B.A.S.S. announced today that its Angler of the Year Championship will be contested at Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota for the second consecutive year. Dates for the event are Sept. 14-17.
In 2016, the 50 anglers who qualified for the event weighed in 729 bass from Mille Lacs. Those fish combined to weigh nearly 2,900 pounds.
New this year is a $25,000 payout for the heaviest three-day limit of bass. Also, 36 coveted berths in the 2018 Bassmaster Classic will be awarded based on the final AOY rankings.
The full field will compete for three days (Thursday, Friday and Sunday). Bassmaster University will take place on Saturday. The fan-appreciation day will be held in the parking lot at Grand Casino, where the pros will be giving seminars, signing autographs and engaging with fans on a personal level.
“Last year’s Bassmaster tournament showed the world what an incredible jewel Mille Lacs Lake is to the fishing community,” said Tracy Sam, general manager for Grand Casino Mille Lacs. “This championship has never been held at the same location two years in a row, so building upon last year’s success, we look forward to making the 2017 Bassmaster Angler of the Year tournament the best one yet.”
The Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship will be hosted by Grand Casino and Mille Lacs Tourism.
Marshal registration for this tournament will open May 2 at 9 a.m. CT for Life and B.A.S.S. Nation members. All B.A.S.S. members can register starting May 4 at 9 a.m. Registration must be completed online at Bassmaster.com/elite.
B.A.S.S. also announced the return of the Classic Bracket event. This year, instead of having the event midseason, the live-streamed tournament will begin shortly after the conclusion of the AOY Championship. The eight contestants vying for a Classic invitation will be the first eight just outside the Classic cut, giving one angler a last-chance invitation to the sport's premier event.
The Classic Bracket tournament will take place at Pokegama Lake out of Grand Rapids, Minn., Sept. 19-22. It will not feature a daily weigh-in; rather each bass will be weighed by a B.A.S.S. official on the competitor’s boat and immediately released.
The contestants will be fishing for a five-bass limit from their own boats, and brackets will be set based on AOY points leading into the event.
After two days of competition, four anglers will be eliminated. The semifinal round will take place on day 3 and the final day will pit the remaining two anglers in a head-to-head battle. The angler with the heaviest limit will receive the majority of the $50,000 purse and a 2018 Classic berth.
“This is the first time B.A.S.S. will host a tournament on Pokegama Lake, and we are excited to show the national audience what a great fishery it is,” said Megan Christianson, executive director of Visit Grand Rapids. “Grand Rapids is a community where you will find a balance between small-town charm and rich Minnesota outdoor resources. From over 1,000 lakes to fish, over 1 million public-accessible forests and over 3,000 miles of groomed trails to explore, Grand Rapids is a true destination for bass anglers."
