BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — In an effort to inspire more youth involvement in bass fishing, B.A.S.S. has extended its presenting sponsorship of the 2020 Big Bass Zone (BBZ) Junior Championship, an online tournament for anglers ages 13 to 19. Young anglers from 42 states participated in 2019, the event’s inaugural year.
“One of our most important missions is to inspire young adults to participate in the sport we love. The BBZ Junior Championship program removes barriers kids may face when looking for an entry point into competitive bass fishing,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “B.A.S.S. wholly supports this effort, and is thrilled to partner with Tournament Director Bill Siemantel and the BBZ.”
The BBZ Junior Championship is a grass-roots big bass tournament held online, which allows young competitors the opportunity to fish from anywhere and on their schedule. There is no need for expensive equipment, as anglers only need a camera or phone and an email address to register their catch.
To participate, anglers simply register online at bbzworld.com. Registration fees are $25 for a single state or $50 to fish nationally in any state except Alaska. Once a bass is caught, the angler takes a photo of the fish on an official ruler (both length and girth) and submits the catch online. The angler who catches the biggest fish in his or her state by Aug. 1, 2020 will qualify for a championship event to be held Oct. 2-3 at the beautiful Willows Club by Anglers Inn International in Priest River, Idaho with competition on the Pend Oreille River.
More than $300,000 in prizes and scholarships, including Anglers Inn International trips and a new Bass Cat powered by a Mercury ProXS outboard, will be awarded.
“The inaugural event was incredible,” said James Hall, Editor-in-Chief of Bassmaster Magazine. “The stories of how dedicated these young anglers and their families were to qualify and compete were matched only by Bill’s dedication and hard work that made this event successful.
“B.A.S.S. is excited about the continued partnership with this event. There is no doubt that the 2020 BBZ Junior Championship will be even bigger and better, and that through this tournament, more kids will be introduced to sportfishing.”
Registration for the 2020 Big Bass Zone Junior Championship is currently open. For more information, visit bbzworld.com.
