BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials have announced the 2027 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender schedule, featuring eight tournaments across two divisions and a diverse lineup of fisheries stretching from Florida to Michigan.
The Bassmaster Opens have long served as a proving ground for aspiring professional anglers, providing competitors a pathway toward the highest levels of tournament bass fishing. The 2027 schedule will test anglers across a variety of fisheries, from Southern reservoirs and grass-filled lakes to Northern smallmouth waters. The Opens will once again provide competitors a route toward the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops and ultimately the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.
Division 1 Schedule
- Jan. 28-30 — Harris Chain of Lakes (Leesburg, Fla.)
- April 1-3 — Lake Guntersville (Scottsboro, Ala.) *
- May 26-28 — Douglas Lake (Dandridge, Tenn.)
- Aug. 26-28 — Oneida Lake (Syracuse, N.Y.) *
Division 2 Schedule
- Jan. 14-16 — Sam Rayburn Reservoir (Brookeland, Texas)
- Feb. 25-27 — Lay Lake (Columbiana, Ala.) *
- April 29-May 1 — Table Rock Lake (Branson, Mo.)
- June 23-25 — St. Marys River (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) *
*Forward-facing live sonar will be permitted at these events.
Forward-facing live sonar will again be permitted at select Bassmaster Opens in 2027, with two tournaments in each division allowing the technology. Lake Guntersville and Oneida Lake will permit FFS in Division 1, while Lay Lake and the St. Marys River will permit FFS in Division 2. The approach continues the format used in 2026, when B.A.S.S. designated two FFS events in each division.
“Each year, we work to build a Bassmaster Opens schedule that challenges anglers on different types of fisheries while giving them the opportunity to demonstrate the versatility it takes to compete at the next level,” said Phillip Johnson, B.A.S.S. Chief Operating Officer. “The 2027 schedule accomplishes that with a tremendous mix of venues from the South to the North. These events will test anglers in very different ways throughout the season, and we’re excited to visit communities that understand the value and excitement a Bassmaster tournament brings.”
A significant competition update for 2027 will also affect how anglers prepare for each event. The off-limits period will now begin 10 days before the start of Official Practice. The updated rule will create a consistent preparation window for competitors leading into each Bassmaster Opens tournament.
The schedule begins early with Division 2 visiting Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Brookeland, Texas, Jan. 14-16. Division 1 gets underway two weeks later, Jan. 28-30, on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Fla.
Spring competition will take anglers to several proven tournament destinations. Division 2 visits Lay Lake in Columbiana, Ala., Feb. 25-27 before Division 1 heads to Lake Guntersville in Scottsboro, Ala., April 1-3. Table Rock Lake in Branson, Mo., follows April 29-May 1, while Division 1 competitors will take on Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tenn., May 26-28.
The schedule turns north for its final two events, including a historic first for B.A.S.S. The June 23-25 event on the St. Marys River in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., will mark the first time B.A.S.S. has held a tournament on the St. Marys River. The Division 2 season finale will give Opens anglers an opportunity to compete on the expansive Northern fishery and target the smallmouth bass for which the region is known.
“We are thrilled to welcome B.A.S.S. to Sault Ste. Marie for the first time and showcase everything the St. Marys River has to offer,” said Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This is an incredibly beautiful and unique fishery, and we’re excited for the anglers, fans and viewers around the world to experience it. Our community is eager to embrace this event and make everyone feel at home. We look forward to an unforgettable week of competition and showing the Bassmaster family what makes Sault Ste. Marie such a special destination.”
Division 1 will close the 2027 regular season Aug. 26-28 on Oneida Lake in Syracuse, N.Y. The event will give anglers one final opportunity to make their move in the standings on a fishery offering both largemouth and smallmouth bass opportunities.
The stakes will be high throughout the 2027 season, with multiple paths available for anglers to advance to the 2027 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops. The Top 50 anglers in the points standings from each division, along with the Top 35 anglers in the overall Bassmaster Opens points standings, will qualify for the EQs.
Tournament winners will also earn an automatic berth into the 2027 EQs, provided they compete in all four tournaments within a division. Those winners will also earn a berth in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, provided they meet the full-division participation requirement. The 2027 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops schedule will be announced at a later date.
The Bassmaster Opens have a proven history of providing anglers with opportunities to advance their professional careers. Opens champions and top competitors have gone on to earn Elite Series berths and compete on the sport’s biggest stage, the Bassmaster Classic. In 2026, the Opens qualification structure also rewarded anglers competing across a full division and provided multiple avenues for competitors to advance to the EQs.
Registration for the 2027 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender will open at 9 a.m. CT on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Details will be available on Bassmaster.com.
Additional information regarding registration, qualification procedures, payouts, Official Practice and competition rules for the 2027 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender will be available on Bassmaster.com.
