The Bassmaster Elite Series is the highest level of professional bass fishing tournaments. Competitors must qualify for the series through the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens or the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation, and anglers who are already on the Elite Series must re-qualify each year by maintaining enough points throughout the season. The pro anglers compete all season for the opportunity to win points toward the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year award and to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic.
The series was founded in 2006. Its predecessors were the Bassmaster Tour, Top 150 and Top 100.
The Latest
Best of 2024: Elite, Opens aerials
Bassmaster drone pilot Craig Lamb chooses his favorite aerials of the season and shares the moments.
Focused on the Classic
It’s late November, and I’m home in northern Texas. We’re finally getting cooler weather and dropping water temperatures on our reservoirs. These changes have me intensely focused on Lake Ray...
What I’m thankful for
I’ve been very open about the fact that my 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series season was disappointing. With the exception of a top 20 at Lake Champlain, I had very poor...
Day on the lake: Marc Frazier
See the latest Day on the Lake feature with Bassmaster Elite Series pro Marc Frazier.
Critical adjustments to changing fall conditions
During late fall in the Southeast, the most important thing to consider is water temperature. That will dictate your approach because fish behavior changes dramatically with these changing conditions. It...
Daily Limit: Risk lets LeHew enjoy reward
Facing a do-or-die scenario, Shane LeHew vowed to send it. The 35-year-old from Catawba, N.C., stood outside Classic qualification heading into the season-ending St. Lawrence River tournament. LeHew assessed his...
Another amazing trip to Down Under
No matter what level you compete at, if you enjoy fishing tournaments of any kind, you probably appreciate the camaraderie and friendships you develop with your like-minded competitors. I have...
Bank on a $45,000 profit
When B.A.S.S. announced the new “no entry fee” change for the Bassmaster Elite Series next season, I looked at it for a couple of days and let it soak in...
Best of 2024: Elite dogs
Check out 131 photos of furry bass fishing fans who visited an Elite Series event in 2024.
Excited for 2025 change
A lot of my fellow competitors first heard about the news of no entry fees for the 2025 Elite Series through the email from B.A.S.S., but the way I found...
Quirky tactics for winter bass
When winter grips the country, bass anglers feel a bit hamstrung when it comes to lure choices.
Big bass of 2024 Elites
The Johnstons complete their Canadian incursion and Hamner lands heaviest bass caught on Bassmaster LIVE.
A whirlwind month of fishing
In my last column, I mentioned I was going to North Carolina’s Outer Banks for the second time with a crew of family and friends to surf fish for saltwater...
