After announcing the bulk of the 2022 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule in late July, B.A.S.S. officials have now revealed the final piece of that puzzle.
The “to be announced” event will be held June 2-5 on Pickwick Lake out of Counce, Tenn. Daily takeoffs and weigh-ins will be held at Pickwick Landing State Park.
With the addition of a second Tennessee-based event, along with a tournament scheduled for Chickamauga Lake on April 7-10, the Elite Series is set to hold nine events in seven states from February to August.
“It feels really good to have our entire 2022 schedule released before the autumn even gets here,” said retiring B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “Pickwick Lake, Tennessee is a fabulous addition that has provided some great moments from B.A.S.S. in the past – and now that the entire schedule is set, everyone can make their plans to join us. That includes our anglers, tournament staff and the fans.”
Pickwick has been a good but sporadic destination for B.A.S.S. major events for the past 23 years.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail first visited the 43,100-acre Tennessee River fishery in 1998 for a Top 100 event that was won by current Elite Series pro Mark Menendez of Paducah, Ky. Then after consecutive stops from 2000 to 2002, the organization didn’t return to Pickwick again until 2010 and 2011 for a pair of Elite Series events. The latter of those tournaments was won by current Bassmaster LIVE host Davy Hite.
After another hiatus, B.A.S.S. returned to Pickwick this year for a Bassmaster Open that was won by Alabama pro Joey Nania and an Elite Series event that featured the first career victory for popular Indiana pro Bill Lowen.
Now, the lake will play an important role in a 2022 Bassmaster Angler of the Year race that will be heading into the homestretch by the time Elite Series pros arrive in Counce.
“We are proud to host the Bassmaster Elite Series on Pickwick Lake in Hardin County, Tennessee,” said Beth Pippin, tourism director for the Hardin County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “This top-level tournament will market our lake and community on a national level while strengthening our local economy and bringing anglers and their families to eat, sleep, shop and explore our beautiful area.
“We will showcase our newly renovated Pickwick Landing State Park Lodge and Conference Center and treat anglers to the great fishery that Pickwick Lake in Tennessee is known for.”
Pickwick offers vast opportunities for anglers with a good mix of offshore fishing and shallow structure and solid populations of largemouth and smallmouth bass. Beautiful scenery paired with an opportunity to catch a trophy trifecta – smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass of above-average size – are why the fishery was one of Bassmaster Magazine’s Top 10 Best Bass Lakes for 2021.
Here's a look at the complete 2022 Elite Series schedule:
> Feb. 10-13, St. Johns River, Palatka, Fla.
> Feb. 17-20, Harris Chain of Lakes, Leesburg, Fla.
> March 4-6, Bassmaster Classic, Lake Hartwell, Greenville, S.C.
> March 17-20, Santee Cooper Lakes, Clarendon County, S.C.
> April 7-10, Chickamauga Lake, Dayton, Tenn.
> May 19-22, Lake Fork, Quitman, Texas
> June 2-5, Pickwick Lake, Counce, Tenn.
> July 14-17, St. Lawrence River/1000 Islands, Clayton, N.Y.
> Aug. 4-7, Make-up date
> Aug. 18-21, Lake Oahe, Mobridge, S.D.
> Aug. 26-29, Mississippi River, La Crosse, Wis.
