(Editors: General tournament and venue information is available on http://www.bassfan.com/topgun/ . Media information, including releases, logos and competitor photos, is available here: http://www.bassfan.com/topgun/media_center.asp .)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2005

For more information, contact:
> Scot Laney, BassFan COO, (503) 546-8137, slaney@bassfan.com

25 of World's Best Head Into
New Top Gun Championship
- VanDam, Martens Not Fishing -

FT. WORTH, Texas -- Twenty-five of the world's best professional bass fishermen will begin competing a week from today in the three-day inaugural Cabela's Top Gun Championship. The field is set, and while it includes 25 of the Top 28 anglers in the world, according to the State Farm World Rankings, it will not include recent Bassmaster Classic winner Kevin VanDam (ranked fourth in the world) and runner-up Aaron Martens (ranked 11th).

Both anglers expressed regret at not being able to fish, but cited the fact that Top Gun was announced relatively late (April of this year) and that they had made family vacation plans that couldn't be changed. "I'm all about $100,000 paydays," said VanDam, "but I just can't do it."

When asked how BassFan felt about these two anglers not being able to attend, BassFan chief operating officer Scot Laney said, "It happens. We understand our announcement of the event was late. We couldn't help that – the circumstances were largely beyond our control.

"We are disappointed, because it's the event that seems closest to what the anglers always say they want (small field, no sponsor restrictions, an appearance fee). But we understand they have obligations to their families. We certainly respect them for the choice they made."

Other questions:

> Is Top Gun still going to be a championship without VanDam and Martens there?

Laney: "Sure it is. No one angler in this sport is so overpowering, so dominating, that they can show up on every given day and win. Those are two good anglers, but we have 25 other anglers that, at any given time, can beat anyone else."

> Is the Top Gun field compromised?

Laney: "No, it's not compromised, even without Kevin and Aaron. Look at it this way. The average World Ranking of this year's FLW Championship (field) was about 60. The average of the Classic (field) was about 35. The average rank of the Top Gun field is about 14. Purely statistically speaking, our event's the strongest."

Greg Hackney, the No. 1-ranked angler in the world, said he's "really looking forward to" Top Gun. "I'm pretty excited about that lake (Eagle Mountain Lake).

"The main thing is that the best of both tournament trails get together and fish. Some guys who don't fish BASS will be at Top Gun and some guys will be there who don't fish FLW. One group may underestimate the other group. I wish this would've happened sooner because I think it's a really big deal."

Marty Stone, No. 2 in the world, said, "We'll have a great group of guys there, and anytime you go to Texas the fan participation is phenomenal as well.

"I think it will be a fun event. There's nothing on the line. It's for bragging rights only. But the minute we put our boats in the water, there's no more joking. This is a very proud group and we take our fishing seriously."

He added, "There are many neat things about Top Gun, but one thing that stands out is that I can actually fish out of my own boat. That boat is an extension of me. I hope sometime in the near future we'll be able to do that, even in the Classic. Then I can be just like other professional athletes. Like in NASCAR: When (the drivers) show up to a showcase event, they're able to showcase their equipment at that event."

Top Gun will be held Aug. 12-14 at Eagle Mountain Lake in Ft. Worth, and weigh-ins will be held nightly at the new Cabela's retail store in Ft. Worth (12901 Cabela Drive, Ft. Worth, TX 76177, Phone: 817-337-2400). All 25 anglers will receive a four-figure appearance fee for fishing the event, all competitors will use their own equipment all 3 days (not true in other championships), and the winner will take home an additional $100,000.

Created by BassFan, the Top Gun Championship is title-sponsored by Cabela's (www.cabelas.com), and is presented by Skeeter Boats (www.skeeterboats.com), the Outdoor Life Network (www.olntv.com) and BassFan (www.bassfan.com). Associate sponsors include State Farm Insurance (www.statefarm.com), Mann's HardNose Baits (www.mannsbait.com) and Lowrance electronics (www.lowrance.com).

About BassFan:
BassFan LLC is a media company whose properties include the BassFan Radio network, BassFan TV, the BassFan Army membership program, and BassFan.com, which receives in excess of 40 million page views annually. BassFan provides the world's only daily coverage of tour-level professional bass fishing, and also created the sport's official World Rankings, title-sponsored by State Farm.

2005 Cabela's Top Gun Championship field
[numbered by world rank; all fields separated by 5 spaces]

World Rank Name Hometown WRPoints

1. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 232.387
2. Marty Stone Linden, NC 220.990
3. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 217.281
5. Terry Scroggins Palatka, FL 210.865
6. Edwin Evers Mannsville, OK 197.000
7. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 195.112
8. Anthony Gagliardi Prosperity, SC 193.679
9. Brent Chapman Shawnee, KS 193.042
10. Michael Iaconelli Voorhees, NJ 192.957
12. Matthew Herren Clay, AL 192.498
13. Mark Tucker Kirkwood, MO 192.488
14. Ron Shuffield Bismarck, AR 192.072
15. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 190.008
16. Tim Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 189.482
17. Stacey D. King Reeds Spring, MO 189.210
18. David Walker Sevierville, TN 189.188
19. Dave Lefebre Union City, PA 188.707
20. Scott Suggs Alexander, AR 186.738
21. George Cochran Hot Springs, AR 185.793
22. Toshinari Namiki Hachioji City, Japan 185.002
23. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 184.904
24. Dean Rojas Grand Saline, TX 181.459
25. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 179.806
26. Brian Snowden Reeds Springs, MO 179.494
28. Gerald Swindle Hayden AL 177.675

NOT FISHING
4. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 214.565
11. Aaron Martens Castaic, CA 192.821
27. Davy Hite Prosperity SC 177.905
> Hite, a late withdrawal, said: "I really, really want to fish this tournament, but I have kind of an emergency situation."