Couples Series Events March 18-19

ATHENS, Ala. – Competitors in the American Bass Anglers American Couple Series, Presented by Caymas Boats, will fish four days of competition during the weekend of March 18-19, 2023.

All Teams will need to register onsite with the local director during their registration period at this weekend's events. Contact the director if you have questions. 

If you are not an ABA member, you can join onsite when you register. Why should you join onsite? Because both new and renewing members do not pay a late fee at the American Fishing Tour Event where you become a member or renew your membership. Other AFT and Couples Late Exemptions include Life Members, Visiting Directors, and Active Military.

Alabama North Couples Division 7 

The Alabama North Couples Division 7 heads to Lake Guntersville on March 18, 2023. The anglers will run out of the Goose Pond ramp, located at 417 Ed Hembree Drive in Scottsboro, Ala. 

The largest lake in Alabama, Lake Guntersville meanders 75 miles along the Tennessee River and covers 69,100 acres. The impoundment drops to about 60 feet deep in places. The reservoir produces many largemouth bass in the 5- to 9-pound range and several in the 12- to 14-pound range. It also holds an abundant spotted bass population along with some big smallmouth.

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Michael Garlen at (256) 998-0171 or Rhonda Ford at (706) 936-4530.

North Georgia Couples Division 5 

The North Georgia Couples Division 5 heads to Clarks Hill Lake on March 18 and will fish the lake again on March 19, 2023. The anglers will run out of Mistletoe State Park, located at 3725 Mistletoe Road in Appling, Ga. 

Also called J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir, Clarks Hill Lake covers 71,535 acres on the Savannah River, straddling the Georgia-South Carolina line. The third largest reservoir east of the Mississippi River, the lake offers anglers more than 1,200 miles of shoreline. Dating to 1951, the lake drops to 180 feet deep in places. The Little River and the Broad River feed into it.

The system can produce big largemouth bass. The lake record largemouth weighed nearly 15 pounds. The lake also produces better than average spotted bass. In March 2022, Riley Hale set a lake record for spotted bass at 4.5 pounds.

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Billy Beam at (678) 910-1238 or Jerri Beam at (404) 550-7618.

Alabama Central Couples Division 1

The Alabama Central Couples Division 1 will fish Lay Lake on March 19, 2023. The anglers will run out of LaCoosa Marina, located at 150 Lakeshore Drive in Shelby, Ala. 

One of the oldest impoundments in Alabama, Lay Lake dates to 1914 and covers about 12,000 acres in St. Clair, Talladega, Shelby, Coosa and Chilton counties. Running 50 miles along the old Coosa River channel, it offers anglers more than 289 miles of shoreline. 

The lake can produce some great bass catches with good numbers of largemouth with some double-digit fish. Although it can produce big largemouth, most anglers know Lay Lake for its giant Coosa River spotted bass. Some top seven pounds. 

For more information about this tournament, call Tournament Director Mark Shannon at (256) 777-7560 or Amy Shannon at (256) 777-7560.

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 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. 8-13. Teams will get some days to practice on the lake before the competition begins. The actual tournament runs on Oct. 12-13 out of Leesburg Landing, located at 100 Riverside Street in Leesburg, Ala. Registration costs $150 per team. The public is invited to attend the weigh-ins. 

Weiss Lake, a hydroelectric power company reservoir, covers about 30,200 acres on the Coosa, Chattooga and Little Rivers in northeastern Alabama near the Georgia line. Part of the lake extends into Georgia. The lake offers anglers 447 shoreline miles.

In addition to cash prizes based upon participation, anglers could qualify for bonus money offered by tournament sponsors, such 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.

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.