ABA June Bass Tournaments

ABA members have many fishing events to choose from that are scheduled in the coming weeks. The Top 150 Solo, American Fishing Tour, Couples Series, and Open Series are set and offer competitive fishing events in various locations across the United States. Whether you're a solo angler, part of a couple, or simply a fishing enthusiast, these events promise exhilarating experiences and the chance to showcase your fishing skills. Let's take a closer look at the upcoming events in these fishing circuits.

Anglers can locate the register for an event of their choosing from a link that shows events over the next 90 days at https://www.americanbassanglers.com/UpcomingEvents.php or go to AmericanBassAnglers.com click on All Tournaments, then All Events Next 90 days.

Top 150 Solo Events:

• Toledo Bend, TX-2 (May 26-27)
• Eufaula, AL-1 (June 2-3)

The ABA Top 150 Solo Series, Presented by Caymas Boats, Southeast and Southwest Divisions each hold three 2-day tournaments for the season. Both divisions offer big cash payouts and chances for anglers to advance to higher levels of competition.

Each angler pays $600 to enter each divisional tournament and everyone fishes alone both days. No more than 150 anglers can participate in any divisional event. If 150 anglers participate, the winner will take home  $20,000. If fewer competitors register, the top 20 percent of the field will each earn a portion of the prize money, based on the number of entries.

Anglers could also qualify for one of two post-season tournaments. The top 15 points holders in each division at the end of the regular season will qualify to fish the ABA Top 150 Solo Series Championship, providing they fished all three of their divisional events. The Tour Championship will take place Oct. 6-7, 2023, at a venue to be announced later.

Conducted like the divisional events, the Tour Championship will involve two days of intense competition with the winner taking home $25,000. In addition, every angler in the field will receive a payout. 

Anglers who did not qualify for the Tour Championship by points, but who fished all three of the qualifiers in their division, will be invited to fish a 2-day Wild Card event, slated for Lake Neely Henry. That event will run out of Coosa Landing, located at 200 Lake Street in Gadsden, Ala. on July 14-15, 2023.

From this Wild Card tournament, the top five anglers will advance to the ABA Top 150 Solo Series Championship. Qualifying through their divisions by points and additionally from the Wild Card, the Tour Championship field will total 35 competitors.

Moreover, the top five anglers by points from each division after the Tour Championship will be eligible to fish the 2024 Ray Scott Championship. The 9th annual Ray Scott Championship, Presented by Caymas Boats, will be held on Lake Chickamauga near Dayton, Tenn. during the week of March 30-April 6, 2024. 

In addition, anglers may qualify for bonus money offered by such tournament sponsors as Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, the T-H Marine Atlas Awards program, and Power Pole. See each manufacturer’s website for details, rules, and qualifications for more information on their contingency programs.

Anyone who wishes to fish an ABA event must become an ABA member. ABA members can receive discounts from some sponsors. For example, Optima Batteries will give ABA members 25 percent off and free shipping on any battery. Membership costs $35 a year, but anglers can save money by signing up for multiple years. 

For more information or to register for any ABA Solo 150 event, see www.americanbassanglers.com/Top150. 

AFT American Fishing Tour Events: (Link to List of Events)

• Guntersville, AL-29 (May 27)
• Roanoke River, NC-17 (May 27)
• Kentucky, TN-32 (May 27)
• Kerr, VA-102 (May 27)
• Calumet/Saganashkee, IL-39 (May 28)
• Logan Martin, AL-75 (June 3-4)
• Congamond, CT-6 (June 3)
• Milford, KS-66 (June 3)
• Barkley, KY-33 (June 3)
• Toledo Bend, LA-111 (June 3-4)
• Potomac River, MD-11 (June 3-4)
• Gaston, NC-16 (June 3)
• Wylie, NC-5 (June 3)
• Clear Fork, OH-93 (June 3)
• Ft Gibson, OK-12 (June 3)
• Kentucky Lake, TN-40 (June 3-4)
• HighRock Lake, NC-14 (June 3-4)
• Chickahominy, VA-13 (June 3)
• Milford, KS-66 (June 4)
• Quabog, MA-36 (June 4)
• Potomac River, MD-11 (June 4)
• Ross Barnett, MS-12 (June 4)
• Eufaula, AL-12 (June 10-11)
• Bankhead, AL-110 (June 10-11)
• Toho, FL-21 (June 10)
• Sinclair/Oconee, GA-72 (June 10-11)
• Congamond Lake North, MA-97 (June 10)
• Stockton, MO-126 (June 10)
• Gaston/Kerr, NC-16 (June 10-11)
• Murray, SC-9 (June 10)
• Belton/Stillhouse, TX-52 (June 10-11)

The American Fishing Tour is a draw format tournament series offering more than 80 divisions. Each division schedules six or more tournaments in a season.

In addition to cash payouts, depending upon participation, competitors earn points during the season based on their place of finish. These points are critical as an angler’s points are used to determine Divisional Angler of the Year, Service Team standings, and eligibility to compete at the AFT National Championship.

Points are earned within a division as well as nationally. Divisional points are accumulated from the four best 1-day and 2-day events fished within that one division. National standings include points earned from anglers’ four best 1-day and best 2-day events, no matter which division(s) they fished. 

The top 500 anglers will be invited to compete in the American Fishing Tour National Championship. The 2023 AFT National Championship will be held on Lake Hartwell near Anderson, S.C. from Oct. 7-13. Practice days will be October 7-10. Competition days will be October 11-13. Lake Hartwell covers about 56,000 acres on the Savannah River, which forms the border between Georgia and South Carolina.

At the AFT National Championship, anglers may also qualify for bonus money offered by such tournament sponsors as Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, the T-H Marine Atlas Awards program, and Power Pole. See each manufacturer’s website for details, rules, and qualifications for more information on their contingency programs.

CPL Couples Series Events: (Link to List of Events)

• Wheeler, AL-7 (June 3)
• Oconee, GA-2 (June 10)
• Lake Barkley, KY-8 (June 25)

The ABA American Couple Series, Presented by Caymas Boats, is a team format designed for family involvement. Teams consist of one male and one female paired for a team effort. Most teams consist of a husband and a wife, but that’s not a rule. Teams can consist of a boyfriend and girlfriend combination, a father and daughter duo, or any combination of one male and one female angler. Teams pay $100 to enter each division event.

The teams compete in 12 state divisions that each conduct six to 10 local events per season. These events are strictly for the weekend bass angler. Guides and pros are not allowed to compete in the ABA American Couple Series. Once a pair forms a team, those two must fish together as a team throughout the season to be eligible to accumulate points and qualify for 2023 ABA American Couples Series Championship tournament, Presented by Caymas Boats.

At the end of the season, the best five 1-day events determine the team’s national standings. In addition, a team’s best five 1-day events within a division form the basis of each team’s divisional standings. The top 200 teams by points will be invited to fish a year-end championship. 

The 2023 ABA American Couples Series Championship tournament, Presented by Caymas Boats, will be held on Weiss Lake in northern Alabama during the week of Oct. 8-13. Teams will get some days to practice on the lake before the competition begins. The actual tournament runs on Oct. 12-13 out of Leesburg Landing, located at 100 Riverside Street in Leesburg, Ala. Registration costs $150 per team. The public is invited to attend the weigh-ins. 

Open Series Events:  (Link to List of Events)

• Oconee, GA-8 (June 3)
• Wylie, NC-5 (June 3)
• Murray, SC-9 (June 10)
• Sam Rayburn, TX-10 (June 10)
• Weiss, AL-1 (June 10)
• Cayuga NY-23 (June 17)
• Tenkiller, OK-14 (June 24)
• Old Hickory, TN-3 (June 24)

Anglers can sign up to fish ABA Open Series divisional events and a 2-day division championship. In a Pro/Am format, boaters fishing the Open Series pay $210 in entry fees for each divisional 1-day tournament. Co-anglers pay $105 per 1-day event.

The top 20 percent of registered boaters and co-anglers will receive cash payouts based on the total number of entries. If at least 60 boaters enter the tournament, the Boater Division winner will receive a minimum of $5,000.

New this year, each division will hold a 2-day divisional championship after completing all four regular-season events instead of a regional championship. For a 2-day event, boaters pay an entry fee of $350 and co-anglers pay $155.

To qualify for the divisional championship, each boater and co-angler must fish at least three 1-day divisional events. To fish a 2-day divisional championship, anglers who qualify as a boater must fish as a boater. Anglers who qualify as a co-angler must fish as a co-angler. 

Points accumulated throughout the season also determine the division Anglers of the Year from both the boaters and co-anglers who fished that division. After the 2-day championship, the top 10 boaters and the top 10 co-anglers by points will be eligible to fish the 2024 Ray Scott Championship. The 9th annual Ray Scott Championship, Presented by Caymas Boats, will be held on Lake Chickamauga near Dayton, Tenn. during the week of March 30-April 6, 2024. 

A computer randomly pairs boaters and co-anglers who will fish together in a designated tournament. The two anglers do not fish as a team. Boaters compete against boaters and co-anglers compete against other co-anglers. If an insufficient number of co-anglers sign up to participate, ABA guarantees that all boaters who wish to compete will be able to fish from their own boats.

In addition, anglers may qualify for bonus money offered by such tournament sponsors as Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, the T-H Marine Atlas Awards program, and Power Pole. See each manufacturer’s website for details, rules and qualifications for more information on their contingency programs.

These events offer a platform for anglers of all skill levels to showcase their talent and compete in high-quality fishing tournaments. With divisions spanning across the country, the different series provide opportunities for anglers to test their abilities against other anglers while vying for substantial cash prizes and valuable recognition. 
American Bass Anglers is sponsored by Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, T-H Marine, Power Pole, RT Outdoors, Optima Batteries, Hotel Planner.com, and LurePartsOnline.com.

About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low-cost, close-to-home tournaments for the weekend angler and, at the same time, offering each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression.

For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Open Series, the American Fishing Tour, the American Couples Series, the annual Military Team Bass Tournament, and the Top 150 Solo Tour, all presented by Caymas Boats, visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406.