Announced New Tournament Dates For Alabama Bass Trail

Sanctioned by BASS (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society), the Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series contains two divisions, North and South, and each division is made up of five tournaments on five different lakes.

Alabama Bass Trail Announces New Tournament Dates

Decatur, Ala. – The Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series will enter its twelfth season next year as the state’s premier weekend tournament trail for amateur bass anglers with an 11-event schedule offering more than $750,000 in prizes and awards. The season gets underway February 8, 2025, on Smith Lake and concludes Oct. 17-18, 2025, with the championship on Wheeler Lake.

“Each year our team works hard with our host communities to put together a schedule that we feel highlights the fisheries and puts our anglers on the lakes at the best possible time for success. I believe the 2025 schedule does just that. Anglers are going to experience fishing swift current, bridges, sight fishing, ledge fishing and submerged timber and brush piles, and fans will have a front row seat of the action with five hours of live on the water coverage at each event,” said Alabama Bass Trail Program Director Kay Donaldson.

Sanctioned by BASS (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society), the Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series contains two divisions, North and South, and each division is made up of five tournaments on five different lakes. The maximum number of boats for each tournament is 225. Teams must fish in all five tournaments in their respective division; no single entries will be allowed.

North Division:

February 8, 2025

Smith Lake hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County

March 15, 2025

Lake Guntersville hosted by Marshall County Sports and Tourism

April 19, 2025

Neely Henry Lake hosted by City of Gadsden

May 10, 2025

Weiss Lake hosted by Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce

June 14, 2025

Pickwick Lake hosted by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism

South Division:

February 22, 2025

Lake Martin hosted by Tallapoosa County Tourism

March 29, 2025

Logan Martin Lake hosted by City of Lincoln

April 26, 2025

Alabama River (Cooter's Pond) hosted by City of Prattville

May 17, 2025

Lake Eufaula hosted by Eufaula-Barbour County Chamber of Commerce

June 21, 2025

Lay Lake hosted by Discover Shelby

Hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism, the championship tournament will be held October 17-18, 2025, on Wheeler Lake.

The no-entry fee championship event will include up to 175 boats. The 175 boats are comprised of the 10 regular season winners, top 75 teams in points from both divisions that fished all five events in their respective divisions, along with the top five student teams, top five college teams and the top five couples teams collectively from both divisions that fished all five events in their respective division.

Each regular season tournament features a $15,000 guaranteed first place prize and pays 40 places totaling $64,450.

The no-entry fee championship will feature a $100,250 payout with a first place prize of $50,000. There is also a $5,000 bonus cash prize for Angler of the Year and $2,500 for runner-up Angler of the Year.

2025 Payout Schedule:

First Place

$15,000

Second Place

$7,500

Third Place

$6,000

Fourth Place

$4,000

Fifth Place

$3,000

Sixth Place

$2,000

Seventh Place

$1,300

Eighth Place

$1,300

Nineth Place

$1,300

Tenth Place

$1,300

11th – 15th

$1,000 each

16th – 25th

$750 each

26th – 30th

$600 each

31st – 40th

$500 each

Big Fish

$1,000

ABT Gear

$250

2025 Championship Payout:

First Place

$50,000

Second Place

$10,000

Third Place

$5,000

Fourth Place

$4,000

Fifth Place

$3,000

Sixth Place

$2,500

Seventh Place

$2,200

Eighth Place

$2,000

Nineth Place

$1,800

Tenth Place

$1,500

11th – 15th

$1,200 each

16th – 25th

$1,100 each

Big Fish

$500 daily

ABT Gear

$250

In addition, the Alabama Bass Trail will pay the $500 entry fee for the 18 teams who qualify for the B.A.S.S. Team Championship. According to Donaldson, over $750,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded when the Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series wraps up its season in 2025.

Anglers who fished all five events in their respective divisions in 2024 will be given a priority entry period beginning August 1, 2024, at 6 a.m. CST online at www.alabamabasstrail.org. Registration opens for new teams August 15 at 6 a.m. CST. The entry fee is $1,600 per team, which includes registration for all five tournaments in the respective division. Each team may choose to pay a $600 nonrefundable deposit to hold the team’s spot. The balance of $1000 is due on or before December 20, 2024.

Alabama Bass Trail Tournament sponsors include Phoenix Bass BoatsLanders McLarty ChevroletMcGraw–Webb ChevroletAcademy Sports + OutdoorsAdvantage Trailer RentalsAlabama State ParksBig Bite BaitsBusch LightJack’sMountain DewFishAlabama.orgAmerica’s First Federal Credit UnionVisit North AlabamaAlabama Tourism DepartmentT-H Marine Supplies, Inc., Power-Pole Total Boat ControlYamahaVMCRapalaCrush CityAmerican BaitworksPro-Guide BatteriesBuffalo Rock Company and Garmin.

WOTM – TV will continue the live-streaming and Angler’s Channel will film and produce the Alabama Bass Trail television series to air at a later date.

For more information, call Donaldson at 855-934-7425 or visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.