Tulsa to be fishing capital of the world as Bassmaster Classic hits town
BY NOUR HABIB World Scene Writer
Thursday, February 21, 2013
2/21/13 at 5:33 AM
Bassmaster Classic coverage: Read preview stories, take a Google Earth video tour of Grand Lake and watch interviews with the competitors.
Events for the 2013 Bassmaster Classic, expected to bring about 100,000 visitors to the area, are set for Friday through Sunday at Grand Lake, the BOK Center and the Tulsa Convention Center.
In addition to the tournament, an outdoor expo, a street fair and a weigh-in show are scheduled. Admission to all events is free.
The tournament
The fishing competition begins at sunrise each day of the tournament, and the 53 anglers participating will launch from Wolf Creek Park and Boat Ramp in Grove. Organizers said 3,000 or more spectators will be at the park to watch the launch daily.
The main launch ceremony begins at 6 a.m. Friday, and music, interviews and fan interaction with the anglers will be part of the event. The anglers will take off at 7 a.m. Vendors will be on site with hot drinks and snacks.
Boaters are welcome to follow the anglers on the water but are asked to keep their distance and keep motors and sonar equipment off.
The annual Grove Boat Show will be open at the Grove Civic Center on Main Street from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday.
Weigh-in show
Anglers will bring their fish to the BOK Center for a weigh-in each day. Doors will open at 3 p.m. People are advised to arrive early to get a seat. Entertainment and activities will precede the weigh-ins. Admission is free.
The Bassmaster Classic Champion will be crowned Sunday and will receive a $500,000 prize.
Outdoor Expo
The majority of the crowd expected in town during the Classic will be at the Outdoor Expo at the Tulsa Convention Center, where boats, gadgets, fishing gear and other outdoors equipment will fill the entire building.
Games, giveaways and on-the-spot seminars will take place at the booths and at the large fishing tank that will be in the building.
Admission is free and hours are noon-8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
Celebrity anglers like Bill Dance and Hank Parker usually make appearances, and fans will get the opportunity to ask questions, take photos and get autographs.
An Outdoor Game Zone will also be part of the expo, featuring the Daisy Inflatable Shooting Education Range and Super Retriever Series Dock Dogs competition and demonstrations.
For more information, visit tulsaworld.com/bassmaster
BASSMASTER CLASSIC 2013
Presented by Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa
Friday through Sunday. All venues free and open to the public.
THE TOURNAMENT
Launch event: Daily 6-7 a.m. at Wolf Creek Park and Boat Ramp, Grove
Field: 53 of the world's best anglers
First prize: $500,000 with World Champion trophy and Bassmaster Classic Champion ring
Weigh-in show: Doors open at 3 p.m. daily, BOK Center, Tulsa
OUTDOOR EXPO
Venue: Tulsa Convention Center
Friday: Noon-8 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
BASS BASH STREET FAIR
Venue: Third Street between the BOK Center and Convention Center
Opens 11 a.m. daily
Getting around
The Tulsa Sports Commission is providing free shuttle bus service between area hotels, entertainment districts, Bass Pro Shops and the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.
Most shuttles will run from 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. The fleet includes 20 to 25 full coaches each day with six key hotel hubs servicing other local hotels on those routes.
Park-and-ride service will be available daily from Bass Pro Shops in Broken Arrow and the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.
Several drop-off and pick-up hubs for passengers will be located near Third Street and South Frisco Avenue.
On Friday, free parking will be available at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa, 700 N. Greenwood Ave.; at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, 13th Street and Boston Avenue; and First United Methodist Church, 11th Street and Boulder Avenue.
Road closures
Expect heavy traffic downtown during the three-day event.
Third Street between Denver Avenue and Frisco Avenue will be closed for the Bass Bash.
There will also be some lane closures along streets next to the BOK Center and the Tulsa Convention Center, where Bassmaster Classic events will take place.
Food trucks, live music to greet Bassmaster fans
Third Street between
the Tulsa Convention Center
and the BOK Center
will be closed during the
tournament for the Bass
Bash Street Fair, which
will feature live music and
food-and-drink vendors
under a heated tent.
Mr. Nice Guys, The Dog
House, Lone Wolf Banh
Mi and Rib Crib BBQ will
all have food trucks on
hand.
Ten of the region’s top
local bands and solo artists
will perform during the
event, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday.
Friday’s lineup is Jacob
Tovar at 6:30 p.m., Grazzhopper
at 7:30 p.m., Wink
Burcham at 8:30 p.m.,
Klondike5 at 9:30 p.m. and
John Moreland at 10:30
p.m. Saturday’s lineup is
Sparrow Thieves at 6:30
p.m., Grasscrack at 7:30
p.m., Fiddlebacks at 8:30
p.m. and The Electric Rag
Band at 9:30 p.m.
The street fair will open
at 11 a.m. daily during the
Classic.
TULSAWORLD.COM/BASSMASTER
Get full coverage of the
Bassmaster Classic online
all weekend and get tuned
up for the tournament with:
• Video: Check out all the
cool features of a bass boat
• Using Google Earth, we
break down Grand Lake
• Video: Mike McClelland
scouts Grand Lake
• Videos: 10 questions with
Evers, Biffle and Christie
• A look at the 53 anglers
who will participate in this
weekend’s Bassmaster Classic
Original Print Headline: Bass Invasion
Nour Habib 918-581-8369
nour.habib@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Weigh-ins for the 2013 Bassmaster Classic will be held at the BOK Center this weekend. JAMES GIBBARD/Tulsa World file
Tammy Sappington serves up hot dogs from The Dog House food truck, which will be part of the Bass Bash Street Fair. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World file
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