OVERTIME OUTDOORS: Elite Series starts up again on June 10-13

The Bassmaster Elites Series and Bassmaster Open tournaments are cranking back up.

B.A.S.S. announced revised tournament schedule for both circuits on Thursday. Three Elite Series events and two Bassmaster Opens originally scheduled from March through May were postponed initially because of the national health emergency that has swept across the country.

“Any time we are forced to postpone a tournament it is disappointing to our anglers, fans, hosts, sponsors and staff,” B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin said. “After this break of nearly three months, our anglers are looking forward to fishing on these incredible waters, and we know fans are ready to see big bass being weighed in again.

“Our team has worked diligently alongside our local hosts to ensure that we are ready to get back to the competition and fun of tournament fishing in a safe and responsible way.”

A B.A.S.S. spokesman emphasized the organization will heed each state’ mandates on crowd sizes and public spaces, plus monitor federal guidelines to ensure both competitors and fans get back in the swing of things safely.

Caleb Sumrall of New Iberia and the other Elites will be going back to work to fish at Lake Eufaula in Alabama on June 10-13. Sumrall has been enjoying the extra time with his family but is anxious to pick up a rod-and-reel and fish against the other Elites.

Ann Sparks, Tourism and Main Street Executive Director for the city of Eufaula, said, “We are so excited to wlecome B.A.S.S. back to the ‘Big Bass Capital of the World.’ We are thankful (for) their dedication to rescheduling the tournament. Now we just have to wait and see what they catch.”

One originally scheduled body of water was scratched from this year’s tournament list. An alternate date couldn’t be found for the tournament originally scheduled to be held on the Sabine River in Orange, Texas, which led to an “official reschedule” of that event for Spring 2021. Instead, the Elite Series will compete on Cayuga Lake in Union Springs, New York.

After Lake Eufaula, the Elites go to Cayuga Lake July 14-17; St.Lawrence River in New York July 23-26; Lake Champlain in New York July 30-Aug. 2; Lake St. Clair in Michigan Aug. 20-23; Santee Cooper Lakes in South Carolina Oct. 8-11; Chickamauga Lake in Tennessee Oct. 16-19, and Lake Fork in Texas Nov. 5-8.

DON SHOOPMAN is outdoors editor of The Daily Iberian.