September 25, 2024
B.A.S.S. today announced enhancements to the Bassmaster Opens and the Elite Qualifiers series.
Beginning with the 2025 season, the Opens will evolve into an eight-event season comprised of two divisions, each featuring four tournaments. Anglers placing in the Top 50 in each division’s Angler of the Year race will advance to the newly installed Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers series. This stand-alone series will feature three events, spanning from September through November, to qualify anglers for the Bassmaster Elite Series.
“This is a great step for the Opens and a giant leap for the EQs,” said Executive Director of Tournaments Hank Weldon. “While the existing format fielded well-rounded anglers who were prepared to fish against the best in the world, it also left competitors who found themselves out of the running for Elite Series qualification locked into the remainder of the nine-event season. This modification will allow an angler to commit to just four Opens (or all eight if they want additional opportunities) and then decide to move on to the all-new and separate EQ series if they qualify.”
In addition to the 100 anglers qualifying from both divisions of the Opens, all current Bassmaster Elite Series anglers will be eligible to compete in the Elite Qualifiers, as well as the second- and third-place finishers from the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.
“From an Elite Series standpoint, the model is extremely attractive," Weldon said. "For the guys who failed to requalify, it offers an immediate opportunity to get back to bass fishing’s biggest stage. For those Elites who failed to qualify for the Classic, it offers three more opportunities to earn a ticket to the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing, as well as a place for any Elite pro looking for additional top-tier events to keep sharpening their skills in the fall."
B.A.S.S. remains committed to the “win and you’re in” concept for the 2026 Bassmaster Classic. Anglers who fish an entire Division of the Opens will receive a berth to the Classic if they win an event. The same applies to the three-event EQ series, taking the total to 11 berths, which is an increase of two berths from years past.
Also new for 2025, the number of anglers who will qualify for the Elite Series has been increased to 10 (nine qualified in each of the past two years). Co-anglers will continue to have the opportunity to fish the Opens. However, there will be no co-anglers for the EQ series. Additionally, the EQ series rules will mirror those of the Elite Series.
Entry fees for each Opens event will remain at $2,000 for pros and $475 for co-anglers. EQ entry fees will be $3,500 per event.
The full season of the Opens will be announced in October, while the EQ series schedule will not be announced until later in the year.
