October EQ event moved from Pickwick to Wheeler

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After confirming a tournament scheduling conflict with the Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Pickwick Lake Oct. 2-4, B.A.S.S. tournament officials have announced the event will relocate to Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala. Tournament dates will remain the same.

“Moving a tournament is never easy,” said Executive Director of Tournaments Hank Weldon. “Ultimately, we needed to keep our anglers in mind as well as anglers who are planning on fishing the other events. We are thankful for our friends in Tennessee and Pickwick Landing State Park for understanding as well as Decatur Morgan County Tourism committing to host the second stop of the EQs. Wheeler fishes great in October. It will be exciting to see the EQs start to take shape at this second stop.”

The first EQ event is scheduled for Sept. 18-20 at Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y. The series will then head to Wheeler Oct. 2-4 before heading to the third and final EQ stop of the season Nov. 13-15 at Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Fla.

In addition to the 100 anglers qualifying from both divisions of the Bassmaster 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 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.

B.A.S.S. remains committed to the “win and you’re in” concept for the 2026 Bassmaster Classic. Anglers who fish every event in a 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 to the Classic, 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). Additionally, the EQ series rules will mirror those of the Elite Series, meaning the “no-info rule” is currently in effect and soliciting information for these bodies of waters is now prohibited.

EQ entry fees will be $3,500 per event.

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