FLW today announced details about its 2019 Costa FLW Series, including changes to the entry fee and payout system as well as how Series competitors will qualify for the 2020 Forrest Wood Cup.
The Series will continue to be five divisions with three tournaments in each with a no-entry fee Series championship scheduled for Lake Cumberland in October 2019. Entry fees for pros will increase $200 to $1,900 and $75 to $650 for co-anglers.
With a 150-boat field, the winning pro will collect a $90,000 package ($40,000 cash plus a $50,000 Ranger boat). For a maximum field of 250 boats, the top prize will be a $110,000 combo of $60,000 and a $50,000 Ranger boat and motor package.
Twelve spots in the 2020 Cup will be handed out at the 2019 FLW Series Championship, with the top two pros from each division at the championship, along with the top finisher from the International Division and the winning co-angler all securing Cup berths.
Below is the complete press release FLW circulated about the 2019 FLW Series:
MINNEAPOLIS (Oct. 3, 2018) – FLW announced Wednesday the Costa FLW Series rules, entry fees and payouts for the 2019 season, including new Forrest Wood Cup advancement opportunities and larger first-place awards. The season will again consist of three events in five divisions to keep travel costs low plus the no-entry-fee Costa FLW Series Championship to be held on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky. The FLW Series offers pros and co-anglers the highest payback for the lowest cost to compete of any national circuit, and new for 2019, the FLW Series provides co-anglers a pathway to fish as a pro in the 2020 FLW Cup.
The top two pros from each of the five FLW Series U.S. divisions and the top pro from the FLW Series International division along with the winning co-angler at the 2019 FLW Series Championship will advance to the 2020 FLW Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. An angler only has to beat 38 other pros from their division at the FLW Series Championship to punch their ticket to the Cup. The top five pros from each U.S. division in Angler of the Year standings also qualify to compete against the best anglers in the world in the 2020 FLW Tour, the world’s most competitive professional bass-fishing circuit.
The FLW Series offers anglers the opportunity to fish close to home and pile up winnings as payouts scale in both depth and breadth with every 25 boats from a $90,000 top award and 40 places paid at 150 boats to a $110,000 top award and 60 places paid at a maximum field of 250 boats. Top co-angler awards scale from $35,000 to $37,500. First place pro and co-angler awards have increased $5,000 and $3,000, respectively, in each tournament for 2019. Entry fees have also increased slightly to $1,900 per tournament for pros and $650 per tournament for co-anglers.
The top 40 pros and co-anglers who fish all three qualifiers in each U.S. division will advance to the no-entry-fee FLW Series Championship for a shot at winning $100,000, including a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard. The winning co-angler at the championship earns as much as $35,000, including a Ranger Z175 with a 115-horsepower outboard plus qualification to the 2020 FLW Cup and use of a Ranger Z520L following the championship through the FLW Cup.
In addition to lucrative payouts and advancement opportunities, the FLW Series puts pros and co-anglers in the international spotlight with media coverage on FLWFishing.com and FLW’s social media outlets, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. Each tournament features FLW Live weigh-in coverage, and beginning in 2019, the FLW Series Championship will also feature FLW Live on-the-water coverage, just like the FLW Tour.
"FLW was founded on providing affordable, close-to-home tournaments for bass anglers," said Costa FLW Series tournament director Mark McWha. "The 2019 FLW Series continues that tradition by providing pros and co-anglers with the highest payback for the lowest cost to compete of any national circuit along with international media coverage and the opportunity for pros and co-anglers to qualify for both the FLW Series Championship and FLW Cup. The FLW Series also serves as the primary qualifying circuit for anglers who aspire to fish the FLW Tour. We are looking forward to another incredible season”
Complete rules can be found online at FLWFishing.com.
Registration for the 2019 Costa FLW Series season is open for the top 40 pros and co-anglers from each division of the 2018 FLW Series, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division of the 2018 Bass Fishing League (BFL), plus the winner of each 2018 BFL tournament. These anglers have until Nov. 5, 2018, to secure their priority entry. Ranger boat owners may register beginning Nov. 6, 2018. Anglers who fished a full division of the 2018 FLW Series or 2018 BFL can register beginning Nov. 7, 2018, followed by Triton and Nitro boat owners Nov. 8, 2018. TBF members can register Nov. 9, 2018. All other entries will be accepted beginning Nov. 12, 2018. Register by calling 270.252.1000 or online at FLWFishing.com.
2019 Costa FLW Series Payouts
150-boat field
Pro (Ranger Cup bonus) – Co-angler (Ranger Cup bonus)
1. $40,000 ($50,000 Ranger Z518L/200HP) – $30,000 Ranger Z175/115HP ($5,000)
2. 15,500 – 5,000
3. 12,000 – 4,000
4. 10,000 – 3,500
5. 9,000 – 3,000
6. 8,000 – 2,500
7. 7,000 – 2,000
8. 6,000 – 1,750
9. 5,000 – 1,500
10. 4,000 – 1,250
11. 3,750 – 1,000
12. 3,500 – 1,000
13-15. 3,000 – 1,000
16-20. 3,000 – 800
21-25. 2,750 – 700
26-30. 2,500 – 675
31-40. 2,000 – 650
Day 1 Big Bass: 300 – 200
Day 2 Big Bass: 300 – 200
Entry Fee: $1,900 – $650
250-boat field
Pro (Ranger Cup bonus) – Co-angler (Ranger Cup bonus)
1. $60,000 ($50,000 Ranger Z518L+200HP) – $2,500 + $30,000 Ranger Z175+115 HP outboard ($5,000)
2. 25,000 – 7,500
3. 17,000 – 6,000
4. 15,000 – 4,500
5. 14,000 – 4,000
6. 10,500 – 3,500
7. 9,000 – 3,000
8. 8,000 – 2,250
9. 7,000 – 1,700
10. 5,000 – 1,500
11. 4,700 – 1,100
12. 4,000 – 1,100
13-15. 3,500 – 1,100
16-20. 3,500 – 900
21-25. 2,850 – 800
26-30. 2,600 – 750
31-40. 2,200 – 700
41-45. 2,180 – 675
46-50. 2,140 – 665
51-55. 2,100 – 655
56-60. 2,000 – 650
Day 1 Big Bass: 300 – 200
Day 2 Big Bass: 300 – 200
Entry Fee: $1,900 – $650
*Payback is based on the number of paid entries for each tournament.
Costa FLW Series Championship Payout
Pro (Ranger Cup bonus) – Co-angler (Ranger Cup bonus)
1. $50,000 ($50,000 Ranger Z518L+200HP) – $30,000 Ranger Z175+115HP ($5,000)
2. 25,000 ($5,000) – 12,500
3. 20,000 (3,500) – 10,000
4. 15,000 (2,000) – 7,500
5. 10,000 (1,000) – 5,000
6. 8,000 – 4,000
7. 7,000 – 3,500
8. 6,000 – 3,000
9. 5,000 – 2,500
10. 4,500 – 2,000
11-15. 4,000 – 1,500
16-20. 3,500 – 1,000
21-25. 3,000 – 900
26-30. 2,500 – 800
31-40. 2,000 – 700
Top two pros from each U.S. Division and the top pro from the International Division at the FLW Series Championship advance to the FLW Cup. If the winning pro qualified through the BFL, he or she also advances to the FLW Cup.
The winning co-angler at the FLW Series Championship advances to the FLW Cup to fish as a pro and receives use of a Ranger Z520L following the championship through the FLW Cup.
*Payback is based on the number of paid entries in qualifying tournaments.
