIVE programming on Bassmaster.com, ESPN3 and the WatchESPN App, we are providing cutting-edge fishing content to a wide spectrum of fans and aspiring anglers.”

The Bassmasters episodes will air initially on Pursuit Channel during the programming block, “Walmart Reel Life Saturdays presented by Berkley and Abu Garcia,” which also includes outdoor shows by Bassmaster Legends Jimmy Houston and Hank Parker.

Pursuit Channel reaches the largest universe of true HD homes and is active nationally via DIRECTV HD, AT&T HD, DISH Network, Fios by Verizon HD and Centurylink Prism HD, Cox Communication and National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC). Since subscribing to Nielsen for its reporting in January, Pursuit added 4 million households. In addition, PursuitUp is the only outdoor network with a free digital platform featuring VOD of all episodes that previously aired live on the channel. The PursuitUp app can be downloaded on ROKU, Amazon Fire TV, iPhone and Androids.

Bass Pro Shops has signed a multiyear agreement to sponsor B.A.S.S. and Bassmaster events, B.A.S.S. announced today.

Under the agreements, Triton and Nitro will continue as premier, official boat sponsors of B.A.S.S. tournaments, including the Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, the Bassmaster Elite Series, the Bassmaster Opens Series, B.A.S.S. Nation competitions, and the College and High School Series tournaments.

Bass Pro Shops becomes a supporting sponsor of the Bassmaster Elite Series, a supporting and title sponsor of the Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, supporting and presenting sponsor of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops and supporting sponsor of the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series.

“Triton and Nitro are among the most popular bass boat brands in America today, and we are pleased that they will again be showcased through their sponsorship of the Classic, Bassmaster Elite Series and other Bassmaster competitions,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO.

“In addition, the support Bass Pro Shops is providing for our Opens, College, High School and other Bassmaster events is invaluable to our fans and the anglers competing in those tournament series,” Akin said. “This partnership not only serves our millions of fans and followers, but it also provides great opportunities for B.A.S.S. and Bass Pro Shops to reach new audiences and to grow the great sport of bass fishing.”

“We’re very proud to expand upon our longstanding support for B.A.S.S. through these significant partnerships with our fishing brands,” said Bass Pro Shops and White River Marine group founder Johnny Morris, himself a five-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier. “B.A.S.S. events help us advance our goal to connect more people to nature by engaging people of all ages and skill levels to the great sport of fishing.”

Under the agreement, all White River Marine and Bass Pro Shops brands will receive exhibit space in the extremely popular Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, as well as at Elite Series expos and other Bassmaster events during the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons.

As in previous years, most final-day weigh-ins for Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens tournaments will be held at the nearest Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s stores.

Triton also will award two $500 scholarships to the winners of the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Championship.

The agreement includes advertising and promotion on behalf of Bass Pro Shops and White River Marine brands in B.A.S.S.’s industry-leading media, including Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times magazines, Bassmaster.com, Bassmaster LIVE programming and The Bassmasters TV show on ESPN2.

“B.A.S.S. and Bass Pro Shops share common roots, dating back all the way to the earliest days of B.A.S.S., when Johnny Morris was a Classic competitor and a rising star in our professional tournaments,” Akin added. “And we share a common dedication to conserving our natural resources and promoting sportfishing as a family recreation. We are especially grateful to see the history of our sport showcased in the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame located within Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium.”

Paramount Outdoors, a division of Paramount Apparel International, Inc. (“PAi”), has signed a ground-breaking licensing agreement with B.A.S.S. and is debuting a full line of Bassmaster branded apparel, headwear and accessories for the Spring 2019 season.

Thursday comes down to a Mountaineer chasing a Tiger in the final round of the 2018 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Classic Bracket presented by Bass Pro Shops on Milford Lake, near Junction City.

$30,000 Donation Serves as Catalyst for Ongoing Sustainability Measures in SportsFishing Industry

Berkley has signed on as title sponsor of the upcoming Bassmaster Elite Series tournament at South Dakota’s Lake Oahe, and sister company Abu Garcia has been named presenting sponsor, B.A.S.S. announced today.

Black Velvet Canadian Whisky has signed on as an Elite Partner of the 2018 Bassmaster Elite Series.

The GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods not only raises the game of the world’s best anglers, but it often brings out the best in the fishing industry and its faithful fans in a unified celebration of the sport. And a recently announced cooperative effort between Carhartt, B.A.S.S., and the South Carolina B.A.S.S. Nation epitomizes that spirit.

The Econo Lodge brand, part of Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) is the presenting sponsor of two Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments in 2018, and is offering fans the chance to win a day of fishing with professional angler Justin Lucas, a two-time Bassmaster Elite Champion.

General Tire will sponsor Winning Ways, a popular spinoff of The Bassmasters TV show on ESPN2, B.A.S.S. announced today.

In the latest of a series of agreements with B.A.S.S., the world’s largest fishing organization, Mossy Oak has become the presenting sponsor of the Bassmaster Elite Series tournament on the upper Chesapeake Bay, B.A.S.S. announced today.