Elite

Photos: 2027 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule

The 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series schedule is set! See the locations and dates that will be featured in 2027!

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The 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series will take anglers from some of the most storied largemouth fisheries in the South to premier smallmouth destinations in the North as B.A.S.S. unveils a nine-event regular-season schedule built to test versatility from start to finish.
Lake Okeechobee
Okeechobee, Fla.
February 11-14
The season-opening swing through Florida will provide an immediate test. Lake Okeechobee’s shallow grass, spawning habitat and trophy largemouth population have long made “The Big O” one of the most recognizable bass fisheries in the country. Its B.A.S.S. history stretches back to 1980, when Roland Martin won the first B.A.S.S. event held there. Ish Monroe later joined the Century Club at Okeechobee in 2012 with 108 pounds, 5 ounces, fueled by two 30-pound limits. The Elite Series most recently visited Okeechobee in 2025, when Brandon Palaniuk won with 95 pounds, 4 ounces.
Kissimmee Chain of Lakes
Kissimmee, Fla.
February 18-21
The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes follows Feb. 18-21, giving anglers another week to contend with expansive vegetation, interconnected lakes and changing Florida conditions. The fishery has produced some of the most remarkable performances in B.A.S.S. history, including Dean Rojas’ record 45-pound, 2-ounce five-bass limit in 2001. Cody Stahl dominated the 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Open presented by Battery Tender with 74 pounds, 6 ounces and a 22-pound, 1-ounce winning margin, which is the largest in Bassmaster Opens history.
Sabine River
Orange, Texas
April 8-11
Following the Bassmaster Classic at Lake Hartwell, the regular season resumes April 8-11 on the Sabine River in Orange, Texas. The sprawling tidal system is known for making every keeper matter and has also produced some of the strongest fan support in Elite Series history. The inaugural Sabine River Elite event in 2013 drew 33,650 fans over four days, establishing an Elite Series attendance record. Greg Hackney went wire to wire there in 2018, and Brock Mosley earned his first top-level B.A.S.S. victory on the Sabine in 2023 after five previous runner-up finishes.
Lake Fork
Yantis, Texas
April 22-25
Two weeks later, Lake Fork takes center stage April 22-25, bringing the Elite field to a legendary big-bass destination where 100-pound totals have become a familiar sight. Brandon Cobb amassed 114 pounds there in 2019, including a 37-15 semifinal-round limit with an 11-1 giant. Patrick Walters followed in 2020 with 104-12 and a 29-10 margin of victory, the largest in Elite Series history. In 2024, Trey McKinney became the youngest Elite Series champion at age 19, topping 30 pounds every day and finishing with 130-15, the fourth-heaviest winning total in B.A.S.S. history at the time. All 10 finalists exceeded 100 pounds in that event.
Lake Seminole
Bainbridge, Ga.
May 6-9
The schedule then turns east to Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Ga., May 6-9. With its vegetation, river influences and mixture of shallow and offshore habitat, Seminole gives anglers multiple ways to build a winning pattern. Shaw Grigsby won B.A.S.S. events there in 1993 and 2000, while Brett Hite captured his Elite Series debut on Seminole in 2014 with 97-10. Joey Cifuentes added another memorable chapter in 2023, earning his first Elite Series blue trophy with 85-2 during a rookie season in which he would win twice.
Santee Cooper Lakes
Clarendon, SC
May 20-23
From there, the field moves to Santee Cooper Lakes in S.C., May 20-23. Lakes Marion and Moultrie are known for trophy largemouth, cypress-filled backwaters and the potential for dramatic swings in weight. Drew Cook showcased the fishery’s shallow-water potential in 2022 when he earned his first Elite victory with 105-5 and a Century Club belt. Most recently, Chris Johnston ran away from the field in 2026, accumulating 113-12 and winning by 19-12 for his second blue trophy and first Elite victory targeting Southern largemouth.
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
Columbus, Miss.
June 17-20
The final Southern stop before the summer break comes June 17-20 on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in Columbus, Miss. The Tenn-Tom offers current, backwaters, locks and long-run decisions across a massive playing field. The waterway has a long B.A.S.S. history, including Mississippi legend Paul Elias’ 2004 victory on the Tombigbee. Trey Schroeder won a dramatic 2025 Bassmaster Open there by just 8 ounces before Jason Christie emerged from a tightly packed leaderboard in 2026 to claim the first Elite Series event on the Tenn-Tom with 58 pounds, 2 ounces, earning his ninth B.A.S.S. title.
Lake St. Clair
Macomb County, Michigan
August 5-8
After the break, the Elite Series heads north to Lake St. Clair in Macomb County, Mich., Aug. 5-8. One of the premier smallmouth fisheries in the Great Lakes region, St. Clair consistently produces both numbers and quality and was named the best bass lake in America in Bassmaster Magazine’s 2013 100 Best Bass Lakes rankings. Todd Faircloth won there in 2015 with 84-7 as Aaron Martens secured his third Bassmaster Angler of the Year title, and Joey Cifuentes won with 91-8 in 2023, when every member of the Top 10 exceeded 80 pounds.
Upper Mississippi River
La Crosse, Wisc.
August 19-22
The 2027 regular season concludes Aug. 19-22 on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis. The river’s current, vegetation, backwaters and abundance of both largemouth and smallmouth bass create a fitting final test. Rick Clunn won the first La Crosse B.A.S.S. event in 1983, while Bryan Schmitt captured a four-ounce thriller there in 2022. Wisconsin native Pat Schlapper won close to home in 2025 with 66-5, the heaviest winning weight recorded in a Mississippi River Elite event at La Crosse.

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