Major Changes at BASS for '06

   BASS woke up. They finally saw things as we've been seeing them. Tournaments smashed into the spring, long summer/fall break with no tournaments, and FLW with a higher championship purse. Since Don Rucks became the new GM of BASS, things have changed quickly. 2006 sees a huge change for the better in the BASS Tour. Most notably:

• The Classic will now be held at the beginning of each tournament season. February, in 2006.
• The Elite 50s are gone. To replace them is the Bassmaster Memorial, the Bassmaster American, and the Bassmaster Legends.
• Tour-level events will now be held almost year-round, starting in February with the Classic and ending in October with the Shootout.
• Increase in Classic payout - the champion now makes half a million dollars, with $1 million being the total payout.

   Classic - In 1999, Davy Hite weighed a very heavy Classic stringer for victory - 55-10. Since that time, however, Classic weights have been low. Woo Daves won in 2000 with 27-13, while 2001 marked the Classic's return to New Orleans. Kevin VanDam won that one with 32-05, notably less than Hite's total on the same waters. 2002: Jay Yelas won with 45-13, while Mike Iaconelli took the Classic crown (again in New Orleans) the next year with 37-14. The 2005 Classic will be held in Pittsburg. Big stringers there, hah. This Classic will most likely produce even lower weights. While the weights have been average since 1999, BASS hopes to make them heavier. By putting the Classic in February, a Florida Classic could see some extremely different winning weights. Toho? Okeechobee? Kissimmee? Sounds good to BASS, the pros, and the fans.

   Edwin Evers sums it up nicely: "At that time of year, we should have some really great fishing. There should be some heavy weights weighed in and some records are going to be shattered. I think all of the Classic records will be in jeopardy!"

   "A late February or early March Classic accomplishes our objective to fish the best waters at the very best times," said BASS Tournament Director Trip Weldon. Case in point.

   Elite 50s/Majors - According to Dean Kessel, VP of Operations for BASS, the new Bassmaster Majors replace the Elite 50s as a "natural progression from the Elite 50 Series. These majors, named the Bassmaster Memorial, the Bassmaster American and the Bassmaster Legend will showcase the best of the best anglers in bass fishing." Exactly what the Elite 50s were for.

   Year round tournaments - “The Tour is the foundation of our tournament trail,” new BASS GM Don Rucks said. “An 11-event Tour season means that the CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year will be much more meaningful because the anglers will be challenged to the fullest extent.” Good point, but what about the fans constantly pushing for a year-round tournament season? Quite honestly, it gets a little boring in the fall with no Tour tournaments to keep up with. The change was a good move for BASS.

   Another noted point: pros who excel in fall fishing have had a rough time in tournaments recently. Look for David Fritts, Rick Clunn, and the like to return to the top. 

   Increase in Classic payout - who will argue with this one? Certainly not the pros. Fans love to see the elite battle it out for a huge purse. BASS finally caught up with FLW's higher payouts, and I don't think you'll hear any opposition to the plan.

   Now you know the rest of the story. Like the changes? Vote on or post about it.

By Brandon Shook

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