Bassmaster Classic coming back to Birmingham in 2020

The 50th GEICO Bassmaster Classic will be held in Birmingham in Spring 2020, officials with the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex announced during a press conference Monday.

The event is a professional fishing tournament lauded as one of the biggest and most prestigious pro fishing tournaments in the world.

The 2020 event will be the 13th time the Classic has been held in Alabama and the ninth time the event has been held in Birmingham, making it the destination that’s hosted the event more than another. Lake Guntersville has been the host fishery for the event twice before--in 1976 and 2014.

The tournament is scheduled for March 6-8, 2020, with fishing on Lake Guntersville on the Tennessee River. Daily weigh-ins and the Classic Outdoors Expo will happen at the BJCC.

“It’s fitting that the golden anniversary Classic be held in Alabama, where B. A. S. S. was founded more than 50 years ago,” Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B. A. S. S.) CEO Bruce Akin said. “Our plans are to make this the most spectacular celebration of bass fishing in history.”

The bass fishing tournament draws thousands of fans each year. In March, the event generated more than $32 million in economic impact for Knoxville, Tennessee, breaking both attendance and economic impact records, Akin said.

“We are so proud to once again host the Bassmaster Classic, the Super Bowl of bass fishing,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. “We look forward to the great competition the Classic attracts and the dedicated fans who will gather in Birmingham for this incredible event.”

There are 53 spots available in the tournament, with $1 million in total prizes for the winners. The ultimate winner gets $300,000 and their name next to some of the greatest pro anglers in history.

Bassmaster Elite Series Angler Matt Herren from Ashville called Lake Guntersville one of the best bass fishing lakes in the country. jjfkdjdk

“It’s a dynamic fishery. It’s very fertile with a healthy population of fish. And it just keeps producing,” Herren said. “All the pieces of the puzzle just come into place there. It’s such a great stage for the world championship."

This is a developing story and will be updated.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.