Kelseyville, Calif - It is for sure that on next Saturday all eyes will turn to the resort town of Kelseyville California and the exciting Future Pro Tour Classic event to be held at it's premier attraction, Konocti Harbor Spa and Resort. On that weekend, one team out of 65 qualifying teams will be crowned the 2005 Future Pro Tour champions, a team that can truly be considered the best amateur team in the west.

And the stage is also being set for some real excitement outside the normal tournament venue as well. 5-time CMA winners Rascal Flatts will be in concert at the resort that weekend (Sat night), along with "ol school" rockers Judas Priest (Friday night), bringing over 10,000 people through the lodge for that weekend, helping it to achieve a "sold-out" status.

Add to this, the fact that most of the Future Pro Tour's major sponsors, such as Ranger Boats representative Keith Tripp, People's Folsom Lake Chrysler/Jeep/Hyundai General Manager Troy Pelz, C&C Marine's Mike Van Wagner, West Marine Products reps, and Minnkota/Humminbird western representative Len Vinci will be in attendance, and you have enough to make even the best anglers buckle under the pressure of the limelight.

But distraction in it's various forms are all part of the game, and a critical piece of the training puzzle necessary for the successful grooming of these anglers and their aspirations of someday moving up to pro-level competition. "Pressure is a good thing for these Future Pro Tour anglers as it relates to their growth in this sport" comment Skeet Reese, 5-time B.A.S.S. Classic qualifier and brother of John Reese who qualified 27th for the event with partner Scott Gabaldon. "You have no idea how distracting it can be when you have a lot on the line, and you have to deal with press, media, and the expectation pressures put on you by friends an spectators. But it's all part of the game, and fishing success more often than not, can be determined by how you deal with those pressures".

Gary Dobyns, the west's all-time money winner and pro-support staff speaker at the Future Pro Tour Classic awards banquet the evening before the event, recalls his first Bassmaster Classic appearance in 1999 in New Orleans, and the effects an overwhelming amount of "hype" coupled with fan adulation can create for anglers, even those like himself, that have won over 30 fully-rigged bass boats.

"Man...everyday there were press conferences to attend, or sponsors to meet up with, and so many people to meet. It never stopped! It's a wonder we had any time to even prepare for the event. But it was a great experience that really brought to light how popular this sport is in other regions of the country."

Classic qualifiers will also be thrown another twist as they try to prepare for this all-important event. The lake will be divided in two parts, where competitors on the first day will have to fish the north end and the second day they will be limited to fishing the south end of the lake. Because the north end and south ends of the lake are totally opposite of each other as far as depth, cover, and structure are concerned, it will create a challenge not unlike that of the two previous Classic events, where the venue was Folsom Lake on the first day and the California delta on the final day. With this format in place you can bet that the winning team will truly be proud of their accomplishments and will know they EARNED the keys to the fully-rigged Ranger boat with Evinrude outboard being offered as 1st prize, if they can fight though the challenges presented in this Classic event!

The 1st day weigh-in is scheduled for Saturday 3pm at Konocti Harbor Spa and Resort, with final day weigh-in and presentation of the Future Pro Tour Classic champions being scheduled for 3pm the following day.

Live internet updates with minute-by-minute weigh-in stats will be available via the Future Pro Tour website (www.futureprotour.net), so make sure you follow all the "swing by swing" action as it happens!

See you all at the Classic!

Vince Harris
Future Pro Tour Tournament Trails