Payback Plus-The Next Generation of Tournament Fishing?

Tournament promises maximized winnings for competitors.

By Frank Sargeant, Editor
from The Fishing Wire

In the early days of bass fishing tournaments, it was common for the tournament director to keep a healthy portion of the entry fees for himself to pay for his investment of time and energy, dividing up what was left with the competitors. Understandably, in the case of a few more tight-fisted promoters, this resulted in some pretty scant purses for the anglers.

Big money events can lure hundreds of anglers to compete in bass tournaments these days, and for those who come out on top, the rewards can be substantial. (Frank Sargeant photo)

Those days are for the most part long gone thanks to the amazing choice of tournaments anglers have these days; 100 percent payback has become common in well-run major events, and good anglers get a strong return on their entry fees.

But Morris Sheehan, head honcho of the American Bass Anglers headquartered in Athens, Alabama, goes these events one better with his new 100% Plus Team Tour, slated for the lakes of North Alabama as well as Tennessee and Kentucky in 2015.

“We’re actually making a total payout greater than the sum of the entry fees in each of these events thanks to our sponsoring participants,” says Sheehan. “The top team is going to take home a $20,000 Triton/Mercury/Motor Guide bassing rig, and since these are what we call “contingency” tournaments, those who fish with late model rigs from Triton and Mercury, T-H Marine, The Boat House in Athens (Morris Sheehan’s boat dealership) and two dealerhships in Tennessee can earn big bonus money from the companies on top of that–the total for the winning team could run as high as $32,000 for each event.”

Sheehan said there will be a North Alabama division with four events on Lake Guntersville and one on Lake Wheeler, and a Tennessee/Kentucky division with four events on Kentucky Lake, one on Old Hickory.

“The tournaments are slated on alternating weekends so a team could fish both divisions if they want to,” says Sheehan. “About 20 percent of the field at each event will get a check so it’s a really good payback.”

The first tournaments of the season are March 14 at Guntersville for the North Alabama division, March 28 at Kentucky Lake for the Tennessee/Kentucky division.

Top five teams in each division will not only go home with the prizes and bonuses, they’ll also earn a no-fee entry into the Ray Scott Championship at a location to be announced during the season. (This year’s championship will be Nov. 12-15 on Lake Wheeler.) Top boater in that draw team event will take home $100,000 in cash, top co-boater $50,000.

Entry into the tournaments is $250 per event, and anglers can fish as many or as few as they want–though having a shot at the Ray Scott event will require fishing at least one division fully. A $100 optional bonus pot entry will also be available, with top rods splitting the entry fees.

The schedule for the North Division is:
Guntersville Lake 3/14/2015
Wheeler Lake 4/18/2015
Guntersville Lake 6/20/2015
Guntersville Lake 7/18/2015
Guntersville Lake 8/29/2015

The schedule for the Tennessee/Kentucky Division is:
Kentucky Lake 3/28/2015
Old Hickory Lake 4/25/2015
Kentucky Lake 6/27/2015
Kentucky Lake 7/25/2015
Kentucky Lake 8/22/2015

For details on the ABA 100% Plus Team Tournament, visit http://www.americanbassanglers.com/ABANews.php?Newsid=1163 or call 256-232-0406.