CLEAR LAKE — The 32nd Annual Clear Lake Team Bass Tournament is coming up in March, and applications will be accepted beginning Friday.
Started in 1987 by this newspaper and Bruno’s supermarket, the event was originally called the Record-Bee/Bruno’s Tournament. Now organized by the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and hosted by Konocti Vista Resort & Casino, the tournament doles out thousands of dollars in prizes each year, and is the only such tournament to hand back 100 percent of entry fees as winnings.
The 2018 tournament, according to the Chamber, gave $22,800 in prizes. Brothers Jeff Noga of Arcata and Brian Noga of Katy, Texas won first prize last year, catching more than 50 pounds of fish. The brothers won a total of $6,000 in two prize categories, besting the other 115 teams entered into that year’s tournament.
Lake County Chamber CEO Melissa Fulton said Tuesday that the chamber is “proud to keep this homegrown Clear Lake Team Bass Tournament every year. 85 percent of our participants are outside of Lake County, bringing much-needed revenue and business into Lake County this time of year. We welcome all fisherman—young, old, professional and amateur to join us this year.”
This year’s tournament will be held on March 16 and 17. Entry fees are $200 per team, and include access to the full two-day event. Applications will be accepted beginning at 9 a.m. on Jan. 25, and can be downloaded from the website www.lakecochamber.com. The chamber can be reached by phone at (707) 263-5092.
