Bassmaster Opens
New Schedule, Classic Changes

Photo: BASS

Today BASS announced the fall Open schedule, and with it a couple of changes to how Open anglers qualify for the Bassmaster Classic. The biggest result of the change is that fewer anglers (only five total) will be able to qualify for the Classic.

Classic Change

Until last year, the Top 5 anglers in each Open division (previously called the Invitationals) – except the western division, which fielded four – pre-qualified for the Bassmaster Classic, for 14 anglers total (Eastern, Central and Western Invitationals). Last year, BASS cut that to the Top 3 from each division and the Open Championship winner, unless the winner had already pre-qualified via the points, for a maximum of 13 Open slots.

This year the Top 20 anglers (and co-angler) from each of the four Open divisions – Central, Southern, Northern and Western – will qualify for the Open Championship, the same as last year. But only the Top 5 in the standings after that event will qualify for the Classic, meaning the 2005 Classic will have the fewest Open/Invitational anglers in it in recent history.

"With the introduction of the Open Championship last year, anglers participating in the Open series have their own championship in which to qualify for the top tier of the sport, the Bassmaster Classic," said BASS tournament director Trip Weldon. "Like thousands of BASS Federation anglers who compete for five Classic spots through the Federation divisionals and the Federation Championship, Open anglers will compete for five spots and the best of the best will go on to the Classic."

The change brings up a few questions, notably:

> Why the change to just five anglers?

"We have regularly-scheduled meetings with the BAAC (Tour pro-comprised BASS Athletes Advisory Council), and (it) and other tour pros have expressed the desire that only the best of the best ever advance to the Classic," said BASS communications director George McNeilly. "BASS has put substantial time and effort into creating a true championship for Open anglers. It's a no-entry-fee event, and is the crowning event for that series. So BASS, with extensive input from the BAAC and other (Tour) anglers, will always strive to elevate this sport."

> Is BASS trying to make the Classic more focused on Tour pros?

"The Classic is bass fishing's true world championship, and certainly a smaller field is desired by many of the stakeholders involved, including the Tour anglers," McNeilly said.

> Is BASS trying to make it less attractive for tour pros to fish the Opens?

"No, in fact, we encourage touring pros to fish the Open series when their schedules permit them to do so," he said. "Anytime you can have people with resumes that many of the tour pros possess, it only lends credence to the quality of those events. And it gives the Open pros added incentive to fish harder and elevate their game."

> Will BASS ever foresee a time when Open anglers are no longer in the Classic?

McNeilly said: "That topic has never been considered by BASS. And the Open Championship is a most logical platform for the best of the best Open anglers to qualify for the pinnacle event (the Classic) the sport has to offer."

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Opens Schedule

Western Opens
> May 27-29 – California Delta – Bethel, CA
> Oct. 21-23 – Lake Shasta – Shasta Lake, CA
> Nov. 18-20 – Clear Lake – Lakeport, CA

Northern Opens
> June 24-26 – Lake Erie/Niagara River tributaries – Buffalo, NY –
> Aug. 12-14 – Hudson River and estuaries – Catskill, NY
> Oct. 14-16 – Smith Mountain Lake – Moneta, VA

Southern Opens
> Sept. 16-18 – Lake Eufaula – Eufaula, AL
> Oct. 14-16 – Columbus Lake and Tenn-Tom Waterway – Columbus, MS
> Nov. 18-20 – Lake Okeechobee – Okeechobee City, FL

Central Opens
> Aug. 12-14 – Ohio, Cumberland and Tennessee rivers – Paducah, KY
> Sept. 16-18 – Lake Sam Rayburn – Jasper, TX
> Oct. 21-23 – Atchafalaya Basin – Morgan City, LA

Registration Info

Registration for the Western Opens starts today.

TUESDAY, APRIL 6-MONDAY, APRIL 19
Western Division - All Anglers
Online at Bassmaster.com
By phone at (334) 272-9530 from 8 a.m.-11:59 p.m. CST

MONDAY, APRIL 12-THURSDAY, APRIL 15
Anglers Prequalified through 2003 Open Series
Phone only at (334) 272-9530 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CST

2003-2004 Federation State Champions
Phone only at (334) 272-9530 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CST

TUESDAY, APRIL 20
Federation Non-boaters - All Three Tournaments (Central, Southern, Northern Divisions)
Online at Bassmaster.com
By phone at (334) 272-9530 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CST

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21
BASS Member Non-boaters - All Three Tournaments (Central, Southern, Northern Divisions)
Online at Bassmaster.com
By phone at (334) 272-9530 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CST

TUESDAY, APRIL 22-Each Tournament Deadline Date (30 Days Prior To Event)
Non-boater anglers - Single-event entries (Central, Southern, Northern Divisions)
Online at Bassmaster.com
By phone at (334) 272-9530 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CST

TUESDAY, APRIL 27
Current ABP Members (Boaters) - All Three Tournaments (Central, Southern, Northern Divisions)
Online at Bassmaster.com
By phone at (334) 272-9530 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CST

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28
BASS Member Boaters-All Three Tournaments (Central, Southern, Northern Divisions)
Online at Bassmaster.com
By phone at (334) 272-9530 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CST

THURSDAY, APRIL 29-Each Tournament Deadline Date (30 Days Prior To Event)
Boater Anglers - Single-event Entries (Central, Southern, Northern Divisions)
Online at Bassmaster.com
By phone at (334) 272-9530 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CST

> BASS stated that mail-in entries will not be accepted.

Notable

> The Top 15 anglers in each of the Open division points will still be eligible to fish the 2005 Bassmaster Tour.

> Unless more changes will occur before the 2005 Classic, assume that that Classic field will number 47 anglers: 5 from the Opens, 5 from the Federation, 2 exemptions, 10 from the Elite 50s, 25 from the Tour.