PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

February 20, 2008 Houston, Texas – The 2008 Toyota Texas Bass Classic field has been completed following the Professional Anglers Association Qualifier at Choke Canyon Lake.  25 PAA pros qualified for the team angling competition held April 18 – 20 at Lake Fork. 

Jason Reyes, winner of the inaugural Toyota Texas Bass Classic qualifier, held February 8-9, 2008 at Choke Canyon in South Texas, finished the two-day contest with 10 bass weighing a collective 48 pounds and 3 ounces, joining 24 other anglers that will advance to the Toyota Texas Bass Classic. 

The Toyota Texas Bass Classic is sanctioned by the Professional Anglers Association with technical assistance and support from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division.

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department will receive a $250,000 donation from the Tournament that will deliver new funding for their youth fishing and outreach initiatives.  Last year’s proceeds assisted the stocking of fish in Texas neighborhood lakes in an effort to introduce kids to fishing. 

For additional Tournament and ticket information, please visit www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com.

The following is the complete team list for the 2008 Toyota Texas Bass Classic:

February 18, 2008

For Immediate Release

Diablo Outdoors, Inc. announced today the signing of Bassmaster Elite Series angler and 2008 Bassmaster Classic Qualifier Kevin Short to promote their line of TEAM REALTREE® outdoor apparel. Kevin will be responsible for highlighting and exposing the TEAM REALTREE® line of Fishing outerwear, which includes branded waterproof breathable technologies GORE-TEX® and WINDSTOPPER® fabrics, and Supplex fishing shirts, as well as a complete line of Hunting and Lifestyle clothing.

“I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am about this partnership”, stated Kevin Short. “Diablo Outdoors has done an incredible job in a short period of time of positioning themselves and the TEAM REALTREE® brand as leaders in not only the hunting, but also the Fishing outerwear market. I am very fortunate to have been in on the ground floor of designing and testing some of these pieces during the 2007 Elite Series season and all I can say is bring on the cold, wet, and nasty; I’ll be warm and dry. When it gets hot later in the year, I’ll also be cool and protected. I’m also humbled to be asked to be associated with the strong family of brands by Realtree and W.L. Gore and Associates, Inc.; these people know marketing and I am thrilled that they see value in being associated with me and with the Bassmaster Elite Series.”

Diablo Outdoors, Inc. Owner, J.D. McCay, had this to say, “We are all excited about the possibilities and potential that our relationship with Kevin has to offer. He has shown himself to be a true competitor on the Elite Series trail and a credible spokesperson for the TEAM REALTREE® brand. We are very proud to see him carry our brands during the upcoming Bassmaster Classic and across the country throughout the Elite Series season."

Kevin’s wrap on both his 2008 BassCat Cougar FTD and Chevy 3500 Dually will feature Realtree’s APG HD as well as his signature pink. When asked about the wrap, Kevin replied “I’m thrilled that everyone involved felt that I had to stay with the pink. I know there are some pink-o-phobes out there, but the color does its job – it catches your eye – which, though not as important as catching bass, is all part of the equation. When you see me roll either on or off the water, there will be no doubt who’s carrying the TEAM REALTREE® logo. As an added bonus, Realtree arranged to have one of my MotorGuide Tour Edition 109’s ‘dipped’ to cover it with Realtree’s APG HD by one of their associated companies, Immersion Graphics; I can’t wait to see this baby!”

Diablo Outdoors, Inc. is an official licensee of the TEAM REALTREE®, GORE-TEX®, and WINDSTOPPER® brands. Their goal is provide those who enjoy the outdoors with the most innovative, comfortable and durable clothing available.  TEAM REALTREE® branded apparel is available at Sportsman's Warehouse, Scheel's, Wulf Outdoors, Reed's, Angler's International and other fine Hunting and Fishing retailers.

Houston, Texas – Country music superstar Trace Adkins will headline a world-class entertainment line-up at the 2008 Toyota Texas Bass Classic, a Professional Anglers Association sanctioned event.  The three-day fishing Tournament at famed Lake Fork in East Texas will consist of two days of concerts with Adkins performing on Saturday, April 19.  The Toyota Texas Bass Classic is in its second year and will be held April 18 – 20.   

“This is a tremendous announcement for our event,” said Tournament Director Lenny Francoeur.  “Our Tournament has quickly become recognized not only as a premier bass fishing event, but also a world-class entertainment venue.  We feel very privileged to give area residents the chance to see great entertainment in their own backyard.” 

Tickets are now on sale as a three-day pass valid Friday through Sunday can be purchased for $20 in advance of the Tournament, or $25 at the gate.  Information regarding additional entertainment acts for Saturday, April 19 and Sunday, April 20 are forthcoming.

Adkins’ gregarious personality has made him a larger-than-life character in the country music world.  His instantly recognizable baritone has energized concert venues and made its way to the top of billboard charts for a decade.  Adkins’ appeal has gone from that of the good old country boy to mainstream megastar during his rise.  He has successfully mixed good-time anthems with emotional glimpses into his life across his albums.  Adkins has also incorporated different music styles into his sound, including the hip-hop influenced “Honky-Tonk Badonkadonk” that reached number two on the US Country billboard chart.  He recently released American Man, Greatest Hits Volume II, a collection of songs influential in his rise to the top.

Adkins was also named as a competitor on The Celebrity Apprentice, a spin-off of Donald Trump’s The Apprentice, which airs on NBC.  In this version, the competitors compete for a $250,000 donation to the charity of their choice.  Adkins is competing for the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), because of his close personal connection to these issues; his six year-old daughter suffers from severe food allergies. 

The Toyota Texas Bass Classic is sanctioned by the Professional Anglers Association with technical assistance and support from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division.  The Toyota Texas Bass Classic benefits the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and its outdoor recreation programs.  Title sponsor for the event is Toyota.  

For tickets or additional Tournament information, please visit www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com or call 1-866-907-0143. 

Lake Shasta, Calif. River2Sea pro staffer Mark Crutcher has been on a roll in the last two years, and if the first week of 2008 is any indication of the year to come, his winning streak will continue.

Crutcher, a 34-year-old pro from Lakeport, Calif. bagged a 16.10 pound limit of Lake Shasta spotted bass in the last hour and a half of the second day of the first WON Bass Northern Division Pro Am to come from behind to win a fully rigged Nitro Z7 / Mercury Optimax package.  He came from 38^th place to win on the last day; his total winning weight was 24.71 pounds.

Crutcher reported that he had been on a swimbait bite in practice, but the recent storms that pounded Northern California muddied the water and made the subtle big bait pattern less effective.  I struggled a bit the first day and was only able to get 8.61 pounds, Crutcher said following his win.  But, as the second day was winding down, the wind started blowing; I started throwing a ¾-ounce River2Sea Touch Down Flat Rubber Jig on a Powell 766 rod and 12-pound test Seaguar fluorocarbon line.

The winning color combination was a brown and purple River2Sea Touch Down jig tipped with a Yamamoto twin tailed grub in cinnamon with black flake as a trailer.  I took one of my jigs and went to my local tackle store; Tackle It before leaving for the event, and found the perfect color grub to match it, Crutcher said.  The color combination and heavy weight of the jig seemed to trigger aggressive strikes.

The heaviness of the Touch Down jig, coupled with the hand tied flat rubber skirt seemed to make a difference in the amount, and quality of the strikes I got, he said.  My co-anglers were throwing lighter jigs with different skirts, but were not getting near the amount of bites.

The victory was Crutchers third major victory in the past three years, and the prize boat is his fourth won in pro competition.  The Touch Down Flat Rubber Jig is a hand tied football head jig available in five sizes and 10 colors.