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.
7-469: 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. 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
14-736: 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
21-902: 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,
28-611: 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. Rick Clunn Rick Clunn (born July 24, 1946) is a professional bass fisherman . Clunn has won the Bassmaster Classic tournament four times, in 1976, 1977, 1984, and 1990, tying him with Kevin Van Dam for
35-479: The final day of competition on the St. Johns River, Clunn caught two 9-plus pound largemouths to solidify his victory. He first set the record on March 20, 2016 also on the St. Johns River. Clunn, won the tournament with a four-day total weight of 81 pounds, 15 ounces. With that win, he became the oldest person to ever win a Bassmaster tournament at 69, until breaking that record again in 2019. Clunn gained his victory with
42-561: The most Bassmaster Classic wins. Clunn is considered one of the best anglers of all time, having placed in the top 10 in over 100 tournaments, and winning seventeen of those. In 1988, he was voted Angler of the Year by the B.A.S.S. organization. In 2001, he was inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. On February 12, 2019, Clunn beat his own record as the oldest angler to win a Bassmaster Elite Series event at 72 years old. On
49-513: 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,
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