The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) is a fishing membership organization with more than a half a million members. It is geared toward bass fishermen, mainly in the United States but with members located worldwide. The society publishes Bassmaster magazine and other related publications, and also produces The Bassmasters weekly television program. B.A.S.S. is best known for the sport fishing tournament trails it sponsors, and for the championship event of its primary series, the Bassmaster Classic. The society's logo is a blue shield with a leaping largemouth bass and the society's acronym.
History
In 1967, Ray Scott of Montgomery, Alabama launched the concept of competitive bass fishing by forming the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. In late 2010, Alabama businessmen Don Logan and Jim Copeland plus veteran broadcaster Jerry McKinnis formed an ownership group to purchase the organization from ESPN. In 2011, the new owners relocated B.A.S.S. headquarters from Celebration, Florida, to Birmingham, Alabama. In 2017 Anderson Media Corp., a 100-year-old family business founded in Ala., acquired a majority interest in B.A.S.S.
The B.A.S.S. organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and an expansive tournament structure while connecting directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its media vehicles. B.A.S.S. is a tournament and membership organization serving more than 515,000 members and their families.
All-time record book
Most B.A.S.S. tournaments won:
25, Kevin VanDam
19, Roland Martin
17, Denny Brauer
16, Rick Clunn
14, Larry Nixon
At the 2020 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, winner and Bassmaster Elite Series angler Patrick Walters set a Bassmaster record for margin of victory by finishing 29 pounds, 10 ounces ahead of the second-place finisher.
Angler of the Year Award
The Angler of the Year (AOY) award is given to the angler who, at the end of the season, has accumulated the most points throughout the year's "Elite Series" tournaments. Winners of the award:
1970 — Bill Dance
1971 — Roland Martin
1972 — Roland Martin
1973 — Roland Martin
1974 — Bill Dance
1975 — Roland Martin
1976 — Jimmy Houston
1977 — Bill Dance
1978 — Roland Martin
1979 — Roland Martin
1980 — Larry Nixon
1981 — Roland Martin
1982 — Larry Nixon
1983 — Hank Parker
1984 — Roland Martin
1985 — Roland Martin
1986 — Jimmy Houston
1987 — Denny Brauer
1988 — Rick Clunn
1989 — Gary Klein
1990 — Guido Hibdon
1991 — Guido Hibdon
1992 — Kevin VanDam
1993 — Gary Klein
1994 — David Fritts
1995 — Mark Davis
1996 — Kevin VanDam
1997 — Davy Hite
1998 — Mark Davis
1999 — Kevin VanDam
2000 — Tim Horton
2001 — Mark Davis
2002 — Davy Hite
2003 — Jay Yelas
2004 — Gerald Swindle
2005 — Aaron Martens
2006 — Michael Iaconelli
2007 — Skeet Reese
2008 — Kevin VanDam
2009 — Kevin VanDam
2010 — Kevin VanDam
2011 — Kevin VanDam
2012 — Brent Chapman
2013 — Aaron Martens
2014 — Greg Hackney
2015 — Aaron Martens
2016 — Gerald Swindle
2017 — Brandon Palaniuk
2018 — Justin Lucas
2019 — Scott Canterbury
2020 — Clark Wendlandt
2021 — Seth Feider
2022 — Brandon Palaniuk
2023 — Kyle Welcher
Tournaments
The first ever B.A.S.S. Federation tournament was held in June 1967 on Beaver Lake, Arkansas. A total of 106 anglers from thirteen different states competed. In that All-American Bass Tournament, Scott charged a $100 entry fee with a chance to win $2,000 and a trip to Acapulco, Mexico. The winner of this first tournament was Stan Sloan.
Scott staged the first Bassmaster Classic in 1971 at Lake Mead, Nevada — though competitors didn't know the location until they were in an aircraft bound for Las Vegas. The "mystery lake" practice continued through 1976; the following year Scott announced the venue in advance so that fans could make plans to attend the event. Since then, the final weigh-in events, and fishing expositions held together with those events, have become huge spectator events filling large arenas and being broadcast live on ESPN.
In 2021, all nine Bassmaster Elite events and the Bassmaster Classic were covered live on Fox Sports platforms and Fox Sports 1.
B.A.S.S Federations sponsor several tournaments and series: