Priority Registration Opens August 1
The Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) is pleased to unveil dates and locations of the 2021 tournament series which includes a payout reaching over $580,000. Returning for the eighth season, the team-style tournament series is held on eleven different lakes of the Alabama Bass Trail beginning February 20, 2021, with the championship tournament to be held on October 22-23, 2021. Anglers in the no-entry-fee championship will be competing for over $100,000 in cash, including a $50,000 first-place prize and top bragging rights for the year.
“Our team, along with the host cities, have worked extremely hard to put together a schedule that highlights Alabama lakes while allowing anglers from across the United States to showcase their abilities,” said ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson. “Hosting events the size of the ABT Tournament Series require a commitment and a tremendous amount of work from the local host and every year, these communities go out of their way to accommodate our event and our anglers.”
North Division:
February 27, 2021 Pickwick Lake / Hosted by Florence Lauderdale Tourism Board
March 20, 2021 Lake Guntersville / Hosted by the Marshall County CVB
April 10, 2021 Wheeler Lake / Hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism
May 15, 2021 Weiss Lake / Hosted by the Town of Leesburg
June 19, 2021 Neely Henry Lake / Hosted by the City of Gadsden
South Division:
February 20, 2021 Lake Martin / Hosted by the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce
March 13, 2021 Lake Eufaula / Hosted by the Eufaula-Barbour County Chamber of Commerce
April 24, 2021 Lay Lake / Hosted by the Shelby County Commission
May 8, 2021 Alabama River / Hosted by the City of Prattville Parks and Recreation
June 12, 2021 Logan Martin Lake / Hosted by the Pell City Chamber of Commerce
Hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County, the championship tournament will be held on October 22-23, 2021, on Lewis Smith Lake.
Contestants wait in the weigh-in line. ABT Photo
“The Alabama Bass Trail is a great opportunity for Alabama lakes and local businesses to reach hundreds of loyal and determined anglers. As we prepare for a new normal following the coronavirus pandemic, we look to the 2021 schedule with much anticipation. We wish all of the anglers a successful year and encourage them to take some time to enjoy all that the host cities have to offer. We also encourage locals to come out and experience the excitement as anglers weigh in their fish and complete for the big check and the prestigious recognition attached to this tournament trail,” said ABT Chairman of the Board and Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Thereasa Hulgan.
Sanctioned by BASS (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society), the ABT Tournament Series contains two divisions, North and South, and each division is made up of five tournaments on five different lakes. The maximum number of boats for each tournament is 225. Teams must fish in all five tournaments in their respective division; no single entries will be allowed.
The no-entry-fee championship event will include up to 185 boats. The 185 boats are comprised of the 10 regular season winners, top 75 teams in points from both divisions that fished all five events in their respective divisions, along with the top 15 student teams, top five college teams and the top five couples teams collectively from both divisions that fished all five events in their respective division.
Each regular-season tournament features a $10,000 guaranteed first-place prize and pays 40 places totaling over $47,000. The no-entry-fee championship will feature a $100,000 payout with a first-place prize of $50,000. There is also a $5,000 bonus cash prize for Angler of the Year and $2,500 for runner-up Angler of the Year. According to Donaldson, over $580,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded when the ABT Tournament Series wraps up its season in 2021.
2021 Payout Schedule:
First place $10,000
Second place $ 5,000
Third place $ 4,000
Fourth place $ 3,000
Fifth place $ 2,000
Sixth place $ 1,500
Seventh place $ 1,100
Eighth place $ 1,100
Ninth place $ 1,100
Tenth place $ 1,100
11th – 20th $ 750 each
21st – 40th $ 500 each
2021 Championship Payout:
First place $50,000
Second place $10,000
Third place $ 5,000
Fourth place $ 4,000
Fifth place $ 3,000
Sixth place $ 2,500
Seventh place $ 2,200
Eighth place $ 2,000
Ninth place $ 1,800
Tenth place $ 1,500
11th-15th $ 1,200 each
16th-25th $ 1,100 each
Big Fish $500 daily
Anglers who fished all five events in their respective divisions in 2020 will be given a priority entry period beginning August 1, 2020, at 6 a.m. online at www.alabamabasstrail.org. Registration opens 
for new teams on August 15 at 6 a.m. The entry fee is $1,300 per team, which includes registration for all five tournaments in the respective division. Each team may choose to pay a $500 nonrefundable deposit to hold the team’s spot. The balance of $800 must be paid by January 15, 2021.
“Year after year, registration for the ABT tournament series sells out in record time and we look forward to shattering the record with the 2021 season,” stated Donaldson. Registration for the 2020 tournament series opened to the public on August 15, 2019. The south division reached its limit in three hours after opening to the public and registration for the north division closed in 17 hours. In 2019, registration was full for the south division in 22 hours and in 38 days for the north division.
ABT Tournament sponsors include Phoenix Bass Boats; Bill Penney Toyota; Alabama Tourism Department; America’s First Federal Credit Union; Academy Sports & Outdoors; Garmin; T-H Marine Supplies, Inc.; Alabama Power Company; Buffalo Rock, Inc.; Jack’s; Wedowee Marine; Lews Fishing; FishNeelyHenry.com; Power-Pole; Big Bite Baits; YETI and Hydrowave. Angler’s Channel will film and produce the Alabama Bass Trail television series for Fox Sports Southeast and Southern Stream Live will continue the live-streaming and video production services.
For more information, call Donaldson at 855.934.7425 or visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.
