It's less than a month until the 2009 Bassmaster Classic kicks off in Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana. That means the pros getting ready to fish the Classic are working hard to get their last-minute sponsorship deals closed, boats wrapped and "pitches" ready to go along with their casts and retrieves. After all, a good showing in the Classic is worth money, but a great pitch for sponsors is also critical for many of them - especially in this time of pinched sponsorship dollars.
According to our friends at BASS, there are lots of new deals in the works.

• Rick Clunn of Ava., Missouri will be competing in his thirty-second Bassmaster Classic. And this year, he'll be fishing in gloves. The four-time Classic champion (1976, 1977, 1984 and 1990) will be wearing a new model of the Xtreme Glove.
  The Montgomery, Alabama-Xtreme Glove says a prototype of the Rick Clunn Signature Series glove will be ready in time for Clunn to use it during the three-day competition. Xtreme Gloves are designed to protect an angler's hand as well as the fish. They say "the Clunn"is expected to be available for retail sales by April. Elite Series pros Bill Lowen of North Bend, Ohio, and Dustin Wilks of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, also on Xtreme Glove's pro staff, will also compete in the Classic.
  
• Michael Iaconelli of Runnemede, New Jersey is back for his tenth anniversary Classic, and the 2006 Angler of the Year and 2003 Classic champ has added LaserLure of Shreveport, Louisana as a new sponsor. Ike's looking to repeat in Louisiana, having won in 2003 on the Louisiana Delta out of New Orleans.
  His new sponsor this year is LaserLure, manufacturer of a series of crankbaits that emit a laser light said to attract fish. Don't know about that, but the LaserLure also managed to attract - and land - 2007 Classic champ Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Alabama.
  

• Byron Velvick of Del Rio, Texas is no stranger to television, but he'll be fishing his first Classic this year with Georgia-based FishHarder as a sponsor. FishHarder brands include Tru-Tungsten, Picasso, Capt. Mike's and Youvella. FishHarder's pro staff includes eight other 2009 Classic qualifiers.
• Last week's winner of the Southern Kingfish Association's first event of 2009, Kim Bain-Moore of Alabaster, Alabama is sporting new sponsors, Plano and Pfleuger. Of course, the first woman to qualify for the Classic isn't using that win as her only credentials, but Bain-Moore isn't coming to the Classic to fish poorly. She'll also be sporting a new Legend-Evinrude rig with a new wrap showcasing her longtime sponsor Reaction Innovations.
• And at least one indication that the sponsorship support of fishing hasn't collapsed - at least not entirely. Toyota has announced the expansion of its Bonus Bucks contingency program to include the 4Runner and Tacoma truck. Previously the program only include the "big rides" - Tundra and Sequoia. With Bonus Bucks, tournament anglers who own or lease one of the four vehicles are eligible for cash prizes. The registered angler who finishes highest among program participants in a sanctioned tournament wins the bonus money. Those eligible tournaments include events of the Bassmaster Elite Series, BASS Federation Nation, Women's Bassmaster Tour presented by Academy Sports & Outdoors, Bassmaster Opens and the Bassmaster Weekend Series operated by American Bass Anglers.

And the race to qualify for the 2010 Classic gets underway this weekend. The Bassmaster Southern Open on the Harris Chain of Lakes out of Tavares, Florida runs tomorrow through Sunday. The first place finished will take home $45,000 and points toward the 2010 Classic and Elite Series.