BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2014 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule was announced today. The 100 or so Elite Series anglers who compete on the bass tournament circuit will visit rivers, reservoirs and natural lakes in 11 states as they vie for fame, fortune and a berth in the 2015 Bassmaster Classic. Unfortunately they will not be visiting anywhere out west anytime soon.
Instead, several of the fisheries have been visited by B.A.S.S. many times before, and the others soon will be.
The Elite Series, which has included eight events for the past five years, will grow to nine tournaments next year, and one of them will include a fan-attracting “BASSfest” reminiscent of the old summertime Bassmaster Classics and with a $1,000,000 prize purse.
And for the first time in Bassmaster tournament history, the ninth and final event of the Elite Series will be the Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship in which the Top 50 Elite anglers will compete for a share of the $900,000 AOY payout, along with Bassmaster Classic berths and the Bassmaster Angler of the Year trophy.
With the addition of the championship, Toyota All-Star Week will not be held next year.
Marshal registration for the Bassmaster Classic and the 2014 Bassmaster Elite Series begins online at Bassmaster.com for B.A.S.S. Nation and Life members on Oct. 1 at 9 a.m. CT. Phone registration for B.A.S.S. Nation and Life members begins Oct. 3 at 9 a.m. CT by calling 877-227-7872. Other B.A.S.S. members may register online beginning Oct. 8 at 9 a.m. CT and by phone beginning Oct. 10 at 9 a.m. CT.
Following is a list of 2014 Elite Series tournaments:
Date Tournament Destination Fishery
Feb. 21-23 Bassmaster Classic Birmingham, Ala. Lake Guntersville
March 13-16 Elite 1 Bainbridge, Ga. Lake Seminole
March 20-23 Elite 2 Palatka, Fla. St. Johns River
April 3-6 Elite 3 Branson, Mo. Table Rock Lake
May 1-4 Elite 4 Many, La. Toledo Bend Reservoir
May 15-18 Elite 5 Russellville, Ark. Lake Dardanelle
June 11-15 Elite 6 Dayton, Tenn. Chickamauga Lake
Aug. 7-10 Elite 7 Philadelphia, Pa. Delaware River
Aug. 21-24 Elite 8 Ithaca, N.Y. Cayuga Lake
Sept. 18-21 AOY Championship To Be Announced