Bassmaster Classic

In 1968, Ray Scott officially formed and incorporated the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.). Don Butler from Oklahoma was the first B.A.S.S. member after paying Ray Scott $100 for a lifetime membership. The first ever Bassmaster Magazine would also be published in the same year.

The field has ranged from 24 to 61 anglers. The 2009 competition included women for the first time. 2010 was the last year for women to be given a specific Classic spot. As in previous years, they now have to earn a spot via the Opens or, qualify for the Bassmaster Elite Series and have enough success to gain a spot to the Classic. The Bassmaster College Series, B.A.S.S. Nation and the Team Championship also offer paths to the Classic.

The Bassmaster Classic takes place over three days. All fish are caught under catch-and-release rules, must measure at least 12 inches (or as that state law requires), and must be alive at the time they are presented for weigh-in or a penalty will be assessed. There is a cut after the second day, in which only the 25 top anglers, based on total weight, advance to the third day. The highest total weight after three days wins the competition.

Contestants can only fish in specified areas at the competition venue. Usually, this a lake but the 1980 Classic was held on the Saint Lawrence River in Alexandria Bay, New York. The 2005 competition was held at Three Rivers (Allegheny River and Monongahela River which forms the Ohio River) in Pittsburgh, with some competitors using tributaries including the Beaver River and Youghiogheny River miles from the confluence. In 2009 and 2012 the Classic used a 100-mile stretch of the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana. In 2011, the Classic was held on the Louisiana Delta. The Classic venue continues to change from year to year, but tends to revisit prior Classic sites as well.

From its inception to 1976, the Classic was held at a "mystery lake," unknown to competitors until they were aboard an aircraft bound for the site. Founder Ray Scott changed the practice for the 1977 Classic, announcing the site in advance so that fans of the sport could plan ahead to attend.

The debate of the tool known as "Live Scope" has been a controversial topic since its introduction. Up until 2015, anglers would have to use traditional sonar, local charts, and traditional fishing methods such as 'flippin' and pitching to locate and catch fish. In 2015 however, Garmin, an American technology company, developed the first live scanning sonar. This new technology, known as live scope, took the bass fishing world by storm allowing anglers to watch the fish strike their bait in real time. Live scope made sonar, underwater charts, and traditional fishing methods obsolete as you could watch everything happening underwater on a high resolution screen.

In 2021, live scope was used in the Bassmaster Classic for the first time. The anglers who used it would go on to consistently be top performers at the event. Bassmaster angler Jason Christie said, "It was the easiest fishing I’d ever had in my life". The success of live scope would go on to spark many debates on whether contestants should be allowed to use such a tool. Many anglers advocate for it, but just as many hope it will be banned.

Before the 2025 season, B.A.S.S was pressured into making a decision on the application of live scope. On September 4th, B.A.S.S released a statement explaining that live scope would not be banned. Instead, all anglers participating in the Bassmaster Elite Series and contenders for the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic, would be forced to follow equipment standardization rules. These rules would implement significant guidelines on what and how much technology can be used in the event.

• Largest Bass Caught: 11-10, Preston Clark, Toho, Florida, 2006
• Heaviest Venue Total Weight: 76-15, Easton Fothergill, Lake Ray Roberts, Texas, 2025
• Heaviest Total Weight: 76-15, Easton Fothergill, Lake Ray Roberts, Fort Worth, Texas, 2025
• Lowest Total Winning Weight: 12-15. Kevin Van Dam, Three Rivers, Pennsylvania, 2005
• Heaviest Single Day Weight: 32-3, Paul Mueller, Guntersville, Alabama, 2014
• Most Bassmaster Classic Wins: 4, Rick Clunn, 1976, 1977, 1984, 1990 / 4, Kevin VanDam, 2001, 2005, 2010, 2011
• Most Top 5 Classic Finishes: 11, Rick Clunn
• Most Consecutive Classic Appearances: 28, Rick Clunn, 1974-2001
• Most Second Place Finishes: 4, Aaron Martens, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2011
• Largest Final Day Comeback: 13-14 deficit, Jordan Lee, Conroe, Texas, 2017