The top 8 finishers from the Cayuga Lake Elite Series will converge on the upper Niagara River in Buffalo, N.Y., from July 19-22 for a 1-on-1 single-elimination match fishing bracket style tournament that will result in the winner receiving a berth to the 2017 Bassmaster Classic.
The catch-weigh-release format will be similar to that used in Major League Fishing only that anglers will be credited with the heaviest five bass they catch during competition.
The anglers will make their initial runs by boat to their chosen locations before the start of competition. BassFans can track weights on Bassmaster.com via the BASSTrakk feature that’s used during Elite Series tournaments. There will be no post-round weigh-in each day.
The winner will receive $10,000 and a ’17 Classic berth. The runner-up will receive $8,000, third and fourth will each get $6,000 and fifth through eighth will take home $5,000 each.
The first-round matchups will play out over two days. The event schedule will be as follows:
Quarterfinals
July 19
8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
> 1. Kevin VanDam vs. 8. Drew Benton
> 4. Jacob Powroznik vs. 5. Koby Kreiger
1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
> 3. Brett Hite vs. 6. Keith Combs
> 2. Jordan Lee vs. 7. Dean Rojas
July 20
8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
> 3. Hite vs. 6. Combs
> 2. Lee vs. 7. Rojas
1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
> 1. VanDam vs. 8. Benton
> 4. Powroznik vs. 5. Kreiger
Semifinals
July 21
8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
> VanDam-Benton winner vs. Powroznik-Kreiger winner
> Hite-Combs winner vs. Lee-Rojas winner
Finals
July 22
8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
> Semifinal winners
