Alabama Bass Trail Announces 2026 ABT 100 Tournament Schedule and Payout

Priority Registration Opens June 1

Decatur, Ala. (March 14, 2026) – The Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) announces dates and locations of the 2026 ABT 100 tournament series which includes a payout reaching $300,000 for all three tournaments. Returning for the sixth season, the tournament series is held on three different lakes beginning January 17, 2026, at Lewis Smith Lake, in Cullman, Alabama. This event attracts professional and amateur anglers from across the United States who will compete for a $25,000 first place prize.

“We are looking forward to taking 100 of the best teams in bass fishing back to the Coosa River in 2026.  We have seen the Coosa River flourish over the last several months and we look forward to showcasing these awesome fisheries to our fan base around the world”. said ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson.

The ABT 100 Series is open to professional and amateur anglers and features three tournaments. The maximum number of boats for each tournament is 100. Entry fee for each event is $1,000 and teams must fish in all three tournaments. (No single entries allowed.)

Tournament dates and locations for the 2026 Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series:

January 17, 2026 Lewis Smith Lake, Cullman, Ala., hosted by Visit Cullman
June 6, 2026 Neely Henry Lake, Gadsden, Ala., hosted by City of Gadsden
November 7, 2026 Lake Jordan, Wetumpka, Ala., hosted by Elmore County Economic Development Authority and the City of Wetumpka

 

Each tournament features a $25,000 guaranteed first place prize and pays 20 places plus a $1,000 big fish totaling $100,000.

Payout Schedule:

First place $25,000
Second place $12,500
Third place $10,000
Fourth place $ 9,000
Fifth place $ 7,500
Sixth place $ 6,000
Seventh place $ 5,000
Eighth place $ 4,000
Ninth place $ 3,000
Tenth place $ 2,000
11th – 20th $ 1,500 each
Big Fish $ 1,000

 

The ABT 100 Series will bring live on-the-water tournament action to viewers directly from the boats competing in the events and also will be televised later in 2026. The weigh-in and Live Leaderboard for each event will be streamed live on www.AlabamaBassTrail100.org, on Facebook at Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series and on the Alabama Bass Trail TV YouTube channel.

The entry fee is $3,000 per team. Each team may choose to pay a $1,500 non-refundable deposit to hold the team’s spot. The balance of $1,500 must be paid by December 1, 2025. Registration is limited to 100 boats and teams that fished the ABT 100 in 2024 will receive priority registration beginning June 1 until June 10, 2025, at www.AlabamaBassTrail100.org. Registration opens for new teams on June 11, 2025, at 6:00 A.M. CST.

The Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series made its debut in January 2021 with professional and amateur anglers from 13 different states competing. Anglers will be traveling from across the United States to compete in the 2026 ABT 100 Series.

ABT 100 Series sponsors include Phoenix Bass BoatsLanders McLarty ChevroletMcGraw–Webb ChevroletAcademy Sports + OutdoorsAdvantage Trailer RentalsAlabama State ParksJack’sMountain DewFishAlabama.orgAmerica’s First Federal Credit UnionVisit North AlabamaAlabama Tourism DepartmentT-H Marine Supplies, Inc., Power-Pole Total Boat ControlYamahaVMCRapalaCrush CityAmerican BaitworksPro-Guide BatteriesBuffalo Rock CompanyGarminLew’sStrike King, and Southern Protection Agency SPA.

For more information, call Donaldson at 855.934.7425 or visit online at www.AlabamaBassTrail100.org, on Facebook at Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series and on Instagram at albasstrail100.

About Alabama Bass Trail Since its inception, the Alabama Bass Trail has generated over $103 million in tourism revenue for Alabama, underscoring its importance as a premier fishing destination.

The Alabama Bass Trail is a program of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association. Its mission is to promote Alabama as a year-round fishing destination, to preserve natural resources for generations to come, and to educate high school and college-aged students to be good stewards of natural resources. The 13 bass fishing lakes consist of Lake Guntersville, Wheeler Lake, Pickwick Lake, Lewis Smith Lake, Neely Henry Lake, Weiss Lake, Lake Martin, Lay Lake, Logan Martin Lake, Lake Jordan, Alabama River, Lake Eufaula, and the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. For more information, visit www.alabamabasstrail.org and www.alabamabasstrail100.org.