B.A.S.S. announces diverse 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule with nine events in seven states
“There is no better way to celebrate 20 years of Elite competition than to roll out a schedule that includes some of the best bass fisheries on the planet. This year’s events will challenge and inspire our anglers with a range of venues that highlight the rich variety of bass fishing,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “This is going to be fun to watch.”
The opener visits St. Johns River in Palatka, Fla., Feb. 20-23. In 2024, a four-day total of 93 pounds, 6 ounces gave Cory Johnston of Otonabee, Canada, a winning margin of 21-2 over Texan Brad Whatley. Of note, Johnston’s Day 3 total — 73-13 — would have edged Whatley’s tournament total of 72-4 by 1-9.
The Elites will travel south to Okeechobee, Fla., Feb. 27-March 2 to return to Lake Okeechobee, which covers 730 square miles and has an average depth of only 9 feet. Louisiana pro Tyler Rivet called his win in 2023 on Day 1 of the competition. Rivet coaxed a four-day total of 86 pounds, 15 ounces from the largest freshwater lake in Florida by throwing a jerkbait and punching mats and grass.
From Okeechobee, Elite anglers will take a break from the Elite trail for the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors on Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas, March 21-23.
The Elite Series resumes at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound in Elizabeth City, N.C., April 10-13. The event marks the first time B.A.S.S. has visited the area since 1981 for the North Carolina Invitational, where Basil Bacon won with 46-12. This tidal fishery is a power fisherman’s dream, where traditional, old-school tactics should prevail. Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound is located between Camden and Pasquotank counties, and the waters’ striped bass population heads 125 miles upriver to spawn in April, leaving the largemouth the keys to the kingdom. The largemouth should congregate in canals and small tributaries that enter the sound, which warm significantly faster than the main-river channel to create a perfect place to kick off the spawn.
Next on the schedule is Lake Hartwell in Anderson, S.C., April 24-27. Lake Hartwell hosted the Bassmaster Classic in 2022, where Oklahoma pro Jason Christie won with 54 pounds even, just 5 ounces over Alabama’s Kyle Welcher after they shared the lead going into the final day of competition. A Classic-record 154,932 fans watched Christie, a five-time Elite Series champion, use live sonar to catch fish the first two days, then switch to a jig in 1 to 3 feet of water to seal the deal. When the Elites visit, they likely will find the spawn in full swing, setting the stage for a shallow-water battle.
A Texas swing kicks off May 8-11 when the Elite pros head to Lake Fork, Texas, to visit a fishery that made the Top 10 in the 2024 Bassmaster Magazine 100 Best Bass Lakes list. Illinois Elite angler and eventual 2024 Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year Trey McKinney became the youngest angler to win an Elite Series event when he took the blue trophy at Lake Fork at the age of 19. It was also only McKinney’s second Elite Series event.
McKinney managed a massive four-day total of 130 pounds, 15 ounces, just 1 pound, 9 ounces shy of the all-time record for total weight in a four-day B.A.S.S. event — set by Paul Elias on Falcon Lake in Texas in 2008. McKinney started the event fishing in 20 to 30 feet of water and ended up fishing in 4 feet when they moved off of timber to the bank.
Next up for Elites is the Sabine River in Orange, Texas, May 15-18. Veteran Elite angler Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., won the 2023 event here with an overall weight of 44-3, outpacing runner-up Clark Wendlandt by almost 3 pounds. A bladed jig and topwater popper, supported by a Texas-rigged Senko, was Mosley’s power-fishing trio to capture the title.
After the Texas swing, Lake Tenkiller hosts the Elite anglers June 12-15 for the first time since 2019, when Australian pro Carl Jocumsen notched a victory by fishing offshore for a four-day total of 54-15. Second-place finisher Chris Zaldain ran shallow points with a wobblehead jig as well as a swimbait. Third-place finisher Cory Johnston found early limits around covered boat docks using a jigging spoon and a Neko rig and ended up cranking rock banks with squarebill crankbaits.
With the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year and Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year races coming down the home stretch, the Elites will head to another Top 10 finisher in the 2024 Bassmaster Magazine 100 Best Bass Lakes list when they stop at Michigan’s Lake St. Clair Aug. 7-10. In 2023, the last time the Elites visited, Arkansas pro Joey Cifuentes III showed why this lake is ranked as one of the best in the country when he landed 91 pounds, 8 ounces over four days. Pundits speculate the winning weight may be even higher this time around.
The final stop of the year for the 2025 Elite Series will be Aug. 21-24 at the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis. In 2022, Maryland’s Bryan Schmitt squeaked out the win against Canada’s Chris Johnston by a mere 4 ounces for his second Elite Series title. Schmitt fished current for his bass, while Johnston focused on throwing a frog around shallow eelgrass mats. This fishery is known for its amazing topwater bite, and that pattern should be on full display during the final event of the Elite Series season.
New for this year, the no-information rule for tournament waters will go into effect Jan. 1, 2025 at 12:01 a.m.
“I am excited about the diverse and captivating schedule we have lined up for 2025,” said Elite Series Tournament Director Lisa Talmadge. “We can’t wait to see the passion and skill our competitors will bring to each tournament. I believe this season will be truly unforgettable.”
Once again, fans in 2025 can catch live television coverage of all nine Bassmaster Elite Series events as well as Bassmaster Classic coverage on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports platforms.
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Schedule
Feb. 20-23, Palatka, Fla., St. Johns River
Feb. 27-March 2, Okeechobee, Fla., Lake Okeechobee
March 21-23, Bassmaster Classic, Fort Worth, Texas, Lake Ray Roberts
April 10-13, Elizabeth City, N.C., Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound
April 24-27, Anderson, S.C., Lake Hartwell
May 8-11, Yantis, Texas, Lake Fork
May 15-18, Orange, Texas, Sabine River
June 12-15, Cookson, Okla., Lake Tenkiller
Aug. 7-10, Macomb County, Mich., Lake St. Clair
Aug. 21-24, La Crosse, Wis., Mississippi River
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