Scottsboro, AL (October 22, 2024) – If you dig into the history of tournament bass fishing, you’ll find the blood, sweat, and tears of a dedicated group of anglers and hard-working folks in Alabama. Front and center, you’ll find the late Ray Scott, the genius behind the first professional bass fishing tournaments dating back to the 1960s.

Years after the launch of the Bassmaster Series and the Bassmaster Classic (aka “The Super Bowl of Bass Fishing”), numerous other national pro bass fishing circuits popped up, many of which still exist today, like Bassmaster itself, MLF, NPFL, and several others.

Well, meet a new, first of its kind, organization founded in Scott’s home state of Alabama, a group called Unified Pros: a nonprofit, with no ownership, promising to be the biggest news in tournament bass fishing since those early days of Ray Scott, Roland Martin, Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, and other passionate anglers who birthed a new professional sport and subsequently created a billion-dollar-plus industry across the world.

Working hand-in-hand, Unified Pros and the State of Alabama will launch its first tournament, the Ultimate Angler Championship—October 5-11, 2025 on Lake Guntersville, near Scottsboro, Alabama, with a guaranteed 1st Place payout of $500,000—the largest pot in bass fishing’s history—and a total of over 1 million in cash payouts.

Alabama Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth said, “The Ultimate Angler Championship is not just a fishing tournament; it is an opportunity to unite anglers from diverse backgrounds, highlighting their talents while fostering camaraderie and mutual respect for a sport we all love in the place where tournament bass fishing began…the great state of Alabama.”

Alabama State Senate Majority Leader, Steve Livingston, said “Alabama offers outdoor recreational activities unlike any other place in the world, and we are committed to conserving our abundant, God-given natural resources. We are absolutely thrilled to host The Ultimate Angler World Championship in Scottsboro, as we put Alabama on the map for competitive fishing and will continue to raise funds for further conservation initiatives.”

The Ultimate Angler Tournament is being modeled after The Masters golf tournament, and will be open to qualifying college anglers, amateurs, and pros. The tournament winner will be the first and only champion crowned across multiple bass fishing leagues and tournament trails.

The tournament will take place October 5-11, 2025 on Lake Guntersville near Scottsboro, Alabama.

Unified Pros is a nonprofit alliance of professional athletes. Through sanctioned competitions, charity events, and membership, the organization aims to elevate a love for outdoor competition while raising awareness for fisheries, habitats, and their continued conservation. Through collaborative partnerships with esteemed organizations such as the Major League Fishing Anglers Association (MLFAA), Bassmaster Professional Anglers, National Professional Fishing league (NPFL), NFL Professional Players Association (NFLPA), MLB Players Association (MLBPA), NBA Players Association (NBAPA), and Professional Golfers Association (PGA), Unified Pros aims to create Pro-Pro events that bring together professionals from various sports disciplines in unique and competitive formats.

These events will not only offer major payouts to winners, but also serve as platforms to raise awareness for outdoor activities and conservation efforts.

By harnessing the collective influence of these athletic associations, Unified Pros envision creating extraordinary experiences that unite athletes, build camaraderie, and promote the importance of preserving our outdoors and fisheries.