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Bassmaster Opens will feature 9 events in nine states during the 2022 flavour

B.A.South.S. officials appear the slate for the 2022 Bassmaster Opens Series, with ix tournaments in three divisions covering nine states every bit the pathway to some of the most-coveted invitations in all of professional bass fishing.

After starting late in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Opens schedule will return in 2022 to a late-wintertime offset appointment with the first tournament, a Southern Segmentation effect, set for Feb. three-v on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Fla.

From there, the Opens will wind through Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, New York and Maryland.

"Involvement in the Opens from both anglers and fans has been at an all-time high the past few seasons," said B.A.South.S. chairman and CEO Hunt Anderson. "The excitement is just growing every bit Opens anglers enjoy success on the Bassmaster Elite Series. In fact, 2020 Opens Angler of the Twelvemonth Bryan New won his start Elite event in February this year on the St. Johns River. The competition has been intense, and we're thrilled to spotlight the future stars of our sport."

The winners of all nine Opens volition earn a berth into the 2023 University Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, provided they accept fished all 3 events in the division where their win occurred. In improver to Classic berths, the Top iii anglers in every division and the Top three in the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Yr overall standings will receive invitations to fish the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series.

"Twelve anglers will earn the correct to fish professionally — to live their dreams on the most prestigious professional tour in bass fishing," Anderson said. "And just like Chris Jones, who finished tertiary at this twelvemonth's Bassmaster Archetype as an Opens qualifier, nine anglers will have a chance at instant stardom in the Classic.

The 2022 Bassmaster Opens Series will feature nine tournaments in iii divisions covering 9 states. Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.South

"Those are the things that will be on the line every time anglers take off for an Open."

Starting the season in Florida has become a tradition for most of the major trails at B.A.S.S., and the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes has been a favored destination of late. The organization'due south well-nigh contempo visit there was for a 2020 Eastern Open that was won by New.

After Kissimmee, the Southern Partition will visit Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tenn., March 31-April 2, and Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South.C., Oct. half dozen-viii.

B.A.South.Southward.'s most recent visit to Cherokee was for a 2020 Eastern Open won by Kentucky pro Matt Robertson, while Hartwell is a mutual B.A.S.S. destination that is scheduled to host the iconic Bassmaster Archetype for the quaternary time, March iv-6, 2022.

In the Fundamental Division, events will exist held on Ross Barnett Reservoir in Ridgeland, Miss., Apr 28-30, the Blood-red River in Shreveport-Bossier, La., Sept. 22-24, and Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Jasper, Texas, Oct. 20-22. It'll mark the first visit to Ross Barnett since 2018 and 35th time B.A.S.S. has held a major event on Sam Rayburn, dating back to 1968.

The trip to the Red River will be the first one for B.A.Due south.South. since the 2018 Central Open won by South Carolina pro Patrick Walters. Most notably, the fishery was the site of the Bassmaster Classic in 2009 and 2012.

"Shreveport-Bossier City is excited to host the 2022 Bassmaster Open up on the Cherry-red River," said Kelly Wells, executive director of the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission. "We look frontward to providing globe-class hospitality for anglers and their families here in Sportsman's Paradise! We also want to give a special thank y'all to the Red River Waterway Committee for co-hosting this incredible event."

The Northern Partition slate will include visits to the James River in Richmond, Va., April 14-16, Oneida Lake in Syracuse, Due north.Y., July 7-9 and the Upper Chesapeake Bay in Cecil County, Md., Sept. eight-10. The latter tournament volition mark B.A.S.Southward.'southward first visit to the Chesapeake since a 2015 Elite Series event won past Alabama pro Aaron Martens.

"We are thrilled to be hosting a prestigious Bassmaster Open up tournament in Cecil County's Upper Bay waters," said Cecil County Executive Danielle Hornberger. "Nosotros consider Bassmaster anglers to be VIPs and look forward to showcasing the best of Cecil throughout their visit. Competitors and fans tin can expect to find beautiful scenery, vibrant small-scale towns and fabulous Chesapeake Bay inspired cuisine while exploring Cecil County, Maryland."
As in the past, the full field will compete the first two days before the boater side is cutting to 10 anglers on Championship Sat. The co-angler champion will be crowned afterward the 24-hour interval ii counterbalance-in.

Entry fees will remain the same for the 2022 Opens circuit. Pro anglers volition pay $ane,800 per result with an $800 eolith due upwardly forepart, while co-anglers volition pay $475 per event with a $200 deposit. Online registration for both pro and co-anglers will begin Nov. nine for B.A.S.S Nation and Life members and B.A.S.S. members Nov. eleven.

"It's e'er overnice to have a adept mix of fisheries that are familiar to united states of america and places we oasis't been to in a while," said Opens Tournament Manager Chris Bowes. "We definitely take that with the 2022 schedule — and we accept a various drove of fisheries that volition exam the versatility of our anglers.

"That always makes for a keen tournament season."

In 2022, Fob Sports will keep to circulate live coverage from Title Sabbatum of each of the division concluding tournaments on FS1 and the Play a joke on Sports digital platforms.

2022 Bassmaster Opens Schedule

Southern
Feb. three-v, Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, Kissimmee, Fla.
March 31-Apr 2, Cherokee Lake, Jefferson Canton, Tenn.
October. 6-8, Lake Hartwell, Anderson, S.C.

Central
Apr 28-30, Ross Barnett Reservoir, Ridgeland, Miss.
Sept. 22-24, Carmine River, Shreveport-Bossier, La.
October. xx-22, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Jasper, Texas

Northern
April 14-16, James River, Richmond, Va.
July 7-ix, Oneida Lake, Syracuse, N.Y.
Sept. 8-x, Upper Chesapeake Bay, Cecil County, Md.