Bassmaster Classic
The Bassmaster Classic is a competition in professional bass fishing. It was first held in 1971 on Lake Mead, Nevada. Originally it was a fall event (1971-1983), but it switched to the summer in 1984 and then to the late winter in 2006. The winner of the tournament is widely considered to be the world champion of bass fishing, as is stated on the winner's trophy.
The event has turned into a three-day spectacle, complete with a theatrical presentation of the weigh-ins and hours of television coverage. ESPN purchased Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS), which organizes the event, and increased coverage of the event and the Classic's profile.
In 2014, the Classic was held on Guntersville Lake in Alabama, with weigh-ins at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center. The lake has hosted several Classics, most recently in 1976.
Rick Clunn and Kevin VanDam have each won the event four times. Bobby Murray, Hank Parker and George Cochran have won twice each.
First-place money has grown from $10,000 in 1971 to $500,000 in 2006; it was reduced to $300,000 in 2014.[1]
Rules and procedures
The field has ranged from 24 to 61 players. In 2014, the field was 55 anglers. The 2009 competition included women for the first time. However, neither of the two women qualified within the top 20 and 2010 was the last year for women to be given a classic spot. As in previous years, they have to earn a spot in the opens.
The Bassmaster Classic takes place over three days. All fish are caught under catch-and-release rules, must measure at least 12 inches, and must be alive at the time they are presented for weigh-in or a penalty will be assessed. There is a cut after the second day, in which only the 25 top anglers, based on total weight, advance to the third day. The highest total weight after three days wins the competition.
Contestants can only fish in specified areas at the competition venue. This is usually a lake, but the 1980 Classic was held on the Saint Lawrence River out of Alexandria Bay, NY, the 2005 competition was held at Three Rivers (Allegheny River and Monongahela River which forms the Ohio River) in Pittsburgh, with some competitors using tributaries such as the Beaver River and Youghiogheny River miles from the confluence. In 2009 and 2012 the Classic used a 100-mile stretch of the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana. In 2011, the Classic was held on the Louisiana Delta.
From its inception to 1976, the Classic was held at a "mystery lake," unknown to competitors until they were aboard an aircraft bound for the site. Founder Ray Scott changed the practice for the 1977 Classic, announcing the site in advance so that fans of the sport could plan ahead to attend.
Past winners
| Year | Champion | Weight lbs oz |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 |  Bobby Murray |
43-11 |
| 1972 | Don Butler |
38-11 |
| 1973 | Rayo Breckenridge |
52-8 |
| 1974 | Tommy Martin |
33-7 |
| 1975 | Jack Hains |
45-4 |
| 1976 | Rick Clunn |
59-15 |
| 1977 | Rick Clunn |
27-7 |
| 1978 | Bobby Murray |
37-9 |
| 1979 | Hank Parker |
31 |
| 1980 | Bo Dowden |
54-10 |
| 1981 | Stanley Mitchell |
35-2 |
| 1982 | Paul Elias |
32-8 |
| 1983 | Larry Nixon |
18-1 |
| 1984 | Rick Clunn |
75-9 |
| 1985 | Jack Chancellor |
45 |
| 1986 | Charlie Reed |
23-9 |
| 1987 | George Cochran |
15-5 |
| 1988 | Guido Hibdon |
28-8 |
| 1989 | Hank Parker |
31-6 |
| 1990 | Rick Clunn |
34-5 |
| 1991 | Ken Cook |
33-2 |
| 1992 | Robert Hamilton, Jr |
59-6 |
| 1993 | David Fritts |
48-6 |
| 1994 | Bryan Kerchal |
36-7 |
| 1995 | Mark Davis |
47-14 |
| 1996 | George Cochran |
31-14 |
| 1997 | Dion Hibdon |
34-13 |
| 1998 | Denny Brauer |
46-3 |
| 1999 | Davy Hite |
55-10 |
| 2000 | Woo Daves |
27-13 |
| 2001 | Kevin VanDam |
32-5 |
| 2002 | Jay Yelas |
45-13 |
| 2003 | Michael Iaconelli |
37-14 |
| 2004 |  Takahiro Omori |
39-2 |
| 2005 | Kevin VanDam |
12-15 |
| 2006 | Luke Clausen |
56-2 |
| 2007 | Boyd Duckett |
48-10 |
| 2008 | Alton Jones |
48-7 |
| 2009 | Skeet Reese |
54-13 |
| 2010 | Kevin VanDam |
51-6 |
| 2011 | Kevin VanDam |
69-11 |
| 2012 | Chris Lane |
51-6 |
| 2013 | Cliff Pace |
54-12 |
| 2014 | Randy Howell |
67-8 |
| 2015 | Casey Ashley |
50-1 |
| 2016 | Edwin Evers |
60-7 [2] |
| 2017 | Jordan Lee |
56-10 [3] |
Record Book
- Largest Bass Caught: 11-10, Preston Clark, Toho, FL 2006
- Heaviest Venue Total Weight: 1,578-14, Red River, LA 2009
- Heaviest Total Weight: 69-11, Kevin VanDam, Red River, LA 2011
- Heaviest Daily Weight: 32-3, Paul Mueller, Guntersville, AL 2014
- Most Bassmaster Classic Wins: 4, Rick Clunn, 1976, 1977, 1984, 1990 / 4, Kevin VanDam, 2001, 2005, 2010, 2011
- Most Top 5 Classic Finishes: 11, Rick Clunn
- Most Consecutive Classic Appearances: 28, Rick Clunn, 1974-2001
- Most Second Place Finishes: 4, Aaron Martens, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2011
- Largest Final Day Comeback: 13-14 deficit, Jordan Lee, Conroe, TX 2017
Jr. Bassmasters
The Jr. Bassmasters is a Bassmaster Classic competition for children up to 18. The national classic for the Jr. Bassmasters is achieved once an angler has won a qualifying event sponsored by the B.A.S.S association. The Jr. angler then gets to work with a professional on practice day. On the tournament day no help is provided by the pro and the Jr. Angler has to rely on his/her own knowledge and skill. The winner and 2nd and 3rd place all receive scholarships of different value.[4]
References
- ^ 2014 Bassmaster Classic results
- ^ "Edwin Evers". Bassmaster. Retrieved 2017-03-27.
- ^ "tournaments | Bassmaster". www.bassmaster.com. Retrieved 2017-03-27.
- ^ ESPN - All about Jr. Bassmaster
External links
- [1]
- Bassmaster Classic 2008 Update Venue
- BASS official site
- About.com
- 2007 Classic qualifiers
- 2008 Classic update
- 2008 Classic update
- 2008 Classic update
