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Bassmaster Classic

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The Bassmaster Classic (known as the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic for sponsorship reasons) is a tournament in the sport of professional bass fishing, organized by the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. It was first held in 1971 on Lake Mead, Nevada. Originally it was a fall event, (1971-1983) but it switched to a summer event in 1984 and then to a late winter event in 2006.

Rick Clunn and Kevin VanDam have each won the event four times. Jordan Lee, Bobby Murray, Hank Parker, George Cochran and Hank Cherry have each won twice.

First-place money has grown from $10,000 in 1971 to $500,000 in 2006; it was reduced to $300,000 in 2014.[1]

Rules and procedures

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The field has ranged from 24 to 61 anglers. The 2009 competition included women for the first time. 2010 was the last year for women to be given a specific Classic spot. As in previous years, they now have to earn a spot via the Opens or, qualify for the Bassmaster Elite Series and have enough success to gain a spot to the Classic. The Bassmaster College Series, B.A.S.S. Nation and the Team Championship also offer paths to the Classic.

The Bassmaster Classic takes place over three days. All fish are caught under catch-and-release rules, must measure at least 12 inches (or as that state law requires), and must be alive at the time they are presented for weigh-in or a penalty will be assessed. There is a cut after the second day, in which only the 25 top 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 1980 Classic was held on the Saint Lawrence River out of Alexandria Bay, NY, the 2005 competition was held at Three Rivers (Allegheny River and Monongahela River which forms the Ohio River) in Pittsburgh, with some competitors using tributaries such as the Beaver River and Youghiogheny River miles from the confluence. In 2009 and 2012 the Classic used a 100-mile stretch of the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana. In 2011, the Classic was held on the Louisiana Delta. The Classic venue continues to change from year to year, but tends to revisit prior Classic sites as well.

From its inception to 1976, the Classic was held at a "mystery lake," unknown to competitors until they were aboard an aircraft bound for the site. Founder Ray Scott changed the practice for the 1977 Classic, announcing the site in advance so that fans of the sport could plan ahead to attend.

Past winners

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Year Champion Weight lbs oz Boat Lake Date
1971 United States Bobby Murray 43-11 Rebel Lake Mead, NV Oct 20-22
1972 United States Don Butler 38-11 Ranger Percy Priest Reservoir, TN Oct 25-27
1973 United States Rayo Breckenridge 52-8 BassCat Clarks Hill Lake, SC Oct 24-26
1974 United States Tommy Martin 33-7 BassCat Wheeler Lake, AL Oct 30 - Nov 1
1975 United States Jack Hains 45-4 Ranger Currituck Sound, NC Oct 29-31
1976 United States Rick Clunn 59-15 Ranger Lake Guntersville, AL Nov 3-5
1977 United States Rick Clunn 27-7 Ranger Kissimmee Chain, FL Oct 26-28
1978 United States Bobby Murray 37-9 Ranger Ross Barnett Reservoir, MS Oct 25-27
1979 United States Hank Parker 31-0 Ranger Lake Texoma, TX Sep 26-28
1980 United States Bo Dowden 54-10 Ranger St. Lawrence River, NY Sep 24-26
1981 United States Stanley Mitchell 35-2 Ranger Alabama River, AL Oct 15-17
1982 United States Paul Elias 32-8 Ranger Alabama River, AL Oct 14-16
1983 United States Larry Nixon 18-1 Ranger Ohio River, OH Aug 4-5
1984 United States Rick Clunn 75-9 Ranger Arkansas River, AR Aug 16-18
1985 United States Jack Chancellor 45-0 Ranger Arkansas River, AR Aug 15-17
1986 United States Charlie Reed 23-9 Ranger Tennessee River, TN Aug 14-16
1987 United States George Cochran 15-5 Ranger Ohio River, OH Aug 13-15
1988 United States Guido Hibdon 28-8 Ranger James River, VA Aug 25-27
1989 United States Hank Parker 31-6 Ranger James River, VA Aug 17-19
1990 United States Rick Clunn 34-5 Ranger James River, VA Aug 23-25
1991 United States Ken Cook 33-2 Ranger Chesapeake Bay, MD Aug 22-24
1992 United States Robert Hamilton, Jr 59-6 Ranger Lake Logan Martin, AL Jul 30 - Aug 1
1993 United States David Fritts 48-6 Ranger Lake Logan Martin, AL Aug 12-14
1994 United States Bryan Kerchal 36-7 Ranger High Rock Lake, NC Jul 28-30
1995 United States Mark Davis 47-14 Ranger High Rock Lake, NC Aug 3-5
1996 United States George Cochran 31-14 Ranger Lay Lake, AL Aug 8-10
1997 United States Dion Hibdon 34-13 Ranger Lake Logan Martin, AL Aug 7-9
1998 United States Denny Brauer 46-3 Ranger High Rock Lake, NC Aug 6-8
1999 United States Davy Hite 55-10 Ranger Louisiana Delta, LA Jul 29-31
2000 United States Woo Daves 27-13 Ranger Lake Michigan, IL Jul 20-22
2001 United States Kevin VanDam 32-5 Triton Louisiana Delta, LA Aug 2-4
2002 United States Jay Yelas 45-13 Skeeter Lay Lake, AL Jul 25-27
2003 United States Michael Iaconelli 37-14 Triton Louisiana Delta, LA Aug 1-3
2004 Japan Takahiro Omori 39-2 Triton Lake Wylie, NC Jul 31 - Aug 1
2005 United States Kevin VanDam 12-15 Nitro Three Rivers, PA Jul 29-31
2006 United States Luke Clausen 56-2 Triton Kissimmee Chain, FL Feb 24-26
2007 United States Boyd Duckett 48-10 Triton Lay Lake, AL Feb 23-25
2008 United States Alton Jones 48-7 Skeeter Lake Hartwell, SC Feb 22-24
2009 United States Skeet Reese 54-13 Champion Red River, LA Feb 20-22
2010 United States Kevin VanDam 51-6 Nitro Lay Lake, AL Feb 19-21
2011 United States Kevin VanDam 69-11 Nitro Louisiana Delta, LA Feb 18-20
2012 United States Chris Lane 51-6 Legend Red River, LA Feb 24-26
2013 United States Cliff Pace 54-12 Skeeter Grand Lake, OK Feb 22-24
2014 United States Randy Howell 67-8 Triton Lake Guntersville, AL Feb 21-23
2015 United States Casey Ashley 50-1 Triton Lake Hartwell, SC Feb 20-22
2016 United States Edwin Evers 60-7 [2] Nitro Grand Lake, OK Mar 4-6
2017 United States Jordan Lee 56-10 [3] Legend Lake Conroe, TX Mar 24-26
2018 United States Jordan Lee 47-1 [4] Ranger Lake Hartwell, SC Mar 16-18
2019 United States Ott Defoe 49-3 [5] Nitro Tennessee River, TN Mar 15-17
2020 United States Hank Cherry 65-5 BassCat Lake Guntersville, AL Mar 6-8
2021 United States Hank Cherry 50-15 BassCat Ray Roberts, TX Jun 11-13
2022 United States Jason Christie 54-0 Xpress Lake Hartwell, SC Mar 4-6
2023 Canada Jeff Gustafson 42-7 Lund Tennessee River, TN Mar 24-26
2023 United States Justin Hamner 58-3 Falcon Grand Lake, OK Mar 22-24

Record Book

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  • Largest Bass Caught: 11-10, Preston Clark, Toho, FL 2006
  • Heaviest Venue Total Weight: 54-13, Red River, LA 2009
  • Heaviest Total Weight: 75-9, Rick Clunn, Arkansas River, AR 1984
  • Lowest Total Winning Weight: 12-15. Kevin Van Dam, Three Rivers, PA 2005
  • Heaviest Single Day Weight: 32-3, Paul Mueller, Guntersville, AL 2014
  • Most Bassmaster Classic Wins: 4, Rick Clunn, 1976, 1977, 1984, 1990 / 4, Kevin VanDam, 2001, 2005, 2010, 2011
  • Most Top 5 Classic Finishes: 11, Rick Clunn
  • Most Consecutive Classic Appearances: 28, Rick Clunn, 1974-2001
  • Most Second Place Finishes: 4, Aaron Martens, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2011
  • Largest Final Day Comeback: 13-14 deficit, Jordan Lee, Conroe, TX 2017

References

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  1. ^ 2014 Bassmaster Classic results
  2. ^ "Edwin Evers". Bassmaster. Retrieved 2017-03-27.
  3. ^ "tournaments | Bassmaster". www.bassmaster.com. Retrieved 2017-03-27.
  4. ^ "tournaments | Bassmaster". www.bassmaster.com. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  5. ^ "tournaments | Bassmaster". www.bassmaster.com. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
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