The Progressive 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 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.
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The Latest
New Elite: Matt Messer
Kentucky’s Matt Messer earned a berth to the 2024 Bassmaster Classic by winning the final Bassmaster Opens event of 2023 at Florida’s Harris Chain. This early win and participation in...
A simple guide to early season success in East Texas
The fishing has been red hot here on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, which is not surprising – year after year it remains one of the best bass lakes in the country,...
FXR named title sponsor of the 2026 Elite Series season opener on Lake Guntersville
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. is excited to announce that FXR®, a leading performance apparel brand for anglers and outdoor athletes, will serve as the title sponsor of the 2026 Bassmaster Elite...
How Elite pros scouted for ‘split’ scoping season
For 2026, offseason scouting was more about habitat, not catching bass.
The Cast: B.A.S.S. Superstar Aaron Martens preview
Aaron Martens was revered by many as “The Natural” for his uncanny ability to find and catch bass anywhere, anytime. Find out what made this personable angler stand out as...
The Cast: Turn of the Century preview
From the late 90s and into the new millennium a renaissance occurred with how the sport was covered on television. Technology and the high stakes drama of the new Bassmaster...
The AmBASSador program may save your life
I’ve known B.A.S.S. superfan Paul Fisler for about a decade, as he’s joined me and my wife, Hanna, on hosted trips to Mexico’s Lake El Salto. In fact, he was fishing...
January madness
College basketball goes bonkers during March Madness. Professional bass anglers become afflicted with January madness. For as long as I’ve been fishing Bassmaster tournaments, the 30 days before the first...
New Elite: Aaron Jagdfeld
In his first year fishing a full season of the Bassmaster Opens, Michigan’s Aaron Jagdfeld secured third place in the overall point standings for the Nitro Elite Qualifiers presented by...
An interesting and trying offseason
I’ve had a good offseason, one with some peace, some fun and some trying times. I’ll start with the fact that I spent some time trying to do nothing but...
Toyota Expands Bonus Bucks Contingency Program for 2026
Plano, TX – [1-21-26] – Toyota Motor North America is proud to announce the expansion of the popular Toyota Bonus Bucks contingency program, which will reward more pro anglers with...
Preparing for battle
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my family over the winter months. We did something different this year and vacationed in Florida for the Christmas holidays. Now we’re back home...
The Cast: Bassmaster Angler of the Year
Winning Bassmaster Angler of the Year requires maintaining an uncanny level of consistency across an entire season of the Bassmaster Elite Series. See what it takes from the winners to...
