West Point Lake captures American Couples Series Championship

ATHENS, Ala. – American Bass Anglers has announced that Georgia’s West Point Lake and LaGrange, Ga., will host the 2010 American Couples Tour National Championship Aug. 30 to Sept. 4, 2010.

“We have many, many fishing tournaments on West Point Lake, but the American Couples Series National Championship is extra special,” said Laura Jennings, tourism director for LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce. “Couples will not only fall in love with the fishing here but will also be enamored with the charm of our community, the gourmet restaurants and great sightseeing. The red carpet is always out for our visitors.”

The tournament will launch from Highland Marina Resort, located on the shores of West Point Lake, one of the largest lakes in Georgia.

“We’re very excited to be taking the American Couples Series National Championship to West Point Lake,” said Debra Talley, national marketing director for ABA. “Our numbers in the American Couples Series divisions have grown considerably over the past three years, which will mean the addition of five new divisions across the United States for next year.

“The great folks at the LaGrange-Troup County Tourism Bureau as well as Danny Ellrich, owner of Highland Marina Resort, have always put out the welcome mat in providing a great atmosphere for our Championship contenders,” Talley said.

"What better place to hold the American Couples Series National Championship than in the heart of the Southeast?  A clear, pristine lake, West Point will really test the skills of this group of championship anglers,” said Ellrich upon hearing the announcement.

West Point Lake is unlike most Southern lakes in that it holds large populations of both shallow- and deep-water fish, Ellrich said.

“Huge largemouths in excess of eight pounds are common and fat, spotted bass -- some exceeding five pounds -- regularly come to our scales,” Ellrich said. “We're excited that Highland Marina Resort will be the host marina for this tournament. The American Bass Anglers tournament association has the best tournament series of events for the weekend angler -- no other tournament series comes close.”

About American Couples Series
The American Couples Series currently has 16 divisions: Alabama Central, Alabama Gulf Coast, Alabama North, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Louisiana Central, Louisiana South, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee.

About American Bass Anglers
American Bass Anglers is the largest tournament organization for the weekend angler.  American Bass Anglers operates the American Fishing Tour, The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series and the American Couples Series. Each tour is designed specifically for the weekend angler, offering low-cost and close-to-home events where anglers can qualify for a larger championship. For more information on American Bass Anglers, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.