About Us

Welcome to UpstateNYBassAnglers.com, the website representing the American Bass Anglers, New York, North West District #4.

Director: Mark Mothersell

If there is any way we can assist you,
please don't hestitate to contact us at
info@UpstateNYBassAnglers.com
or
Bassing48@frontiernet.net

American Bass Angler's Commitment
to the Tournament Angler

The American Bass Angler Tournament Trail is 25 years old and offers
approximately 600 tournaments a year in 33 states. The American Bass Angler
Draw Trail is specially designed for the weekend angler, with a $55.00 entry
fee and choice of 600 tournaments in which to compete. In the Draw trail
only the best 4 one-day tournaments + the best two-day tournament count
toward angler of the year. This allows the angler to put a bad tournament
behind them.

The national championship for the draw trail entry fee is only $150.00 and
the anglers compete for more than $120,000.00 in cash and prizes. At the
2000 25th national championship two Triton TR21PDs, fully rigged with OMC
outboards, Lowrance Electronics, T-H Marine Hot Foot and Jack Plates were
given away to the winner of the national championship (Phillip Anderson) and
to the Angler of the Year (Abe Abernathy).

American Bass Anglers (headed by Morris Sheehan) is committed to making the
Draw and Team Trails the best in country. Our approach is to offer a
tournament trail without having so many different qualifying levels that so
many trails have today. Compete in your district or division, be consistent,
and you will go the national event where you can earn big prizes. Where else
can you compete in a draw trail for a new boat with an entry fee of $55.00
without going through extensive qualifying levels.

American Bass Anglers is operated by fisherman that have spent the same time
most anglers have trying to navigate all the levels most trails put you
through. We understand how to design a tournament trail that gives the
fishermen what they want. A simple approach for winning bigger prizes.
Come try American Bass Anglers Draw Trails and see what a difference it can
make to fish a trail that is committed to you the angler!

We welcome anglers to contact us with questions or comments at
info@americanbassanglers.com or pick up the phone and call us 1-888-203-6222
Tournament Trail History:

In January 1975 an idea was born - develop a program that offered military
personnel a program similar to baseball, basketball, football, handball and
other on-base participation sports.

In a small restaurant in Florida, the Military Bass Anglers Association
tournament trail was born, MBAA for short. The first members to join were
all from the Patrick Bassmasters at Patrick Air Force Base.
In 1976, MBAA headquarters was moved to Virginia and the expansion began.
Virginia offered a more centralized base of operations. During that year,
chapters covered the states of Oklahoma, New York, Florida, Virginia and the
Carolinas.

The first MBAA National Championship was conducted in 1976 on Barkley Lake,
KY. Forty-nine members competed out of Prizes Point for the coveted title of
National Military Champion. Owen Schroeder, currently an outdoor writer in
Clarksville, TN, took the title.

The first MBAA publication appeared in 1977. Jim Porter was the editor of
The Military Angler. James Parker of Fayetteville, NC was the 1977 National
Military Champion.

The 1978 National Champion was Bob Billman. MBAA obtained its first sponsor,
Minn Kota Trolling Motors, as MBAA continued to expand.

In 1979 Bill Vance was the MBAA National Champion and won the first boat and
motor combination given away at the national championship.

In 1980 the National Championship was held on Toledo Bend, TX, and James
Parker flew in from Alaska to win it for a second time.

During 1981, 1982 and 1983, MBAA continued to grow and expand. The 1981
champion at Kentucky Lake was Don Petty. The 1982 champion at Lake Toho,
Florida, was Mike Ney, and Max Moore took home the title at Lake Eufaula in
Alabama in 1983.

Big things happened in 1984. Yamaha Marine and Ranger Boats came on board to
be the first major sponsors. Bob Ballard was the National Champion at Toledo
Bend. The headquarters office was moved to Dallas, Texas.

In 1985, the MBAA championship broke into two divisions: east and west. The
west champion was Roy Sword fishing at Lake Hamilton in Arkansas. The east
champion was Paul Kondrk competing on Santee Cooper.

In 1986, MBAA continued strong growth and expansion. The MBAA National
Champion was Rocky Casey from Oklahoma, competing on Truman Lake in
Missouri.

Bassing America was formed in 1987 to handle the increased tournament
activities. Gary Woods from Alabama took the MBAA National Champion title in
Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

At Kerr Reservoir, NC in 1988, Mike Lynn took the National Championship
title. Ray Bohanon of Virginia became the 1989 MBAA Champion at Lake
Livingston in Texas.

In 1990, the MBAA champion was Lynwood Merricks at Kerr Reservoir in North
Carolina.

1991 was an eventful year for MBAA. Roger Mayo became MBAA National Champion at Beaver Lake in Arkansas. The first annual MBAA directors' meeting was held at Beaver Lake.

In 1991, Ray Gresham was the champion on Pickwick Lake, and in 1992 Jeff
Routch took the honors on Lake Seminole in 1993.

The 1994, championship took place on Kerr Reservoir in Henderson, NC. Abe
Abernathy took the championship title.

In 1995, the largest championship in MBAA history took place on Lake Murray
in Columbia, SC. Over 450 anglers competed for the largest purse in MBAA
history . . . over $113,000 in cash and prizes. Mike Doss, of Irmo, SC, took
the champion's title and Gary Woods, from Huntsville, AL won the prestigious
Angler of the Year award.

Catskill, New York hosted the 1996 championship. It was the first time the
MBAA National ventured further north than North Carolina. The Hudson River
allowed almost everyone to catch fish, and yielded a high ratio of
smallmouth. George Ballingall of Raymond, NH took the title of National
Champion with 35.23 pounds of fish. The Military Angler of the Year title
went to Phillip Terry, Jr., in one of the closest point races in recent
years.

The 1997 Championship was held in Bainbridge, GA on the infamous Lake
Seminole. An excellent field of qualifiers was met with some tough fishing
conditions. The Angler of the Year title went to Morris Sheehan of Alabama
and Kenny King of Georgia took the championship title.

The chambers of Denison, Sherman and Pottsboro, hosted the 1998 championship
held on Lake Texoma, TX. Blaine Souerwine of Columbus, GA took the title of
Angler of the Year, and Bob Walla of Ceresco, NE was named National
Champion.

In 1999, its 24th year, MBAA took its championship to Wheeler Lake in north
Alabama. It was the first time in the history of MBAA that a championship
tournament day had to be cancelled because of weather. Wind advisories were
issued for Wheeler Lake, which dictated that day one would be called off.
Now a two-day championship, the fishing was excellent, with about 97% of the
contestants weighing in a fish. Danny Dean of Elkmont, Alabama, took
National Champion and Angler of the Year honors.

In January 2000, the national office was moved to Athens Alabama. Morris
Sheehan, a long time member of the tournament trail and Angler of the year
in 1997, purchased the tournament trail and formed American Bass Anglers,
Inc. to manage day-to-day operations of the tournament trail. David Hagood
from Unigraphics Solutions was hired and named vice president.
In Febuary 2000 American Bass Anglers announced Triton Boats, TH Marine, and
OMC as title Sponsors of the tournament trail.

In April 2000 American Bass Anglers announced the join of forces with
internet giant ProBass Networks www.probass.com a leader in fishing resource
information and internet services.

In April 2000 American Bass Anglers announced Lucky Craft Lures as a Title
sponsor of American Bass Anglers.

In April 2000 American Bass Anglers published its first issue of the
American Bass Anglers Tournament Trail Magazine. Changing the format to
include a glossy cover.

In May of 2000 American Bass Anglers announced the re-adoption of Service
Team Sponsors.

In June of 2000 Kelly Combs joined American Bass Anglers as the marketing
manager.

In June 2000 American Bass Anglers announced Lowrance as a national sponsor.
At the 2000 25th national championship two Triton TR21PDs, fully rigged with
OMC outboards, Lowrance Electronics, T-H Marine Hot Foot and Jack Plates
were given away to the winner of the national championship (Phillip
Anderson) and to the Angler of the Year (Abe Abernathy).

In 2001 American Bass Anglers published it's first full color magazine and
published over 150,000 national flyers.

At the 2001 National Championship at Lake Texoma a Non-Boater Ken Marrs
became the National Champion and took home a new Triton TR21PD fully loaded
with a 200hp outboard, Lowrance electronics, TH Marine Hot Foot, Jack Plate,
Finger Flex Trim, and a Max Air Aeration system. Don McFarland won Angler of
the Year Honors and a new Triton TR21PD with a 225dfi outboard fully loaded
with Lowrance electronics, TH Marine Hot Foot, Jack Plate, Finger Flex Trim,
and a Max Air Aeration system. The Boat House honored the Outboard
sponsorship after OMC. American Bass Anglers paid out over $167,000 in cash
and prizes at the 2001 National Championship.

At the 2001 National Championship Morris Sheehan, President of American Bass
Anglers announce the 2002 National Championship would be held on Wheeler
Lake out of Decatur Alabama October 6 - 11, 2002.

In October 2001 American Bass Anglers announced that at the 2002 national
championship 3 Triton Tr21Pd bass boats would be given to 3 anglers: 1 to
the angler of the year, 1 to the winner of the national championship and 1
to be given away by draw.

In December 2001 American Bass Anglers announced a host of new sponsors
including All Star Graphite Rods, Raymarine, ABU Garcia, Spider Cast and
Spider Line, Berkley, Johnson, Minn Kota, Mitchell, Golden Flake and Bill
Heard.

In January 2002, American Bass Anglers announce Honda Marine as a Title
sponsor of American Bass Anglers Tournament Trail. Honda Marine's
introduction of the BF225 Four Stroke Outboard will take the market by storm
starting in the spring of 2002. Honda Marine will continue to redefine the
standard for marine outboard power with the new BF225 V6. Inside, it
features exclusives like our 24-valve VTEC System for a superior blend of power,torque and fuel economy. Outside, its sleek design will take your
breath away. And like all Honda four-strokes, it's dependable, incredibly
quiet and backed by the best 3-year outboard warranty in the industry.

Back to top