First Place Jumps to $20,000 Guaranteed Per Event and Total Per-Event Payouts Climb to More Than $83,400 as Demand for the 2027 Tournament Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Reaches an All-Time High
DECATUR, ALABAMA – The Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) is heading into its 14th season with more money on the line than at any point in ABT Regular Team Series history. The 2027 Tournament Series presented by Phoenix Boats will pay $20,000 guaranteed first place at every divisional event. A $5,000 increase over 2026 – with total per-event payouts climbing to more than $83,400.
The expanded payouts come on the heels of one of the most in-demand registration windows in ABT history. The 2026 season sold out in minutes – a testament to the loyalty of Alabama’s competitive bass fishing community and the strength of a trail that has grown every year since its first event on Lake Guntersville in February 2014.
| Place | Payout |
| 1st place | $20,000 |
| 2nd place | $10,000 |
| 3rd place | $7,000 |
| 4th place | $5,000 |
| 5th place | $4,000 |
| 6th place | $3,000 |
| 7th – 10th | $2,000 |
| 11th – 15th | $1,250 |
| 16th – 25th | $1,000 |
| 26th – 30th | $750 |
| 31st – 34th | $600 |
| 35th – 40th | $500 |
| ABT Gear Bonus | $250 |
| Big Fish | $1,000 |
| Total | $83,400 |
The 2027 season features ten divisional events across the North and South Divisions. Five stops each – on some of Alabama’s most iconic fisheries. Entry fees are $2,000 per team per division. The season culminates the two-day Championship on Neely Henry Lake, October 15–16, 2027, where a $50,000 grand prize and $100,000 total championship payout await the top finishers.
| Lewis Smith Lake – February 13, 2027 |
| Lake Guntersville – March 13, 2027 |
| Wheeler Lake – April 10, 2027 |
| Weiss Lake – May 22, 2027 |
| Pickwick Lake – June 19, 2027 |
| Lay Lake – February 20, 2027 |
| Lake Martin – March 27, 2027 |
| Lake Eufaula – April 17, 2027 |
| Lake Jordan – May 15, 2027 |
| Logan Martin Lake – June 12, 2027 |
| Neely Henry Lake – October 15 & 16, 2027 |
“Fourteen seasons in and the Alabama Bass Trail keeps raising the bar. We’ve built something special in this state – anglers show up every year because the competition is real, the lakes are world-class, and now the payouts match that. The 2027 season is going to be the biggest we’ve ever put together.”
— Kay Donaldson, Program Director, Alabama Bass Trail
About Alabama Bass Trail
The Alabama Bass Trail is one of the premier competitive team bass fishing organizations in the Southeast. Now in its 14th season, the ABT Tournament Series presented by Phoenix Boats has generated more than $118 million in economic impact across Alabama since 2014. The ABT is committed to growing the sport of competitive fishing while showcasing Alabama’s world-class fisheries. For schedules, registration, and more information, visit AlabamaBassTrail.org.
The 2026 Alabama Bass Trail Team Series is made possible through partnerships with industry leading brands: Phoenix Boats, AMFirst, Larry Puckett Chevrolet, 13 Fishing, Rapala, VMC, CRUSHCITY, Buffalo Rock, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Jack’s, Garmin, Thompson Tractor Company, Pirnah02, Alabama State Parks, Halo Fishing, Snag Proof, NetBait, Bait Fuel, Alfa Insurance Thomas ALFA MAN Shelton, TH Marine Supplies, Power Pole, Pro Guide Batteries, Yamaha, SCUM FROG, E3 Sports Apparel, FishAlabama.org, Sweet Home Alabama, and Alabama Mountain Lakes.