The conclusion of the recent Smith Mountain Bassmaster Northern Tour delivered three new qualifiers for the 2007 Bassmaster Classic. Derek Remitz of Hemphill, Texas (pictured), Sam Lashlee (Camden, Tenn.) and James Charlesworth (St. Cloud, Fla.) earned their berths by finishing in the Top 3 in the Northern Tour points. Scott Campbell (Springfield, Mo.) finished 4th in the points – 17 points short of a Classic spot.
Right now, 43 of the 50 Classic berths have been decided. Six of the remaining seven will be decided at the Federation Nation National Championship (Jan. 17–19). The last will be awarded via the ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series Championship (Jan. 25–27).
"This is a dream come true," Remitz said, who'd finished inside the Top 15 three times in Northern Tour events this season. "I was simply trying to get a decent finish here (at Smith Mountain) to hold on to the points lead, and I'm so happy to have made it. I'm looking forward to fishing the Classic."
"I'm going to the Classic," Lashlee said after he'd learned the news. "This is a lifelong accomplishment and I couldn't do it without so many people pulling for me." BassFans will likely remember that Lashlee also found success this season in the FLW Series when he won at Old Hickory. He then won the Kentucky Lake Midwestern Stren a week later, and finished 3rd at the Kentucky Lake Northern Tour the following week.
"I'm just absolutely ecstatic about this," Charlesworth said. "I quit my day job not long ago to pursue a career in professional fishing and this is certainly the biggest accomplishment of my career thus far."
> The top five pros in the Northern Tour points standings qualified for the 2007 Bassmaster Elite Series. In addition to the three who earned Classic berths, Campbell and Jason Williamson (Aiken, S.C.) got tour cards.
> Northern Tour anglers who finished from 6th through 25th in the points can seek a tour card at the upcoming Elite Series Wildcard Qualifier. The 1st-place prize at the Wildcard is paid entry fees for the 2007 Elite Series ($55,000). The 2nd- to 10th-place finishers receive $10,000 each toward 2007 entry fees, and 11th and 12th place receive $5,000 toward entry fees.
> The Top 5 finishers in the co-angler points earned entry fees into either the 2007 Bassmaster Southern or Central Open divisions.
