The 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series is set to begin on March 2nd at historic Lake Eufaula along the Alabama/Georgia line. Though there have been significant changes to the overall format of the Opens for 2023, St. Croix continues to pour back into the sport, returning as the title sponsor of the Bassmaster Opens for the second consecutive season.
Notably, the title sponsor of the Opens will also offer a contingency program again this season, the St. Croix Rewards program.
To qualify for this contingency program, anglers must signup onsite prior to the start of the event and own and use a St. Croix Rod to finish in the Top 10. Any pro that meets these requirements and wins an Open will be awarded an additional $1,000 for their efforts. If the winner doesn’t qualify for this program, the highest qualifying angler in the Top 10 will be awarded $500.
Co-anglers can get in on the action as well, with $500 going to the winner if he or she meets the requirements of the program, or $250 going to the highest finishing qualified co-angler in the Top 10. Outside of the purchase of the rod, there is no cost to participate in the St. Croix Rewards contingency program.
A total of 225 pros and 117 co-anglers will take to Lake Eufaula on Thursday as the season gets underway. The most notable changes to the format come by way of the new Elite Qualifiers (EQ) system, which determines how anglers will be able to qualify for the Bassmaster Elite Series. The St. Croix Opens are still divided into three divisions, for a total of 9 events. But anglers will have to compete in all 9 events to earn points towards an invitation to the 2024 Elites.
Of the 225 pros registered to fish Lake Eufaula, 175 have signed up for all 9 events. In addition to Elite invitations, pros will still be able to make it to the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic if they win an Open, as long as they fish all three events in that division.
There’s more up for grabs though than just Bassmaster Elite and Classic berths. There will be a total payout of over $250,000 at each Open.
Here’s the complete schedule for the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens as well as more on St. Croix Rods.
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Schedule
Division 1
March 2-4, Lake Eufaula, Eufaula, Ala.
May 18-20, Wheeler Lake, Decatur, Ala.
Oct. 12-14, Harris Chain of Lakes, Leesburg, Fla.
Division 2
April 13-15, Toledo Bend, Many, La.
June 15-17, Lake Eufaula, Eufaula, Okla.
Sept. 22-24,Lake of the Ozarks, Osage, Mo.
Division 3
May 3-5, Buggs Island Reservoir, Clarksville, Va.
July 20-22,St. Lawrence River, Waddington, N.Y.
Sept. 14-16, Watts Bar Reservoir, Kingston, Tenn.
