Sept. 10, 2025

B.A.S.S. announces 2026 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens schedule, Live Sonar rule change and EQ qualifications updates

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials today unveiled the schedule for the 2026 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN, eight tournaments spread across two divisions that will challenge anglers on some of the country’s most iconic fisheries.

The Opens have long served as a proving ground for aspiring pros, and in 2026, the trail will once again deliver a diverse slate of fisheries, from Florida grass lakes to Northern smallmouth waters. As always, the stakes are high — the Opens offers competitors a pathway to qualify for the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier Series (EQs) presented by Bass Pro Shops and ultimately the upper echelon of tournament bass fishing: the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.

Division 1 Schedule
• Jan. 29-31 — Kissimmee Chain (Kissimmee, Fla.)
• Apr. 1-3 — Lake Eufaula (Eufaula, Ala.)*
• Apr. 30-May 2 — Lake Norman (Charlotte, N.C.)
• Aug. 20-22 — Lake Erie (Buffalo, N.Y.)*

Division 2 Schedule
• Feb. 19-21 — Sam Rayburn Reservoir (Jasper, Texas)*
• Apr. 23-25 — Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees (Grove, Okla.)
• May 20-22 — Pickwick Lake (Counce, Tenn.)*
• June 18-20 — Upper Mississippi River (La Crosse, Wis.)

*Forward-facing live sonar will be permitted at these events.

To balance traditional techniques with technology innovation, B.A.S.S. announced several competition updates for 2026. Forward-facing live sonar (FFS) will be limited to two tournaments in each division. B.A.S.S. elected to rotate usage by starting one division with FFS and the other without, alternating each event from there. FFS will be allowed on Lake Eufaula and Lake Erie in Division 1 and Sam Rayburn Reservoir and Pickwick Lake in Division 2.

“Year after year, the Bassmaster Opens provide some of the most exciting and diverse competition in bass fishing,” said Chase Anderson, B.A.S.S. CEO. “With legendary stops like Sam Rayburn and Lake Erie alongside other diverse venues, this schedule ensures our anglers — and fans — will see a mix of techniques and fisheries in 2026.”

In recent years, Opens champions have gone on to make their mark on the Elite Series and the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. Easton Fothergill is the ultimate example. The young Minnesota pro won two Opens events in 2024, qualified for the Elite Series and then won the 2025 Bassmaster Classic. The 2026 slate offers anglers the same opportunity to prove their skills and take the next step in their careers.

Entries and payouts will remain consistent with 2025. However, new incentives raise the stakes: the Anglers of the Year (AOY) from each division’s St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN Divisional Angler of the Year standings and the overall Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year will earn berths into the EQs at no cost. In addition to qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic, if an angler enters all four tournaments in a division and wins one, they will also earn a guaranteed berth into the EQs.

Another important change: anglers who enter only a single event will not receive any AOY points. Only full-division participants will earn points toward the 2026 Bassmaster Opens Divisional Angler of the Year races.

There are also updates to the qualifications to the EQs. Anglers who fish all eight Opens will earn overall AOY points, with the Top 35 in those rankings receiving automatic bids to the EQs. Beyond that, the Top 50 by AOY points in each division (not including anglers who qualified through overall AOY points) will also advance, creating more paths for aspiring pros to chase Elite Series dreams.

Registration for the 2026 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN will open November 4. Details will be available on Bassmaster.com.

The Opens are covered across all B.A.S.S. digital, print and social platforms, and six events will be broadcast live on Bassmaster.com, the Bassmaster Channel on Roku and Roku Sports Channel reaching millions of fans worldwide.

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsors: Progressive, Toyota
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Lowrance, Triton Boats, VMC, Yokohama

 

About B.A.S.S.

B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Nitro Boats Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.