The Stessl Family Bass Challenge is proud to announce the new series for 2005, which is set to be the best ever.

Firstly, thanks go to all the sponsors for their generous support throughout 2004, and to all the competitors who attended the 2004 series.

The 2005 series will see some subtle changes, the biggest being the change to a four round series. The first round will be on February 19 and 20, the second round on April 23 and 24, the third round on July 9 and 10, and the fourth and final round on September 17 and 18.

Because there are so many tournaments about nowadays, we feel it’s the responsibility of the organizers to try to help with the preservation of these great impoundments. If we can reduce the pressure on the fish stocks in Somerset Dam by creating a better confined series, we feel that this should help in the overall wellbeing of this great fishery.

To help encourage more family groups to come and enjoy the weekend, we will let Mum fish for free if Dad and the two kids pay their nomination fee. The senior nomination fee will increase by $5 per round, but the junior nomination fee has been reduced to $30 per round and the sub-junior fee has been reduced to $20.

The sausage sizzle will still be on each Saturday night, which is a great time to meet all the other competitors and exchange stories from that day and get some tips for the next session.

The great round prizes will remain the same in the sub-junior and junior sections, and the senior prize placing will increase as the senior nominations increase, eg, with 62 senior competitors the prize placings will be 1 to 10, 65 senior competitors the prize placings will be 1 to 12 place, 70 senior competitors the prize placings will be 1 to 14 place, and so on. Junior and sub-juniors will stay the same at 1 to 7 place.

There will be a lucky draw prize at the end of the four round series. All you have to do is at the end of each round you attend is place your identification card for that round in the barrel, so if you attend all four rounds you will have four chances to win a great new model 3.85m Edgetracker, with a 15hp Marina outboard motor.

There will be lucky draw prize of accommodation packages from Lake Somerset up for grabs each round.The overall prize at the end of the four rounds will be $3000 cash for the senior winner, $500 for the junior winner and $250 for the sub-junior winner. All overall winners will also receive a magnificent trophy.

Spectators can also win a prize. Each round there will be an EvaKool icebox up for grabs, and to win it spectators just need to fill out a spectator’s voucher and place it in the barrel, and it will be drawn at the end of presentation each round. These vouchers can be found in Queensland Times newspapers. Registered competitors are not permitted to enter.

For more information on the 2005 series, contact Gordon Turner on 0418 877 525. – SFB