Register for the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley
San Antonio, TX (July 9, 2023) – In just over two months, the Association of Collegiate Anglers will contest its first major event of the 2023-24 season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. The event to be held at Kentucky Lake on September 23rd and 24th is one of the longest running collegiate fishing events in the nation.
The Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley will be contested on Kentucky Lake in Henry County and Paris, TN. This ACA event features no-entry-fee for college anglers and is a nationally televised, big bass format tournament paying out a total of 80 individual places. The tournament payout will boast over $25,000 in prizes and contingencies, along with double points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Register for the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley.
“We are excited to kick off the 19th season of the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series,” said Wade Middleton, ACA Director and CarecoTV President. “The ACA has been hosting tournaments at Kentucky Lake in Paris, TN for nearly 15 years now, and this event will mark a great start to the 2023-24 season.”
The Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley is a two-day, big bass format event consisting of a total of seven weigh-in sessions. On the first day of tournament competition, there will be four weigh-in sessions, with each session paying out the Top 10 biggest bass for that hour. During Day 2, there will be three weigh-in sessions. The first two sessions will pay out the Top 10 biggest bass, and the final session of the day will award prizes to the Top 20.
On Day 2 of tournament competition, anglers will be permitted to use only Berkley baits. A twist that was first introduced close to five years ago, the Berkley baits only rule on Day 2 creates a lot of excitement and buzz amongst the anglers. The award-winning lineup of Berkley baits is comprised of hard baits and soft plastics that can catch prize winning Kentucky Lake bass on any cast. Multiple times in the past, the overall biggest bass of the event has been caught on Day 2 of tournament competition.
Read more about the Berkley baits only rules and view the complete rules for the event here.
In 2022, the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley was comprised of an elite field of 520 college anglers. The first ACA event of the fall creates a lot of excitement for college anglers who are eager for the start of a new school year and college fishing season.
“The 2023 Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley will be a great start to the 2023-24 season,” noted Kyle Curry, ACA Managing Director. “Last year’s event kicked off what turned out to be a historic season for the ACA. What great accomplishments will the anglers achieve and history making moments might we witness this go around? Only time will tell as the season progresses, and we are excited to get the new year underway.”
The Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley will be the first ACA double points event in the 2023-24 race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Being one of the first major college events to count for points in this cycle, the event will be crucial in defining who the early contenders are to win the title come season’s end.
