AFT, Couples events March 25-26, 2023

ATHENS, Ala. – The American Bass Anglers American Fishing Tour, Presented by Caymas Boats, will hold 11 tournaments during the weekend of March 25-26, 2023. 

American Fishing Tour

AFT Events On March 25, 2023

AFT Alabama Division 75 

The AFT Alabama Division 75 heads to Lay Lake. The anglers will run out of the Shelby 400 ramp, located at 1045 CR Road 400 in Shelby, Ala. 

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Michael Donaldson at (205) 559-4083.

AFT Georgia Central Division 72

The AFT Georgia Central Division 72 heads to Lake Sinclair. The anglers will run out of Dennis Station Ramp, located at 1016 Dennis Station Road in Eatonton, Ga.

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Benny Howell at (770) 365-4795.

AFT Virginia Central Division 102 

The Virginia Central Division 102 will visit Kerr Lake. The anglers will run out of the Island Creek Boat Ramp in Clarksville, Va. 

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Elvin L. Jennings at (434) 907-2393.

AFT Events On March 25-26, 2023

AFT Georgia Division 74 

The AFT Georgia Division 74 heads to Lake Blackshear and will fish both March 25 and 26, 2023. The anglers will run out of Georgia Veterans State Park, located at 2459 U.S. 280 West in Cordele, Ga.

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Henry Starks at (478) 808-9701 or Sylvester Williams at 334-538-2554.

AFT Events On March 26, 2023

AFT Georgia Division 99 

The AFT Georgia Division 99 will fish West Point Lake. The anglers will run out of Highland Marina, located at 1000 Seminole Road in LaGrange, Ga.

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Deacon Collins at (404) 862-4233.

AFT Louisiana Division 111 

The AFT Louisiana Division 111 will fish Toledo Bend Reservoir. The anglers will run out of the Army Recreation ramp, located at 1310 Army Rec Road in Florien, La.

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Eric Bennett at (337) 718-6060.

AFT Massachusetts Division 36 

The AFT Massachusetts Division 36 heads to Whitehall Reservoir. The anglers will run out of the state ramp. 

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Jeff Tibbetts at (774) 437-1377.

South Carolina Division 96

South Carolina Division 126 heads to Lake Wateree. The anglers will run out of the Molly Creek ramp, located at 604 Island Road in Ridgeway, S.C.

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Tim Kelley at (803) 440-7936 or Robin Kelley at (803) 261-1478.

AFT Kentucky Division 32 

The AFT Kentucky Division 32 heads to Kentucky Lake. The anglers will run out of the Port Road ramp, located in Springville, Tenn.

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Buddy Wallace at (731) 695-5387.

AFT Texas Central Division 52 

The Texas Central Division 52 heads to Lake Limestone. The anglers will run out of the Brazos River Authority ramp by the dam, located at 20226 Sterling Robertson Dam Road in Thornton, Texas. 

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Benny Love at (254) 258-2360.

American Couple Series

The American Bass Anglers American Couple Series, Presented by Caymas Boats, will hold three tournaments during the weekend of March 25, 2023. 

Georgia Couples Division 2 

The Georgia Couples Division 1 will fish Lake Oconee near Greensboro, Ga. The anglers will run out of Sugar Creek Marina, located at 353 Parks Mill Road in Buckhead, Ga.

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Jeff Maddox or Amanda Maddox at (770) 318-3610.

Oklahoma Couples Division 12 

The Oklahoma Couples Division 12 will fish Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Okla. The anglers will run out of the Highway 9 ramp in Quinton, Okla.

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Mark Roberts at (918) 770-3948.

South Carolina Couples Division 11 

The South Carolina Couples Division 11 will fish Lake Keowee. The anglers will run out of the Mile Creek ramp, located at 757 Keowee Baptist Church Road in Six Mile, S.C.

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Tom Bancroft at (843) 697-6232 or Melissa Bancroft at (843) 697-3441.

The American Fishing Tour offers low-cost, close-to-home bass tournament competition for the true weekend bass angler. Members pay $70 to enter each 1-day Divisional Qualifying event, $140 for a 2-day Divisional Championship, and $170 to enter the American Fishing Tour National Championship.

The American Fishing Tour is a draw format tournament series offering more than 80 divisions. Each division schedules six or more tournaments in a season.

In addition to cash payouts, depending upon participation, competitors earn points during the season based on their place of finish. These points are critical as an angler’s points are used to determine Divisional Angler of the Year, Service Team standings, and eligibility to compete at the AFT National Championship.

Points are earned within a division as well as nationally. Divisional points are accumulated from the four best 1-day and 2-day events fished within that one division. National standings include points earned from anglers’ four best 1-day and best 2-day events, no matter which the division(s) they fished. 

The top 500 anglers will be invited to compete in the American Fishing Tour National Championship. The 2023 AFT National Championship will be held on Lake Hartwell near Anderson, S.C. from Oct. 7-13. Practice days will be October 7-10. Competition days will be October 11-13.

At the AFT National Championship, anglers may also qualify for bonus money offered by such tournament sponsors as Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, the T-H Marine Atlas Awards program and Power Pole. See each manufacturer’s website for details, rules, and qualifications for more information on their contingency programs.

The ABA American Couple Series, Presented by Caymas Boats, is a team format designed for family involvement. Teams consist of one male and one female paired for a team effort. Most teams consist of a husband and a wife, but that’s not a rule. Teams can consist of a boyfriend and girlfriend combination, father and daughter duo or any combination of one male and one female angler. Teams pay $100 to enter each division event.

The teams compete in 12 state divisions that each conduct six to 10 local events per season. These events are strictly for the weekend bass angler. Guides and pros are not allowed to compete in the ABA American Couple Series. Once a pair forms a team, those two must fish together as a team throughout the season to be eligible to accumulate points and qualify for the 2023 ABA American Couples Series Championship tournament, Presented by Caymas Boats.

At the end of the season, the best five 1-day events determine the team’s national standings. In addition, a team’s best five 1-day events within a division form the basis of each team’s divisional standings. The top 200 teams by points will be invited to fish a year-end championship. 

The 2023 ABA American Couples Series Championship tournament, Presented by Caymas Boats, will be held on Weiss Lake in northern Alabama during the week of Oct. 22-27. Teams will get some days to practice on the lake before the competition begins. The actual tournament runs on Oct. 26-27 out of Leesburg Landing, located at 100 Riverside Street in Leesburg, Ala.

Anyone who wishes to fish an ABA event, must become an ABA member. ABA members can receive discounts from some sponsors. For example, Optima Batteries will give ABA members 25 percent off and free shipping on any battery. Membership costs $35 a year, but anglers can save money by signing up for multiple years. A life membership costs $450.

American Bass Anglers is sponsored by Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, T-H Marine, Power Pole, RT Outdoors, Optima Batteries, Hotel Planner.com and LurePartsOnline.com.

About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low-cost, close-to-home tournaments for the weekend angler and, at the same time, offering each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression.

For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Open Series, the American Fishing Tour, the American Couples Series, the annual Military Team Bass Tournament, and the Top 150 Solo Tour, all presented by Caymas Boats, visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406.

This story was written by ABA staff writer John N. Felsher. To submit articles of interest email info@americanbassanglers.com.