Bassmaster Classic

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.

Rules and procedures

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

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

Record Book

• 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

External links

• [1]
• Bassmaster Classic 2008 Update Venue
• BASS official site
• About.com Archived 2009-06-08 at the Wayback Machine
• 2007 Classic qualifiers
• 2008 Classic update
• 2008 Classic update
• 2008 Classic update