Competitive bass fishing is alive and well in the 21st Century and you don’t have to be a well-heeled, heavily sponsored professional to get in on the fun. In fact for some you don’t have to own a bass boat! Sound interesting? Then check out American Bass Anglers and their American Fishing Tour. 
From the time I got wheels I was going bass fishing all over the Northeast. I fished my first tournament before I owned a bass boat in a buddy event where non-boaters were paired with boat owners. When I purchased my first bass boat I started fishing tournaments with the newly formed New Jersey Chapter of the Bass Anglers Sportsman’s Society (BASS) and had a ball doing it. That was over thirty years ago and the competitive spirit among bass fishermen continues to flourish today and the dominant force is the ABA. The association recently took over running the B.A.S.S. Weekend Series in addition to its own extensive state and regional pro and non-pro tournament series, which makes it the largest bass tournament promoting body in the nation.
Currently there are ABA chapters and tournaments in 42 of the lower 48 states, which include almost every state that has a viable population of largemouth bass. The state chapter-based American Fishing Tour features at least half dozen events for members in all 42 states each with a modest $75 entry fee and $145 for the state championship. The tournaments are open to all ABA members, male or female from 14-years old and up. Anglers fish two to a boat and draw for partners.
Are you lucky enough to have a wife or girlfriend who likes to bass fish as much as you do? Well ABA has its Couple Tournament Series to give you a venue for the two of you to strutt your bass fishing talents. 
If you find yourself really getting into competitive fishing and doing well in the ABA state chapter events then maybe it’s time to step up to the Bassmasters Weekend Series. This is the proving ground that has produced many of the top competitive anglers fishing the Bassmasters Elite Series like AFW/Hi-Seas pro staff members Cliff Pace, Jeff Connella and Jeff Kriet. These guys are at the top of their game as highly respected professional tournament anglers. To learn more about them click on the links or go to www.hiseas.net and click on Pro Staff.
If you have the talent and the drive you just might end up in the Superbowl of bass fishing, the Bassmaster Classic! Well at least we can dream, right?
Caputi’s Blog Tip: The most popular fluorocarbon line on the bass tour is Hi-Seas 100% Fluorocarbon. It is ideal for many specialized techniques because it sinks more naturally with finesse baits, has very little stretch so you can feel subtle bites and it is as close to invisible underwater as modern technology can make it! Spool up with Hi-Seas 100% Fluorocarbon and you can be a winner, too. 
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