Major League Fishing announced Thursday it acquired Fishing League Worldwide, the world's largest fishing tournament organization.
Established in 2011, Tulsa-based Major League Fishing was co-founded by Boyd Duckett, a Bassmaster Classic champion and former mainstay on the Bassmaster Elite Series Tour. Duckett said acquiring FLW accomplishes the organization's goal of capturing the grassroots bass fishing tournament universe that FLW ruled with its FLW Tour, Costa Series and Bass Fishing League circuit.
"FLW does it best with the Tour and grassroots tournaments," Duckett said in a press release. "Their reputation in competitive bass fishing is remarkable, and their culture has always been pro-angler, which makes this the perfect opportunity for both organizations."
FLW will complete all of its 2019 and 2020 dates before its Pro Circuit begins in 2021.
In 2021, the FLW Tour will be replaced by the FLW Pro Circuit, which will function as a feeder system into the no-entry fee Bass Pro Tour starting in 2021.
The FLW Pro Circuit will combine the traditional bass tournament format with Major League Fishing's more progressive format. It will comprise seven regular-season, six-day tournaments. Each will have 150-angler fields. The season finale will be the FLW Angler of the Year Championship.
For the first three days, Anglers will compete under FLW's traditional five-fish-limit format.
The final three days will be under the Major League Fishing format in which anglers catch, weigh and immediately release every scorable bass. The field will feature 20 anglers with the heaviest three-day cumulative weights, and they will begin the fourth day with zero weight.
Ten anglers will fish on the fourth day. The other 10 anglers will fish on the fifth day.
This format imposes many variables. For example, the 10 anglers competing in the first day of MLF rules can experience ideal fishing conditions. An overnight cold front can wreck the fishing for the 10 anglers in the second bracket.
For the final "knockout round," the 10 anglers with the heaviest one-day weight will begin anew with zero weight. The angler with the heaviest one-day weight will win the tournament.
The most successful anglers in the FLW Pro Circuit will qualify to compete in the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour.
Because scores in Major League Fishing are based on total numbers of fish caught, weighed and released, MLF scoring favors quantity of fish over quantity. Also, Major League Fishing rules prohibit a bass touching a boat. Using nets is also prohibited. That all translates into exponentially more fish handling for anglers. It is also more challenging to land big fish.
Under Major League Fishing rules, anglers fish for two hours and take a mandatory 15-minute break. They fish for two more hours, followed by another 15-minute break. They finish the day with a two-hour fishing home stretch.
Larry Nixon of Quitman, a bass fishing legend on the Bassmaster Elite Series and on the FLW Tour, said the additional fish handling will be hard for older anglers. On the other hand, the 15-minute breaks will benefit older anglers.
In the new system, the top 75 anglers will get paid. That's a 12-percent payout increase over FLW's current system.
FLW Costa Series
In 2020, the FLW Costa Series will expand from five regions to eight, making the circuit conveniently accessible to more anglers, and with reduced entry fees. There will be three tournaments per region, and the season will end with a Costa Series championship.
Boaters will pay $1,700, and co-anglers will pay $550, down from $1,900 and $650, respectively, in 2019.
Reduced BFL fees
The Bass Fishing League will have the same number of regions, tournaments and Super Tournaments as in 2019, and they will retain the traditional five-fish-limit format. Entry fees will be reduced to $200 for boaters and $100 for co-anglers for single-day events, and $300/$150 for two-day Super Tournaments.
Because of the merger, Hot Springs has the distinction of having hosted the final FLW Cup, as well as the distinction of having hosted more FLW Cups than any other city.
Sports on 10/13/2019