Bass fishing’s biggest stars battle for record $1.25 million payday in historic Nashville showdown

Sixty professional bass anglers from the Bassmaster Elite Series and Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour are competing in Nashville’s inaugural The Champions tournament. The event brings the rival circuits together to determine who is the year’s best, with Jacob Wheeler saying that winning would be the most meaningful achievement of his career.

The three-day competition is being held on Old Hickory Lake, with a record $3.25 million total purse and $1.25 million for the winner. Anglers compete in teams for the first two days, then the top 15 advance to Saturday’s final, where weights reset. Low water and little current have made the lake difficult to fish, raising the prospect of an unexpected winner; two amateurs, Eric Giessing and Kyle Carr, also qualified to compete.