BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The longstanding co-angler program within the Bassmaster Opens has been eliminated for the 2025 season, B.A.S.S. announced today. Due to multiple reasons, including fairness to the field of boaters and reduced interest since COVID, the program has been shuttered.
Co-anglers have been a staple in the Bassmaster Opens since the inception of the league. Not only did these anglers get to compete for great prizes, but they were able to learn from veteran anglers while competing. When COVID struck our nation in 2020, the number of anglers signing up to compete as co-anglers diminished due to state restrictions and general health concerns during that time. The numbers have remained low since.
Last year, boaters expressed concerns that there was a fairness issue if they had a co-angler, and competed against a portion of the field who did not have co-anglers. Out of an abundance of caution to maintain the integrity of the sport for the Opens boaters, the elimination of co-anglers became a topic of discussion. This concern, paired with the reduction of non-boaters since 2020 led to the final decision.
“It was a tough call,” said Hank Weldon, Bassmaster Opens tournament director. “But, now that we have a home for our co-anglers in the new B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifiers, it just makes sense. These avid anglers will still have the opportunity to compete at a high level and our Opens pros will be able to pursue their dreams in a league that couldn’t be more fair … or more competitive.”
The 2025 Bassmaster Opens will kick off at Clarks Hill Reservoir on Jan 23-25 (Full Opens Schedule), while the first B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier will be held at Pickwick Lake March 12-14.
