U.S. Anglers Choice announces
2013 Pro-Am Season Program

U.S. Angler’s Choice, one of the West Coast’s largest shared weight Pro-Am events is pleased to present our Pro-Am program and schedule for the 2013 season. “With the vacancy created by the cancellation of another trail planned for the 2013 season, we felt that there was an opportunity to provide Western Anglers with a cirt s cuit that could run a full 4-event trail” noted USAC Tournament Director Bill Hutcheson.  ‘Likewise, the USAC Pro-Ams will offer season end cash for anglers who follow the trail through the course of the season and fish three of the four events, including the season ending Clear Lake tournament”.

The dates and venues for the 2013 USAC Pro-Am season are as follows:

March 16-17^th, 2013                              Lake Oroville – Spillway Launch Ramp

April 27-28^th, 2013                                 CA Delta – B&W Marina

June 1^st-2^nd, 2013                                 Clear Lake – TBD

September 21^st-22^nd, 2013                     Clear Lake – TBD

 This schedule, although out to our fisherman later than usual, avoids as many conflicts with FLW and WON BASS as possible. Additionally, this schedule hits each venue at some of the optimal peak fishing periods.

TOC Fish off Program – Anglers need not worry if they have a bad tournament as USAC’s approach to our TOC fish off is aimed towards supporting those who support the circuit. Simply fish three of the four of the USAC Pro-Am events – including the final Pro-AM / TOC combined event at Clear Lake in September  and you will automatically qualify to fish for the TOC holdout cash. 15% of each entry from the season is placed into a TOC reserve fund. Based upon full fields at the four USAC Pro events, a total of $30,000 will be set aside for the Pro division and $10,000 for the Am division competitors.

The TOC event is effectively two tournaments in one. All anglers get to fish for the regular tournament payback, however, only anglers who have fished all four events will get to compete for this additional cash pot at the September 21^st-22^nd Clear Lake tournament.

Entry Fees – Entry fees for the 2013 USAC Pro-Am season remains one of the most affordable in the west with Pro angler entry at $500 per event and $250 per event for Am anglers                                       

Paybacks - No hyperbole or smoke and mirror here. USAC immediately posts tournament results along with complete paybacks for everyone to see so that the anglers will know that they are getting paid out what they paid in. USAC pays back 1 in 5 places and pays back 100% on all options taken in. USAC bases its paybacks on a realistic 100 boat full field and the paybacks increase proportionally when the fields exceed 100 boats.

2013 Anglers Choice Pro-Am Payback*

* Based on 100 boat field – one in five payback

PAYBACK CHART DOES NOT INCLUDE OPTION PAYOUTS

Options – All USAC Pro-Am options are paid back 100%. USAC Pro-Am events offer two $50 options – A $50 Big Bass option, which pays out the top two largest bass caught each day at a 65-35% ratio. The second option is a Top 5 Option, which pays back the Top 5 positions in that Option pool based on the final results of the tournament. The Top 5 option pays back at a 40-25-15-10-10% ratio. Both the Pro and Am anglers have their own option pools, which pay out independent of one another.

Shared Weight Program – Anglers Choice Pro-Am events utilize the popular shared weight concept. Developed here on the West Coast, the shared weigh concept allows each day’s Pro and Amateur angler to effectively fish as a team to catch their best five fish limit. The Pro and Am angler then “share” their total weight, which carries over to the next day of fishing. Pro and Am anglers are then paired up with different partners for the second day of competition and any subsequent days of fishing. The total weight each pro and co angler accrues for each day of fishing is then totaled to determine their overall weight and position in the standings.

“The advantage of the shared weight format is that it fosters a learning environment within the boat” stated USAC’s Hutcheson. “Pro anglers are all for their Am partners catching fish as it goes towards the common good of the boat. Am’s will often find their Pro partners offering tips on bait selection, techniques, and even loaning tackle in an effort to boat fish. Your $250 entry fee would not even pay for a day’s guided trip much less two days on the water with some of the top pro anglers in the west”, Hutcheson closed.

Rule Changes for the 2013 season – After discussions with our advisory committee members and feedback from other USAC anglers as to how to improve the USAC Pro-AM trail moving forward, the following changes will be implemented for the 2013 season:

·       Mon-Tues-Wed off Limits.  The tournament lakes will be placed off limits for the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday immediately prior to the event.  Official Pre-fish days will occur on the Thursday and Friday prior to the tournament.

·       First come, First Serve Sign ups – Anglers (both Pro and Am) will be entered and paired up for the tournament on a first come, first serve basis. The guarantee of partners via signing up together will be eliminated.

·       Wednesday Cut-off for sign ups – All participating anglers must have

           the full entry fees paid to the office by Wednesday prior to the event.  No

           on-site sign-ups will be taken.

Sign-Ups – Competitors may sign up for the 2013 USAC Pro-Am events by logging on to www.anglerschoice.com and clicking the Pro-Am events link on the home page. You may then click on the entry form link and print out a copy and mail it in with a check or credit card. Want to go paperless? Call Sherry Harwood at the USAC office (800) 360-7112 or Bill Hutcheson (208) 442-6877 and you may sign up over the phone with your credit card.

Specific event related questions should be phoned in or e-mailed to Tournament Director Bill Hutcheson at hutch@basswest or (208) 442-6877. Again, deadline to enter each tournament is the Wednesday prior to competition. All competitors must be current USAC members in good standing to compete and qualify for prizes. You may also renew your membership over the phone at the numbers below.

 

U.S. Anglers Choice Tournament Coordinator – Sherry Harwood (800) 360-7112
U.S. Anglers Choice Tournament Director – Bill Hutcheson (208) 442-6877

Fish the best in 2013 – Fish U.S. Angler’s Choice.