Bassmaster Classic
The Bassmaster Classic is a competition in professional bass fishing. It was first held in 1971 in Lake Mead, Nevada. After years of being held in July, the Bassmaster Classic was moved to February in 2006. The competition has been held in Birmingham 8 times.
The event has turned into a three-day spectacle, complete with a theatrical presentation of the weigh-ins and hours of television coverage. The purchase of the Bass Anglers Sportsmen Society (BASS), which organizes the event, and coverage by ESPN has increased the Classic's profile.
First-place money has grown from $10,000 in 1971 to $500,000 in 2006.
Rules and procedures
The field consists of 55 anglers: the top 40 in the season-long BASS standings and 15 regional qualifiers. The 2007 competition included women for the first time. They competed in a separate event.
The Bassmaster Classic takes place over three days. All fish are caught under catch-and-release rules, must measure at least 14 inches, and must be alive at the time they are presented for weigh-in. There is a cut after the second day, in which only the 25 best anglers, based on total weight, advance to the third day. The highest total weight after three days wins the competition.
Contestants can only fish in specified areas at the competition venue. This is usually a lake, but the 2005 competition was held along the Three Rivers that make up the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.
Restrictions on where anglers could fish were tightened in 2007, resulting in lower total number of fish caught.
Birmingham area tournaments
The Bassmaster Classic has been held in waters in the Birmingham area 8 times, with the weigh-ins and championship ceremonies were held at the BJCC.
Lake Logan Martin
Lay Lake
Lake Guntersville
In 2005, readers of Bassmaster Magazine voted Birmingham as the Bass Capital of America. Including 4 other tournaments (2 in Montgomery, and one each at Wheeler Lake and Guntersville), Alabama has hosted almost one-third of all the Classics.
References
- Bassmasters Classic. (January 22, 2008). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:27, February 3, 2008.
- Carlton, Bob (February 3, 2008) "Classic returns to Birmingham in 2010." Birmingham News.