TULSA, Okla. (Oct. 24, 2019) – Major League Fishing (MLF) and Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) announced today the expanded 2020 FLW Series and Bass Fishing League (BFL) details, schedules, rules, entry fees and payouts, highlighted by lower entry fees in both circuits and an expanded FLW Series schedule, along with upping the championship payout to $200,000 for first place and adding $10,000 bonuses for the highest-finishing pro from each of the eight U.S. FLW Series divisions and the International division.
The 2020 FLW Series season will consist of three events in eight divisions, up from five divisions in 2019. Anglers that fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee FLW Series Championship for a shot at winning $200,000 cash, plus lucrative contingency bonuses. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a $30,000 17-foot bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The new win-and-you’re-in format guarantees that anglers are never out of contention to qualify for the Championship, too. Fish all three qualifiers in a division and win a tournament, and they’ll be on their way to the Championship. FLW Series entry fees have been reduced to $1,700 pro and $550 co-angler per tournament, while top payouts in each event remain $40,000 for pros and a $30,000 17-foot bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard for co-anglers. As field sizes increase, so do payouts, with top awards reaching $65,000 pro and $35,000 co-angler at 260 boats, and awards of $2,000 pro and $550 co-angler extending through 65th place. Complete payout details are listed below.
MLF and FLW are also rolling back entry fees in the BFL to give grassroots anglers – the heart and soul of the bass fishing community – the best payouts at the lowest cost available anywhere. Entry fees are now just $200 per boater and $100 per co-angler for one-day qualifiers and $300 per boater and $150 per co-angler for two-day Super Tournaments – the lowest levels since 2014. While entry fees have been lowered, BFL payouts remain the same as 2019 with boaters fishing for top awards of $6,000 plus contingency bonuses in each one-day qualifier and $9,000 plus contingency bonuses in each two-day Super Tournament. Co-anglers fish for top awards of $3,000 plus contingency bonuses in each one-day qualifier and $4,500 plus contingency bonuses in each two-day Super Tournament. Anglers also have the opportunity to qualify for six no-entry-fee regional championships with top awards of $60,000 boater and $50,000 co-angler, a no-entry-fee Wild Card regional, the no-entry-fee All-American with top awards of $100,000 boater and $50,000 co-angler, and even the FLW Series Championship with top awards of $200,000 pro/boater and $30,000 co-angler. Complete payout details are listed below.
“Major League Fishing was founded by tournament anglers, so we are an angler-driven league,” said Boyd Duckett, MLF co-founder and board director. “We respect and value the loyal FLW Series and BFL anglers, and we are very excited to announce the enhancements to what was already the best grassroots organization on the planet. I am confident that the anglers will be extremely satisfied with both the FLW Series and BFL circuits moving forward.”
The BFL is the stepping stone to the FLW Series, which is now the pathway to the new 150-angler FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately MLF’s Bass Pro Tour, where 80 of the world’s top pros compete with no entry fees. The FLW Series and BFL also put anglers in front of the sport’s largest fan base, with coverage on FLWFishing.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter reaching more than 1 million fans each month.
Earlier this month, MLF announced an agreement to acquire FLW. This deal, which brings together the largest grassroots organization in the world with the best pro anglers in the world, is expected to close in the coming days.
"It’s the best of both worlds for FLW anglers – what you’ve come to know and expect from FLW, now with the power of Major League Fishing behind us," said Kathy Fennel, FLW President of Operations. "We are proud of the fact that no other organization offers higher rewards for lower entry fees.”
Registration for the 2020 FLW Series season opens Oct. 28, 2019, for the top 40 pros and co-anglers from each division of the 2019 FLW Series, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division of the 2019 BFL, the winner of each 2019 BFL tournament who paid an entry fee for all five tournaments in a division and fished at least two tournaments in the same division. These anglers have until Nov. 4, 2019, to secure their priority entry. Ranger boat owners may register beginning Nov. 5, 2019. Anglers who fished a full division of the 2019 FLW Series or 2019 BFL can register beginning Nov. 6, 2019, followed by Triton and Nitro boat owners Nov. 7, 2019. TBF members can register Nov. 8, 2019. All other entries will be accepted beginning Nov. 11, 2019. Register by calling 270.252.1000 or online at FLWFishing.com.
The complete 2020 BFL schedule, along with details, rules and payouts for the BFL season can be found online.
Registration dates listed are below:
- December 9, 2019 – Hoosier, Michigan, Music City and Volunteer
- December 10, 2019 – Bulldog, Cowboy, Great Lakes, Illini and Mississippi
- December 11, 2019 – Bama, Buckeye, Choo Choo, Mountain and Ozark
- December 12, 2019 – Arkie, LBL, North Carolina, Northeast and Okie
- December 13, 2019 – Gator, Piedmont, Savannah River, Shenandoah and South Carolina
2020 FLW Series Schedule:Central DivisionFeb. 27-29 Lake Chickamauga – Dayton, Tenn.April 16-18 Dale Hollow Lake – Monroe, Tenn.May 28-30 Pickwick Lake – Florence, Ala. Eastern DivisionMarch 3-5* Lake Hartwell – Seneca, S.C.April 30-May 2 Lake Norman – Huntersville, N.C.Sept. 10-12 Potomac River – Marbury, Md. Northern DivisionJuly 16-18 Lake Champlain – Plattsburgh, N.Y.Aug. 20-22 St. Lawrence River – Massena, N.Y.Sept. 17-19 Detroit River – Trenton, Mich. Plains DivisionMarch 26-28 Lake of the Ozarks – Osage Beach, Mo.May 7-9 Table Rock Lake – Branson, Mo.Sept. 17-19 Lake Dardanelle – Russellville, Ark. Southeastern DivisionMarch 26-28 Wheeler Lake – Decatur, Ala.May 7-9 Lake Neely Henry – Gadsden, Ala.June 4-6 Lake Eufaula – Eufaula, Ala. Southern DivisionFeb. 13-15 St. John's River – Palatka, Fla.March 12-14 Lake Okeechobee – Clewiston, Fla.April 16-18 Lake Seminole – Bainbridge, Ga. Southwestern DivisionJan. 30-Feb. 1 Toledo Bend Reservoir – Many, La.April 8-10** Fort Gibson Lake – Wagoner, Okla.Oct. 15-17 Sam Rayburn Reservoir – Brookeland, Texas Western DivisionMarch 12-14 Lake Havasu – Lake Havasu City, Ariz.April 30-May 2 California Delta – Bethel Island, Calif.Sept. 24-26 Clear Lake – Lakeport, Calif. FLW Series ChampionshipNov 5-7 TBA, watch FLWFishing.com for details * Tuesday – Thursday event** Wednesday – Friday event 2020 FLW Series Payouts*:160 Boat Qualifying Event:Place Pro Co-angler 1 $40,000 $30,000 premium 17-foot bass boat with 115 HP outboard 2 15,500 5,0003 12,000 4,000 4 10,000 3,5005 9,000 3,0006 8,000 2,5007 7,000 2,0008 6,000 1,7509 5,000 1,50010 4,000 1,25011 3,750 1,00012 3,500 1,00013-15 3,000 1,00016-20 3,000 80021-25 2,750 70026-30 2,500 60031-40 2,000 550Big Bass 300 200
Entry Fee $1,700 $550
260 Boat Qualifying Event:
Place Pro Co-angler 1 $65,000 $30,000 premium 17-foot bass Boat with 115 HP outboard + $5,000 2 27,500 8,0003 18,000 6,500 4 16,000 5,0005 15,000 4,5006 11,500 3,7507 10,000 3,2508 8,500 2,5009 7,500 1,80010 5,500 1,60011 5,000 1,20012 4,250 1,20013 3,750 1,20014 3,750 1,20015 3,750 1,20016-20 3,750 1,00021-25 3,000 85026-30 2,700 80031-40 2,350 72541-45 2,300 70046-50 2,250 67551-55 2,200 60056-60 2,100 57061-65 2,000 550Big Bass 300 200 Entry Fee $1,700 $550 *Payback is based on the number of paid entries for each tournament, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. FLW Series Championship:Place Pro Co-angler 1 $200,000 $30,000 premium 17-foot bass boat with 115 HP outboard 2 40,000 12,5003 30,000 10,0004 25,000 7,5005 20,000 5,0006 14,000 4,0007 13,000 3,5008 12,000 3,0009 11,000 2,50010 10,000 2,00011-15 4,500 1,50016-20 3,500 1,00021-25 3,000 90026-30 2,500 80031-40 2,000 700Central Bonus 10,000Eastern Bonus 10,000Northern Bonus 10,000Plains Bonus 10,000Southeastern Bonus 10,000Southern Bonus 10,000Southwestern Bonus 10,000Western Bonus 10,000International Bonus 10,000 2020 T-H Marine BFL Payouts**:Qualifying Event:Place Boater Co-angler1 $6,000 $3,0002 3,000 1,5003 2,000 1,0004 1,400 7005 1,200 6006 1,100 5507 1,000 5008 900 4509 800 40010 700 35011 630 31512 580 29013 560 28014 530 26515 500 25016 480 24017 460 23018 440 22019 420 21020 400 20021 390 19522 380 19023 370 18524 360 18025 350 17526 340 17027 330 16528 320 16029 310 15530 300 15031 290 14532 280 14033 270 13534 260 13035 250 12536 240 12037 230 11538 220 11039 210 10540 200 100Big Bass 1,000 500 Entry Fee $200 $100 BFL Super Tournament:Place Boater Co-angler1 $9,000 $4,5002 4,500 2,2503 3,000 1,5004 2,100 1,0505 1,800 9006 1,650 8257 1,500 7508 1,350 6759 1,200 60010 1,050 52511 950 47512 870 43513 840 42014 800 40015 750 37516 720 36017 690 34518 660 33019 630 31520 600 30021 590 29522 570 28523 560 28024 540 27025 530 26526 510 25527 500 25028 480 24029 460 �� 23030 450 22531 430 21532 420 21033 400 20034 390 19535 370 18536 360 18037 340 17038 330 16539 310 15540 300 150Big Bass 1,500 750 Entry Fee $300 $150 BFL Regional Championship:Place Boater Co-angler1 $60,000 * $50,000 *2 $10,000 * $5,000 *3 5,000 * 2,500 *4 3,000 * 1,500 *5 2,000 * 1,000 *6 1,800 * 900 *7 1,600 8008 1,400 7009 1,200 60010-12 1,000 50013-15 600 30016-20 500 25021-24 400 200 1st place boater receives a premium 18-foot bass boat with 200 HP outboard and $10,0001st place co-angler receives a premium 18-foot bass boat with 200 HP outboardBoat and engine brand details available at FLWFishing.com * Top six boaters and co-anglers advance to the All-American BFL All-American:Place Boater Co-angler 1 $100,000 $50,0002 20,000 10,0003 15,000 6,0004 14,000 5,0005 13,000 4,5006 12,000 4,0007 11,000 3,5008 10,000 3,0009 9,000 2,50010 8,000 2,00011-20 3,000 1,500
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- -30 2,000 1,000
31-55 1,500 750 The highest-finishing boater and co-angler from each Regional Championship (including the Wild Card) at the All-American advance to the FLW Series Championship for a shot at winning $200,000 and $30,000, respectively. **Payback is based on the number of paid entries for each tournament.