The final 6 years have introduced turmoil to the match fishing scene. It began with a big cut up when Main League Fishing took many of the Bassmaster Elite collection area and began the Bass Professional Tour, claiming they had been the best stage of aggressive bass fishing. In the meantime, the Nationwide Skilled Fishing League began up, claiming to be a professional circuit that may deliver the game again to its blue-collar roots.
The 2025 schedules are out, and this season introduced out among the greatest bulletins we’ve seen in skilled fishing.
We’re right here to interrupt down the principles, regs, and modifications for every league in the beginning of 2025.
Bassmaster Elite Sequence
Entry Charges and Payouts
The largest information got here from B.A.S.S., which introduced that there can be no entry charges for Elite Sequence Anglers (briefly). On the face of it, this appeared just like the information bass anglers have been ready on for years.
It’s an precise skilled sport the place the members do not need to pay to play. Nevertheless, upon digging deeper, it appeared that the brand new mannequin will not be within the angler’s greatest curiosity. The explanation? The payouts appeared … problematic.
Primarily, anglers misplaced a $45K expense in entry charges, however the alternative to earn income via winnings was drastically in the reduction of. B.A.S.S. crunched the numbers and acknowledged that 85% of the anglers would have seen increased earnings in one of many final 4 years with the brand new mannequin. Nevertheless, based mostly on social media, anglers had been in disagreement.
Up to date Entry Charges and Payouts
After seeing blowback on the mannequin, B.A.S.S. introduced the creation of the “Elite Angler Advisory Board.”
This board is made up of six elite collection anglers with the aim to enhance communication and enter between anglers and the group of B.A.S.S. With the announcement of the brand new board, B.A.S.S. additionally introduced a restructuring of its mannequin based mostly on angler suggestions.
Now, anglers are required to pay $10,000 for the 12 months in entry charges and the payouts are far more comparable with different trails. The Elite Sequence shall be paying out to Fiftieth place, with Twenty sixth-Fiftieth incomes a examine of $5,500. It will positively assist offset anglers’ bills, and it seems to be a a lot better mannequin than the unique one rolled out earlier this fall.
B.A.S.S. deserves some severe props for taking angler suggestions into consideration and altering accordingly.
Ahead-Dealing with Sonar
B.A.S.S. additionally addressed forward-facing sonar with up to date guidelines relating to the hot-topic expertise. This 12 months, anglers shall be restricted to 1 forward-facing transducer mounted on a trolling motor, with just one trolling motor allowed per boat.
They will have a most of 55 inches of display on your complete boat. Whereas that limits issues barely, it reveals that B.A.S.S. helps the brand new expertise and doesn’t wish to prohibit methods anglers can make the most of.
Format and Schedule
The Elite collection is an ordinary five-biggest bass per day match path with a area of 101 anglers. The very best whole weight all through the match wins all of it. Remember to take a look at the B.A.S.S schedule.
Main League Fishing (Bass Professional Tour)
Entry Charges and Payouts
The 2025 Bass Professional Tour entry charges are $6,428.57 per match. I do know. It’s weirdly particular. I’d love to speak with the accounting division to see how they got here up with that. That expense stings, however nearly half of the 66-man area shall be within the inexperienced, with MLF paying out to thirtieth place, which receives $10K. They’re additionally awarding first place $150K, which is 50% greater than the opposite two excursions.
Ahead-Dealing with Sonar
Main League Fishing introduced what stands out as the most “enjoyable” guidelines relating to forward-facing sonar. Match days include three 2.5-hour intervals. Anglers are solely allowed to make use of forward-facing sonar throughout one interval every day, they usually should announce it earlier than the interval begins.
This could make issues fascinating, and we’ll see how the anglers strategize to make use of the expertise in a restricted vogue. It should additionally enhance the expertise for the viewers, with much less display staring and extra of the “human” fishing types we’re accustomed to seeing.
Format and Schedule
The MLF format is extra sophisticated than the opposite excursions. It’s a catch, weigh, and launch match the place each single scorable bass counts towards the angler’s weight. Day 1 and a pair of are the Qualifying Rounds, the place your complete 66-angler area participates. The winner of the qualifying rounds will get an computerized bid to the Championship Spherical. Second via twentieth place transfer on to the Knockout Spherical.
Within the Knockout Spherical, weights are zeroed. Anglers fish for in the future, and people in first via ninth place advance to the championship spherical.
This leaves 10 anglers on championship day, the place weights begin at zero. The very best weight of that day wins that massive ol’ $150K examine.
Nationwide Skilled Fishing League
Entry Charges and Payouts
The NPFL is in the midst of the highway relating to charges and payouts. Every match has an entry price of $5,200. I can admire the great spherical quantity. They pay out to fortieth place, with fortieth incomes $3,000 and thirty ninth making $7,000. Meaning the highest 39 guys shall be within the inexperienced in every match. Just like the Elite Sequence, first place will get a $100K examine.
Ahead-Dealing with Sonar
I mentioned in the beginning that the fellas on the NPFL are blue-collar, so you already know what meaning. No forward-facing sonar is permitted for use within the match or official apply. Ain’t no one received cash for these fancy fishing computer systems. It’s the one skilled league banning the use, so this match path shall be loaded with basic fishing methods and many fishing boat docks. Should you know, you know.
Format and Schedule
The NPFL is a five-biggest-bass-per-day match the place your complete 126-angler area participates in all 3 days of competitors. There aren’t any lower traces for the ultimate day or championship spherical. The very best whole weight wins. Try the NPFL schedule and comply with alongside.
So, Which Tourney to Watch?
The 2025 skilled bass fishing season guarantees to deliver many modifications to the game. Every league has adjusted guidelines that may absolutely have an effect on viewership and sure have an effect on which organizations wanna-be professional anglers try to qualify for. These modifications will have an effect on the lower-level tournaments in every group and, in flip, have an effect on you, the on a regular basis match angler.
Whether or not you determine to fish the Bassmaster Opens, MLF’s Toyota Sequence, or your native grassroots league, this professional season guarantees to deliver loads of nice fishing, insights into execs’ methods, in addition to main modifications to the business because the excursions look to assert the title of the highest skilled bass fishing league.
