BENTON, Ky. (Sept. 24, 2025) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today significant enhancements to the payout structure of the Bass Pro Tour for the 2026 season. The adjustments, driven by angler feedback, mark another step in establishing the Bass Pro Tour as the most competitive and rewarding circuit in professional bass fishing.
Next season, the Bass Pro Tour roster will feature 51 anglers. With the most accomplished lineup ever assembled, every cast, every fish and every decision will carry even greater weight.
For 2026, MLF is expanding the cut line at each event. Previously, the top 20 anglers advanced from the Qualifying Round to the Knockout Round and Championship Round, with the round winner advancing directly to the Championship Round. Beginning next season, the top 25 anglers will advance – the round winner continuing to advance directly to the Championship Round, while 24 advance to the Knockout Round.
The shift means that every angler who reaches the Knockout Round will also finish “in the money.”
Another notable change comes at the top and bottom of the payout scale. In 2025, event champions earned $150,000, with the last checks paying $10,000. For 2026, the anglers voted to adjust the distribution:
- First place will pay $125,000 – still the sport’s most lucrative top prize.
- The $25,000 difference has been redistributed to boost the “last checks.”
- Anglers finishing 21st through 25th place will now earn $15,000 each – the highest minimum payouts ever awarded in pro bass fishing.
MLF is also investing more directly into its anglers’ success. Beginning in 2026, MLF is adding an additional $250,000 to payouts for a total league contribution of more than $74,000 per angler, by far the sport’s largest, and a direct result of MLF’s strategic shift to a 50-angler field of top pros.
The full 2026 Bass Pro Tour roster will be announced in October. With the new structure in place, the circuit is positioned to continue the momentum from a tremendous 2025 season and deliver the toughest competition and most rewarding paydays in professional bass fishing history in 2026.