DECATUR, Ala. – After a successful inaugural year, the Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) is pleased to announce the 2015 tournament schedule. The 10-lake, team-style tournament series will be held on ten of the lakes of the Alabama Bass Trail beginning February 14, 2015, with the championship tournament to be held on the 11th lake October 9-10, 2015.
“The Alabama Bass Trail tournament format has been wildly successful, pulling anglers from six states and creating an economic impact of over $1 million in the areas around the Trail’s lakes,” said ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson. “I am so proud of what our state has accomplished while promoting the sport of bass fishing. We have showcased these lakes to the world and provided a needed boost to the local economies.”
The Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series gets underway February 14, 2015. The tournament trail contains two divisions: North and South. Each division is made up of five tournaments on five different lakes. The maximum number of boats for each tournament is 225, an increase from the 200-boat limit in the 2014 tournament series. In 2015, no single entries will be allowed. Teams must fish in all five tournaments in their respective division.
North Division:
Lake Guntersville – February 28, 2015
Neely Henry Lake – March 28, 2015
Lewis Smith Lake – April 11, 2015
Logan Martin Lake – May 9, 2015
Pickwick Lake – June 6, 2015
South Division:
Lake Jordan – February 14, 2015
Lake Eufaula – March 14, 2015
Alabama River – April 25, 2015
Mobile-Tensaw Delta – May 30, 2015
Lay Lake – June 20, 2015
The number of entries for the championship tournament increases from 125 boats to 145 boats. The 145 boats are comprised of the 10 divisional tournament winning teams, top 55 teams in points from both divisions that fished all five events in their respective divisions, along with the top 25 student boats collectively from both divisions that fished all five events in their respective division. Hosted by the Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the championship tournament is set for October 9-10, 2015 on Wheeler Lake.
Anglers who fished all five events in their respective divisions in 2014 will be given a priority entry period from August 1 to August 14, 2014, to register online at www.alabamabasstrail.org – click on Tournament Series and then click on Register. Registration will be open to the public on August 15, 2014. The entry fee per division is $1,250 per team, which includes registration for all five tournaments in the respective division.
According to Donaldson, the North Division sold out, reaching its 200-boat limit in 72 days, and the South Division had an average of 160 teams participating in its tournaments. “A trail like the ABT doesn’t just happen, it has been a collaborative effort requiring time and energy from many individuals and steadfast support from sponsors and anglers who are all focused on a common goal – to showcase bass fishing in Alabama,” added Donaldson.
Alabama Bass Trail Tournament sponsors include Bill Penney Toyota; the Alabama Tourism Department; Phoenix Bass Boats, Inc.; McDonalds of Alabama; Pradco-FISHING, representing BOOYAH and YUM; Dobyns Rods; Randy Jones Agency – Nationwide; T & H Marine Supplies, Inc.; Alabama Power Company; Buffalo Rock, Inc.; Jet-Pep, Inc.; Tennessee Valley Authority; Rigid Industries, Inc.; and Frogg Toggs, Inc.; Go Pro and Gander Mountain; Garmin; and YETI. Fishlife will be the official tournament directors and Southern Stream Live will be the live-streaming company.
The excitement continues as we also announce that the 2016 Championship on Lake Eufaula hosted by the Eufaula-Barbour County Chamber of Commerce will be held on October 7-8, 2016.Alabama Bass Trail Tournament sponsors include Bill Penney Toyota; the Alabama Tourism Department; Phoenix Bass Boats, Inc.; McDonalds of Alabama; Pradco-FISHING, representing BOOYAH and YUM; Dobyns Rods; Randy Jones Agency – Nationwide; T & H Marine Supplies, Inc.; Alabama Power Company; Buffalo Rock, Inc.; Jet-Pep, Inc.; Tennessee Valley Authority; Rigid Industries, Inc.; and Frogg Toggs, Inc.; Go Pro and Gander Mountain; Garmin; and YETI. Fishlife will be the official tournament directors and Southern Stream Live will be the live-streaming company.
The excitement continues as we also announce that the 2016 Championship on Lake Eufaula hosted by the Eufaula-Barbour County Chamber of Commerce will be held on October 7-8, 2016.
