Louisiana Sportsman's Show Bass Tournament puts $35,000 up for grabs

Bass fishermen hurry, tournament limited to 175 teams.

Andy Crawford

The winners of the Louisiana Sportsman Bass Championship Open will pocket $12,000 next month, with the rest of the $35,000 payout being split between the second- through 25th-place teams.

Anglers competing for the Yamaha-Skeeter Louisiana Sportsman Bass Championship Open title will share a total payout of more than $35,000 on March 16-17 — and the winners of the team tournament will pocket $12,000 in cash.

Two-man teams will fish out of Doiron’s Landing in Stephensville.

The first-day’s weigh-in will be held at Doiron’s, but the final weigh-in will be held at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center as part of the Louisiana Sportsman Show that is scheduled for March 14-17.

The Louisiana Sportsman Bass Championship is sponsored by Yamaha-Skeeter, and is limited to the first 175 teams to sign up.

Entry into the event costs $250 per team, which includes the big-bass kitty and the boat-launch fee. The deadline for mail entry is March 6, although teams also can enter during the March 13 captains meeting to be held at Cabela’s in Gonzales.

Click here to register.

This year’s tournament not only includes more money being paid out, but the second-day cut has been extended to the top 25 teams. Every team making it to the second day of competition will receive a check.

The more than $35,000 payout is based on 125 boats, with $12,000 going to the first-place team.

The rest of the top 10 teams will receive checks:

• Second — $3,000
• Third — $1,800
• Fourth — $1,700
• Fifth — $1,600
• Sixth — $1,500
• Seventh — $1,400
• Eighth — $1,300
• Ninth — $1,200
• Tenth — $1,100

The 25th-place team will receive a check for $400.

In addition to those payouts, teams also will be vying for daily big-bass payouts — with the biggest bass each day garnering $2,000 and the second-largest bass earning $800.

Anglers must launch from Doiron’s Landing each day of the event.

The first day of competition will begin with a numbered take-off at safe light, with team numbers being assigned according to when anglers sign up for the championship.

The top 25 teams after the first-day weigh-in will move on to the second day of fishing, which will be shortened to allow anglers to make the Bassmaster Classic-style weigh-in at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

Also, teams may leave the launch after check-in on the second day to reach their fishing areas for safe light. However, fishing cannot begin before the assigned time, as determined by the tournament director.

Visit LouisianaSportsmanShow.com for more information, or contact Tournament Director Cayce Gunter at cgunter6@cox.net or 985-785-7939.

Click here to see full rules.

Photo Gallery from last year.