This tournament has a nearly incomprehensible number of angles to it, but the bottom line is that there will be six trophies and seven Bassmaster Classic berths awarded at the conclusion of the two-day co-angler tournament and the three-day pro angler event.
The biggest trophy – in both size and prestige – is for the champion pro angler of the tournament. It includes a berth in the Classic, a $45,000 boat and motor package and $10,000. Slightly smaller in size are the Pro Angler of the Year trophies for both the Eastern and Central divisions. These are determined by the final points standings over the four tournaments in each division and this week’s championship. The two winners will each get a Classic berth and $17,000.
There are three trophies in the co-angler division as well – Co-Angler Championship winner and Co-Angler of the Year in both the Eastern and Central divisions. The co-angler championship winner will receive his entry fees paid for the 2019 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens in his choice of the pro or co-angler divisions plus a boat and motor package valued at $30,000. The co-anglers of the year, based on the season’s points standings, will receive $10,000.
Approximately $250,000 will be awarded to the competitors this week. Everyone will go home with a check.
As to those seven Classic berths, they’ll go to the champion and the top three finishers in the season’s points standings in both the Eastern and Central divisions. If the champion is also among the top three division points leaders, a Classic berth will be awarded to the fourth-place finisher in the points in that division.
You got all that? I’m not sure I do, and I’m getting paid to know it. This is a Russian nesting doll of an event – a tournament within a tournament within a tournament…