Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship celebrates 11th year with return to Louisiana in April
Registration open for largest prize purse in bowfishing, with championship benefiting conservation in local waters
GONZALES, La. – The premier championship in the rapidly growing sport of bowfishing – the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship – will welcome sportsmen and women back to Louisiana on April 27-28, with team registration now open at basspro.com/bowfishing.
The 11th annual competition will be hosted at the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s in Gonzales, La., with eligible tournament waters extended throughout Louisiana. In 2019, nearly 200 teams competed in northern Louisiana, with weigh-in festivities at Bass Pro Shops in Bossier City.
The popular event is open to two- to four-person teams and offers the largest payout of any bowfishing tournament, providing over $100,000 in cash and prizes.
“The dynamic sport of bowfishing is a unique blend of hunting and fishing that hooks any sportsman or woman once they try it,” said John Paul Morris, Founder of the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship. “We’re excited to bring the U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship to the swamps, bayous, rivers and lakes of Louisiana.”
In addition to the large payout, conservation side pots are awarded for the harvest of the largest invasive species, including: Grass Carp, Common Carp, Bighead Carp and Silver Carp on tournament night. A top-five finish in a TRACKER Bowfishing Boat will mean bonus cash for teams, with a $10,000 bonus for the first-place team. The first- through fifth-place teams receive guaranteed payouts.
All anglers will receive an official tournament shirt, and teams that pre-register will automatically be entered into a drawing for a TRACKER Grizzly 2072 Bowfishing Boat Package, valued at more than $40,000.
HAVING FUN WHILE SUPPORTING CONSERVATION
In addition to a fun weekend for participants and families, the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship provides lasting conservation benefits for area waterways. Bowfishing helps reduce populations of invasive, non-native fish species, such as Bighead Carp, Common Carp, Grass Carp and Silver Carp.
No game fish may be taken during competition. Any legal non-game fish may be weighed in. Native game fish benefit from selective harvest of non-game fish, with improved habitat and water quality.
Visitors are welcome to attend the event and enjoy vendor booths, seminars, food and live music, shooting lanes and prizes for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Entry fees are $300 per team of two to four persons, and all teams must pre-register online. For entry information, complete rules and a list of official tournament waters, visit basspro.com/bowfishing.
About Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”
