BASS Announces Opens Schedule with Nine Events in Three Divisions

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BASS Announces Opens Schedule with Nine Events in Three DivisionsBASS Announces Opens Schedule with Nine Events in Three Divisions

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. B.A.S.S. officials revealed the schedule for the 2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens trail with a later start date than usual and a change in format from the past three seasons.

Instead of two divisions with four tournaments, this year's Opens circuit will include three divisions ó Southern, Central and Northern ó with three events in each.

All nine tournament winners will earn an automatic berth to the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk if they fish all events in their division. Additionally, the top three finishers from each division's points standings will receive an invitation to fish the 2022 Bassmaster Elite Series, as will the top three from the overall standings accumulated in all three divisions.

The payout per event will be $250,400 (based on a field of 150 anglers), giving the nine-event circuit a total payout of more than $2.25 million. In a change from previous seasons, the full field will fish the first two days, with the winning co-angler being named after Day 2. The final round will feature the Top 10 pros.

"We've only been done a couple of weeks, but I'm already so excited about the 2021 schedule we've put together," said Bassmaster Opens Tournament Director Chris Bowes. "This last season, with all of its stops and starts, was the hardest of my life. But I'm so proud we were able to get it all in. And every event was critical in a season that saw our Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year race decided by just one point.

"Now, after a short break, we can once again expect to see some of the most competitive Opens we've ever had."

Since the 2020 Opens schedule was pushed back by the COVID-19 pandemic, it didn't finish until the first week of December. As a result, the 2021 Opens schedule will begin in March instead of its traditional January start date.

The Southern Opens will start on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Fla., March 4-6, followed by events on Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tenn., April 15-17, and Lake Norman in Charlotte, N.C., Sept. 23-25.

"It's certainly nothing unusual for us to kick things off in Florida," Bowes said. "But with this year's opener in March instead of January or February, anglers will face some different challenges. Then we'll get to visit Dandridge when we should have great spring weather and Lake Norman for a fall event ó and we all saw this year how interesting fall tournaments can be."

The division's stop at Harris Chain will mark the 18th major tournament B.A.S.S. has held on the fishery since 1986.

The Central Opens will begin April 1-3 with a trip to Lewis Smith Lake in Jasper, Ala., followed by events at Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tenn., April 29-May 1, and a stop at Grand Lake in Grove, Okla., Oct. 21-23.

Smith is known as one of the top spotted bass fisheries in the country, while Pickwick offers the typical Tennessee River mixture of largemouth and smallmouth. Grand Lake has been the site of two Bassmaster Classics, most recently in 2016.

Just as temperatures are rising in the South, the Northern Opens will kick off on the James River in Richmond, Va., May 13-15. That event will be followed by two New York tournaments, the first on Oneida Lake in Syracuse July 29-31, and the second on the St. Lawrence River in Clayton Sept. 9-11.

Registration for pro and co-anglers will begin online January 12, 2021 for B.A.S.S Nation and Life members and Jan. 14 for B.A.S.S. members.

Booming interest and participation in the Opens led B.A.S.S. to expand coverage of the tournaments, including real-time scoring updates and a live streaming show with commentary by Bassmaster Elite Series anglers. These popular changes will continue in 2021.

2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens schedule

Southern Opens

  • March 4-6, Harris Chain of Lakes, Leesburg, Fla.
  • Apr. 15-17, Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn.
  • Sept. 23-25, Lake Norman, Charlotte, N.C.

Central Opens

  • Apr. 1-3, Lewis Smith Lake, Jasper, Ala.
  • Apr. 29-May 1, Pickwick Lake, Counce, Tenn.
  • Oct. 21-23, Grand Lake, Grove, Okla.

Northern Opens

  • May 13-15, James River, Richmond, Va.
  • July 29-31, Oneida Lake, Syracuse, N.Y.
  • Sept. 9-11, St. Lawrence River/1000 Islands, Clayton, N.Y.