Berkley, maker of Trilene, PowerBait and Havoc, has entered into a multiyear agreement with B.A.S.S. LLC to continue with a top-tier sponsorship of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail.

Berkley will be the official Premier Sponsor in the categories of fishing line and soft baits for the Bassmaster Classic, Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series and B.A.S.S. Nation. In addition, Berkley will be the Premier Sponsor/soft baits for the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series.

"Our association with B.A.S.S. and its Bassmaster events over the years has helped us achieve new highs of awareness for our brands with B.A.S.S. members and fans," said John Bartow, senior director, marketing. "We feel that the continuity of our association with Bassmaster events at all levels will help us continue on that path of growth."

"We are very pleased to have the opportunity to continue working with the Berkley team," said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. "As longtime partners, we have done a lot of good working toward the same goals - especially the goal of growing fishing participation. We look forward to taking that to the next level."

As a Premier Sponsor, Berkley will have high visibility across all B.A.S.S. media platforms, including Bassmaster.com, The Bassmasters TV show and in print, including the flagship Bassmaster Magazine.

This agreement will bring back the Berkley Heavyweight program for the upcoming Bassmaster Elite Series season. At each of the nine Elite events, the pro with the heaviest daily bag of bass will be eligible for a $500 bonus. The first Berkley Heavyweight bonus of 2013 will be awarded at the Sabine River Challenge presented by STARK Cultural Venues, March 14-17 out of Orange, Texas.

During the Feb. 22-24 Bassmaster Classic presented by Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Okla., Berkley will kick off its renewed sponsorship with a big booth at the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods inside the Tulsa Convention Center. Berkley bait and line brand logos also will be showcased at the BOK Center, site of the daily Classic weigh-ins, and at the Wolf Creek launch site on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

Also at the Classic, Berkley will offer a lucky spectator a chance to win $100,000 in the PowerBait Cast for Cash contest. The contest celebrates the 25th anniversary of PowerBait, a line of scented soft plastic lures formulated to make bass hang on longer. A fan will be randomly selected at the BOK Center during the final weigh-in on Sunday for the opportunity to cast for the prize. More details will be available in the Berkley booth at the Classic Expo.

Anglers will meet a pair of old friends at the Classic: Trilene XL and Trilene XT. But most consumers haven’t seen these brands since the lines were reformulated. After their makeovers, XL and XT were voted the best new line at the 2012 ICAST industry show. XL now offers a 20 percent increase in knot strength, and XT is almost twice as flexible and more abrasion-resistant.

In soft plastics, the Berkley name is living up to its reputation as an innovator. Elite series pro Bobby Lane was behind one of the newest Berkley soft baits. Called the Hawk Hawg and part of the Berkley Havoc lineup, this is a creature bait with "wings." The wide appendages help the bait appear to glide.

For more on Berkley products, go to the berkley-fishing website. For more about B.A.S.S., the Classic and other Bassmaster events, go to the Bassmaster website.

About B.A.S.S.
For more than 40 years, B.A.S.S. has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and an expansive tournament structure while connecting directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

The Bassmaster brand and its multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications - Bassmaster Magazine and B.A.S.S. Times - comprehensive Bassmaster website and ESPN2 and Outdoor Channel television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series,Cabela’s B.A.S.S. Nation events and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

B.A.S.S. offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members and remains focused on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala.