The Bassmaster Elite Series tournament previously scheduled for Cayuga Lake earlier in July will instead be held Sept. 30 - Oct. 3 on Alabama’s historic Lake Guntersville, B.A.S.S. officials announced Thursday. Daily launches and weigh-ins will take place at Goose Pond Colony Resort Marina in Scottsboro, Al., which is hosting the event.
“We are excited to host another B.A.S.S. event and showcase our facilities at Goose Pond Colony,” said Scottsboro Mayor Robin Shelton. “I know the event will be as successful as last year’s event, and I am looking forward to working with this staff again.”
Lake Guntersville has hosted 24 major B.A.S.S. events, including the 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. The Big G also took the No. 2 spot in Bassmaster Magazine’s list of Best Bass Lakes of the Decade. Lake Guntersville is known for its breathtaking scenery and easy access, but big fish swim there as well. Most big-bass prizes are awarded to fish topping the 8-pound mark, with 10-plus-pounders taking center stage on occasion.
Angler Jamie Hartman raised the coveted blue championship trophy when the Elite Series visited Scottsboro in June 2019, winning the four-day tournament in dramatic fashion coming from tenth place to win with a total of 79 pounds, 10 ounces. In March of this year, Hank Cherry dominated the 2020 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville. Cherry weighed in a massive 29-3 limit on Day 1 of the tournament en route to a wire-to-wire victory.
“While it has been challenging to reschedule events, we intend to complete a full schedule of tournaments,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “We are thankful to our friends at the City of Scottsboro for partnering with us to offer anglers another opportunity to fish on one of our country’s best lakes while showcasing the area’s beauty for our audience.
“Our anglers and fans are going to really enjoy the fishing on Lake Guntersville in the fall.”
Officials emphasized that they will adhere to all local and state guidelines to ensure the event is safe for athletes, staff and the host community.
The Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville will kick-off a busy schedule of fall derbies that will see the Elite Series pros competing on Santee Cooper in Clarendon County, S.C., Oct. 8-11, Tennessee’s Lake Chickamauga Oct. 16-19, and Texas’s Lake Fork for the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Nov. 5-8.