Free-to-play game gives fishing fans chance to build their dream team and compete for fishing and hunting experiences valued at up to $6,000

EASTLAND, Texas (Oct. 5, 2026) – World Bass Enterprises announced today the launch of The Champions Fantasy Fishing Game Presented by Major League Fishing, giving fishing fans another way to follow the action and test their knowledge of the anglers competing in The Champions on Old Hickory Lake outside of Nashville, Tennessee, Oct. 29-31. The event will bring together 60 of the world’s top professional anglers to compete for a record-setting $3.25 million dollar purse, including $1.25 million for the winner – the largest payout in bass fishing history.

The free-to-play fantasy game opens Oct. 5 and challenges participants to assemble a 10-angler team they believe will produce the highest combined cumulative weight during The Champions. Players will select five anglers from each of two designated flights and compete against fellow fishing fans for three prize packages provided by World Bass Enterprises.

Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, will serve as presenting sponsor of the game, continuing its support of innovative opportunities that bring fishing fans closer to the sport and its competitors.

“We’re excited to work with Major League Fishing to add another interactive element to The Champions,” said Brian Bird, CEO and Owner of World Bass Enterprises. “Fantasy sports are a huge part of how fans follow their favorite teams and athletes, and fishing lends itself perfectly to that experience. MLF understands better than anyone how passionate fishing fans are and how much they enjoy following anglers, studying tournaments and making their own picks. Their support helps us bring that experience to fans in a fun new way.”

To play, participants can visit The Champions Fantasy Fishing Game Presented by Major League Fishing beginning Oct. 5 and create a free Fantasy Fishing account. Players will then select a team of 10 anglers, choosing five from Flight 1 (Stars) and five from Flight 2 (Stripes), with the two flights representing the sport’s two professional leagues. Selections will lock at takeoff on the opening day of competition.

Each player’s score will be based on the combined cumulative weight caught by the 10 anglers on his or her fantasy team throughout the tournament. Players will also answer a tiebreaker question predicting the total single-day weight caught by the tournament-winning angler on the final day of competition.

Fans can follow their fantasy selections and all of the action from The Champions through WBE’s pay-per-view livestream. Coverage begins Wednesday, Oct. 28, with Media Day and opening ceremonies and continues through Sunday, Nov. 1, featuring all three days of tournament competition, live boat cameras, weigh-ins, replays and highlights, plus exclusive coverage of the Sunday Pro-Am. For complete livestream details and to purchase a PPV pass, visit WorldBassEnterprises.com/ppv.

“Anything that gives fishing fans another reason to follow the anglers, learn their strengths and stay engaged with a tournament throughout the competition is good for our sport,” said MLF Co-Founder, President and CEO Boyd Duckett. “We’re proud to support World Bass Enterprises and The Champions to help introduce another interactive experience for fishing fans. Partnerships like this create more opportunities to showcase professional anglers and continue growing the audience for professional bass fishing.”

Three fantasy players will earn prize packages from World Bass Enterprises:

• First place: A two-day trophy bass fishing experience with Dalton Smith on O.H. Ivie Lake, plus a $1,000 prepaid gift card – an approximate retail value of $6,000.
• Second place: A whitetail buck hunting experience at the WBE Ranch in Texas, plus a $1,000 prepaid gift card – an approximate retail value of $5,000.
• Third place: A turkey hunting experience at the WBE Ranch in Texas, plus a $1,000 prepaid gift card – an approximate retail value of $4,000.

The Champions 2026 Fantasy Fishing Game Presented by Major League Fishing is free to play. Eligible participants must be legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States or District of Columbia, age 18 or older and the age of majority in their state of residence. The game is designed as a skill-based competition and may not be used for any form of gambling.

Fantasy team selections open at 12:01 p.m. ET Oct. 5 and remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 28. Players may change their selections prior to the lock time.

For complete game details, registration and official rules, visit WorldBassEnterprises.com. For the latest news and information on Major League Fishing, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

About World Bass Enterprises “The Champions”
“The Champions” tournament, hosted by World Bass Enterprises, will feature 60 of the world’s top anglers competing for a record-breaking purse of more than $3 million, including a $1.25 million payout to the winning angler – the biggest monetary prize ever awarded to a winner of a bass fishing tournament.