Smith Lake Owners Invitational Information

Host is the Walker County Chamber of Commerce. They have been fantastic to work with and we appreciate their diligence to host our event and consumers in Jasper. The Alabama Conservation officials also have been stupendous in their cooperation.

All take offs will be held at Smith Lake Dam Site, launching may be done anywhere on the lake and drive in. Boats MAY BE removed from water for weighing of fish AFTER checkin with the incoming pontoon boat.

Registration will be held this Thursday at the Civic Center downtown Jasper, AL. You MUST be pre-registered to enter the event after 8:00 PM Thursday. If you are not Pre-Registered you will NOT be allowed to compete on Friday. We also MUST BE INFORMED if you and your partner are late arrivals. The Media Center will be on site at the lake and registration will be accepted there Friday Morning.

Gift Packets are limited to those early registrars on Thursday and may not extend through the entire field. Every contestant receives a Bass Cat Invitational 2020 hat, which commemorates the event.  Service on site by either Bass Cat or Mercury Marine is limited with the tremendous variety, and age, in products.

Flight and Itinerary sheets will be issued at registration, listing events and  Times clearly marked, those are your FULL responsibility as staff will not be responsible for errors. USCG Installed, or compatible, USCG running lights are required. LED Bow Lights in the rub rail are NOT USCG approved and may be operable in conjunction with a front USCG approved bow light, and stern/anchor light.

ALL boats will be required to FIRST process through boat check, verifying livewell operation and engine safety switches. A full explanation of where the BOAT CHECK will be held will be presented at the Registration. Those details are fluid as of this writing and a flashing Blue Light will indicate that location.

ADDED: we have just confirmed that Boat Check will be done by idling along the first boat dock on the left past Ryan Creek at the dam area. The Windermere Subdivision docks have allowed us use graciously. Boat check and livewell check will be held by entering the Dam Area on the East side. Exit Path rotation will be the West bank across from Ryan Creek. This should make a nice clean loop and a safe exit.

Bass Cat launches 80 boats per flight every 15 minutes safely. It requires attention of anglers to complete this and the process extends almost 8 minutes, or 6 seconds per boat in order. That will be done in the area of weigh in from a pontoon boat with PA System.

Incoming traffic will be directed to one side of the main river and outgoing traffic is suggested to use the opposing side. The same will hold true at Check In that evening.

Bass Cat provides 25 Wild Card positions with values extending up to $1000. As a result most every angler will weigh in and we have a limitation maximum of 30 seconds per team on stage. Thus the weigh in process will go smoothly. In order to process this with the limited docking capability, we are extending flight times from their normal, out to 40 minutes between flights. This should give everyone shorter bag lines and better weigh in experiences.

Bass Cat Uses ONLY their clear plastic weigh in bags and we only distribute 25 per day. There will be a bag line and fish care is our concern, behind your safety.

We will distribute 25 Yellow Rubber Ducks per day, one per boat, one duck will be worth a new Mercury Outboard, with following prizes including rods and a MinnKota Trolling motor.  Major  prizes will be issued both Friday night at the Social, held inside the Jasper Civic Center, and on Saturday at the Weigh In following the fish all being weighed. The Puma FTD and 250 Pro XS drawing will be done from your numbered paint paddles and will be held after the duck awards are presented.

Smith Lake has seen substantial rains and influx of water in recent weeks. Levels have drastically varied and there is considerable floating debris. We ask that all participants closely watch for obstacles and floating debris. You safety is our ultimate concern and that we return you home to your families safe.

This event is underway and estimations are that appx. 40-50 Bass Cat boats were already practicing and fishing on Monday with several more enjoying a few days at Guntersville, Post Classic.

Expect the final day weigh in to be long and you are welcome to take time between first and last flight for other preparations you have. Launching, securing and resting all fall in that line.

A food wagon will be on site and it is a fund raiser for a local church. The family does an excellent job and we strongly urge you to sample their offering, you won’t be disappointed.

We hope those attending all enjoy the Owners Invitational and we are already planning for next year on Lake Norfork.

BCB