SHORELINES

6 Shor e l i n e S | 2015 Vol :4 Armchair anglers can catch all the action of the 2016 Alabama Bass Trail from the comfort of their couches, as network television will broadcast 13 episodes covering the tournament from Alabama lakes and rivers. This is the first year in the trail's short history that it will be broadcast on television, bringing unprecedented coverage and awareness of this event and the state of Alabama to a regional audience. Coverage of the Alabama Bass Trail will appear on Fox Sports Southeast when its Tournament Series airs in 2016. The network will show 13 original 30-minute episodes and 65 re-airs throughout the year. Each episode will begin with a 2-minute vignette highlighting the community surrounding the tournament area and featuring local places of interest, eateries and businesses. Each episode will also include blastoffs, weigh-ins, in-boat coverage of competitors and interviews with tournament winners. "Our main goal is to promote the state of Alabama as a year-round bass fishing destination," said Kay Donaldson, program director for the Alabama Bass Trail. "We wanted to feature our God-given resources and mild climate to drive tourism to our state." The largemouth bass is the official freshwater fish of Alabama and thrives in lakes, ponds, reservoirs and rivers. The Alabama Bass Trail will showcase Alabama's unique waterways, natural resources and the beauty and tradition of Alabama lake life. Alabama has long been a destination for fishermen looking for a variety of species abundantly found throughout the state's waterways, each with its own culture, biodiversity and natural beauty. "We want people to think of Alabama for their next fishing destination," Donaldson said. "This is only our second year as a trail, "WE WANTED TO FEATURE OUR GOD- GIVEN RESOURCES AND MILD CLIM ATE TO DRIVE TOURISM TO OUR STATE." – K AY D O N A L D S O N, P R O GR A M D IR E C TO R FO R T HE A L A B A M A B A SS T R A IL . Above: Photo provided by AlAbAMA bAss tr Ail – Coby Carden and Chris Rutland at an Alabama Bass Trail tournament in 2015. ALABAMA BASS TRAIL to get star turn on television FOX SPORTS SOUTHEAST WILL COVER THE 2016 TOURNAMENT, RAISING AWARENESS OF THE EVENT AS WELL AS THE STATE OF ALABAMA.

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