BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials today unveiled the schedule for the 2026 Bassmaster Opens, eight tournaments spread across two divisions across the Southeast.
The Opens have long served as a proving ground for aspiring pros, and in 2026, the stakes are high — the Opens offers competitors a pathway to qualify for the Bassmaster Elite Qualifier Series (EQs) and ultimately the upper echelon of tournament bass fishing: the Bassmaster Elite Series.
Division 1 Schedule
• Jan. 29-31 — Kissimmee Chain (Kissimmee, Fla.)
• Apr. 1-3 — Lake Eufaula (Eufaula, Ala.)*
• Apr. 30-May 2 — Lake Norman (Charlotte, N.C.)
• Aug. 20-22 — Lake Erie (Buffalo, N.Y.)*
Division 2 Schedule
• Feb. 19-21 — Sam Rayburn Reservoir (Jasper, Texas)*
• Apr. 23-25 — Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees (Grove, Okla.)
• May 20-22 — Pickwick Lake (Counce, Tenn.)*
• June 18-20 — Upper Mississippi River (La Crosse, Wis.)
*Forward-facing live sonar will be permitted at these events.
To balance traditional techniques with technology innovation, B.A.S.S. announced several competition updates for 2026. Forward-facing live sonar (FFS) will be limited to two tournaments in each division. B.A.S.S. elected to rotate usage by starting one division with FFS and the other without, alternating each event from there. FFS will be allowed on Lake Eufaula and Lake Erie in Division 1 and Sam Rayburn Reservoir and Pickwick Lake in Division 2.
In recent years, Opens champions have gone on to make their mark on the Elite Series and the Bassmaster Classic. Easton Fothergill is the ultimate example. The young Minnesota pro won two Opens events in 2024, qualified for the Elite Series and then won the 2025 Bassmaster Classic. The 2026 slate offers anglers the same opportunity to prove their skills and take the next step in their careers.
Entries and payouts will remain consistent with 2025. However, new incentives raise the stakes: the Anglers of the Year (AOY) from each division’s Bassmaster Opens Divisional Angler of the Year standings and the overall Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year will earn berths into the EQs at no cost. In addition to qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic, if an angler enters all four tournaments in a division and wins one, they will also earn a guaranteed berth into the EQs.
Another important change: anglers who enter only a single event will not receive any AOY points. Only full-division participants will earn points toward the 2026 Bassmaster Opens Divisional Angler of the Year races.
There are also updates to the qualifications to the EQs. Anglers who fish all eight Opens will earn overall AOY points, with the Top 35 in those rankings receiving automatic bids to the EQs. Beyond that, the Top 50 by AOY points in each division (not including anglers who qualified through overall AOY points) will also advance, creating more paths for aspiring pros to chase Elite Series dreams.
Registration for the 2026 Bassmaster Opens will open November 4.