The 66 members of the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour compete in seven major tournaments each season, held in different waters each season (and all locations are announced before the beginning of the season).
Stages 1-3 take place between January and March, and Stages 4-6 take place between May and June. AOY Points and cash bonuses (for top finishes in each Stage and Big Bass Bonuses) are awarded on a cascading scale for each Stage.
Points are tabulated throughout the season and used to determine the final season ranking, as well as qualifications for the league’s other tentpole invitationals and competitions.
Each Stage consists of two practice days followed by one day off for the pre-tournament meeting, and then three rounds of competition over four days:
- Days 1 and 2 – Qualifying Round
- Day 3 – Knockout Round
- Day 4 – Championship Round
After Stages 1-3, the top 24 anglers so far in the season become draft captains for the first two Cups in the Team Series: The Challenge Cup and Heritage Cup (held in late August and September). The Top 24 anglers after Stages 4-6 become draft captains for the final Cups in the Team Series, the Patriot Cup and Summit Cup, which are held in October and November.
Stage 7, held in early August, finalizes regular season placements, which are used to determine the Top 50 anglers who will compete in the MLF’s landmark event, RIDGECREST, which is held in April of the following year. Stage 7 can also be needed to determine cutoffs for which pros qualify for the Team Series, and finishes can be used to break ties to determine draft captains for those events. It’s also where the drafts for the final two Cups in the Team Series are held. Fish caught during this stage also impact the Top 30 standings to qualify for Heavy Hitters, which is the League’s mid-season big bass invitational held in May.
Let’s break down each day of the regular season competition, which differs slightly from other MLF events:
Days 1 and 2: Qualifying Round
Each day of competition is comprised of three (3) 2.5-hour periods with two (2) 15-minute line-out breaks. The league permits the use of forward-facing and/or 360-degree sonar, but its use is limited to one period each day. Each angler must declare their use period during the preceding break. Fishing during break periods can also result in penalties.
Anglers take off in random order on Day 1 and in reverse order on Day 2. The winner of this round is determined based on the combined weight of all fish caught on both days and directly advances to the Championship round. The following Top 19 from Days 1 and 2 go on to compete in the knockout round. If there are any ties, the heaviest bass caught by each angler is compared as a tie breaker.
Day 3: Knockout Round
Starting fresh with zero weights, 19 pros compete again on Day 3, taking off in order by finish in the Qualifying Round. The Top 9 anglers (based on heaviest total weights) advance to the Championship Round, and anglers 10-19 are eliminated. The eliminated pros’ final placements and AOY points are then determined based on the day’s heaviest weights.
Day 4: Championship Round
The Top 10 anglers (the top finisher of the Qualifying Round and the Top 9 finishers of the Knockout Round) compete in the Championship Round. Weights are zeroed, and anglers deploy in order of Knockout Round finishes. Final placements are based on the day’s heaviest weights, with tie breakers determined by the weights of each angler’s heaviest catches.
Cash Prizes, AOY Points Award + Invitational Qualifications
Each Stage has a total purse of $650,000. The top angler of each Stage is awarded $150,000 and 80 points towards their AOY ranking. Cash prizes and points are also awarded to other finishers on a sliding scale.
While cash prizes drop significantly for lower-placed finishes, AOY Points only drop by one each (ex., Second place gets 79 points, third place gets 78, etc.), which means each pro must stay on their toes because a few key finishes late in the season could change the AOY rankings on the drop of a dime.
While AOY rankings affect placement in the Team Series, finishes in these events do not affect AOY standings. Instead, Cup finishes come with additional cash prizes and an opportunity to participate in a televised competition, gaining name recognition and bragging rights – this season, the stakes are higher than ever, as the Team Series will air live for the very first time, exclusively on RFD-TV!
