There are far more than 46 things to do and see at the March 4-6 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.
But, to honor the 46th annual world championship of bass fishing, this list stops at No. 46. Fishing fans and their families will discover much more than that over the three-day event.
The competition will take place on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees out of Grove, Okla. All other activities will be at the BOK Center and Cox Business Center in Tulsa, Okla.
1. Cheer on your favorite competitor at takeoffs. Come to the Hard Rock Dock to see the Top 55 anglers in the world — and the most colorful and best-equipped boats in the sport — as they line up and head out from Wolf Creek Park onto Grand Lakes O’ the Cherokees at 7 a.m., Friday-Sunday.
2. Get in your morning warm up. Enjoy a hot beverage at launch, courtesy of Toyota.
3. Enjoy the festivities. Visit the Expo Friday 12 p.m.-8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. to check out all the action. Admission is free.
4. Say bon voyage. Enter the Livingston Lures “Fish with a Pro” sweepstakes for a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip for two, to fish with a team Livingston pro on their favorite body of water. Enter at the Livingston Lures Bassmaster Classic booth or by texting “EBS BSM” to 313131.
5. Start an autograph collection. Celebrity bass pros will be on hand for autograph sessions, courtesy of the expo exhibitors. Check schedules at each booth or online at Bassmaster.com/expo.
6. Keep on rolling. Stop by the Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels booth to enter to win a free set of tires, and to cast, play and win a logo’d prize.
7. Experience LIVE coverage. Watch the tournament leaders catch bass in real time on the exclusive Classic LIVE program on Bassmaster.com. Watch hosts Tommy Sanders and Mark Zona, along with guest host Davy Hite, and they provide analysis and live updates streamed from the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo.
8. Go for a ride. Want to know what it feels like to ride like the wind? Come to the take-of site in Grove to test out the latest products from Mercury, Nitro, Skeeter, Triton and Yamaha.
9. Shop ’til you drop. Purchase the latest in clothing, accessories and other products at the expo exhibitor booths, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, the official Bassmaster Classic merchandise booth, GoPro, Huk Performance Fishing and Academy Sports + Outdoors.
10. Get into the drama of daily weigh-ins. The doors of BOK will open each day at 3:15 p.m., Friday-Sunday. Find a seat, then sit back, relax and enjoy the slate of pre-weigh-in entertainment.
11. Be social. Visit the Minn Kota photo booth where you can get a headshot taken and either print a copy on-site, have the picture emailed to you with instructions on how to properly post it to social media or directly share on social media with the iPads available at the booth.
12. Spin to win. Play the Spin-to-Win wheel at the Mercury Dockstore for a chance to win prizes including oil, trolling motors and props.
13. Kid around. Toyota brings the Ninja Turtles out of the shadows to make daily appearances at the Expo.
14. Reel ‘em in. Bring a Shimano reel to the show and the company’s service techs will perform a complimentary cleaning and lubrication.
15. Be a GoPro pro. Take a free class from the GoPro experts who will walk you through camera basics, plus give you a rundown of mounts, accessories, the GoPro app and more!
16. Stay on track. Get up-to-the-minute information from the water with BASSTrakk.
17. Take a trip. Register at the A.R.E. Truck Caps booth for their year-long contest in which two winners will be picked for all-expenses paid fishing trips with Bassmaster Elite Series pros Justin Lucas and Adrian Avena.
18. Show your swag. The Mercury swag toss runs daily where T-shirts, hats and other favorites will be scattered throughout the stands.
19. Get a guided tour. Walk through the Shimano booth to take a tour of the Hagane Design Concept offered in the new and existing bass tackle, including a special Classic introduction of the Curado 70 and Caenan 100 bait casting reels –– and the expansion of the Zodias rod series.
20. Do some star-gazing. Stay glued to Bassmaster.com for the best close-up views of the pros in action on the water.
21. Learn from the experts. Pick up some insider secrets at the Dick’s Sporting Goods 4,000 gallon fishing tank featuring many of the top names in bass fishing doing seminars every hour.
22. Discover the winning key. If you own a Toyota, show your key and receive a free gift while supplies left. You can also get an up-close look at the all-new 2016 Tacoma.
23. Catch a ride. Make the Classic experience much easier with shuttle rides from all area Dick’s Sporting Goods stores parking lots to the expo.
24. Preview the 2016 trophy. Stop by the GEICO booth to meet Gecko and take photos with him and the 2016 Bassmaster Classic trophy.
25. Register for daily prizes. Stop by the Humminbird booth to register for daily prizes in the KVD Fan to Fame contest including seat upgrades, exclusive access, gear and gift cards. The grand-prize winner will win a meet-and-greet with Kevin VanDam and the opportunity to hang out with him during the weigh-in on Sunday.
26. Be a poster child. Meet Kenny Youngblood at the Toyota booth and pick up a free commemorative Classic poster designed by Youngblood.
27. Gear up for the water. Check out the latest line of fishing wear from Huk Performance Fishing that includes UV protection for those sunny days, moisture wicking capabilities to keep you comfortable and anti-microbial technology to keep you from smelling like your catch. They will also items including rain gear, headwear and a newly released women’s clothing line.
28. Share your world. Stop by the GoPro booth for your chance to win a GoPro Hero 4 prize pack. A winner will be drawn daily at 3 p.m.
29. Bait and hook. Check out the new line of Berkley hard baits and hooks. And get some expert advice from crankbait legend David Fritts.
30. Picture yourself as the Classic champ. Come by the Mercury booth to have your picture taken with the 2015 GEICO Bassmaster Classic Trophy, and receive a keepsake photo.
31. Make conservation a priority. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) will be assisting B.A.S.S. by hauling all the fish caught each day back to Grand Lake and releasing them in several (undisclosed) locations. Stop by the ODWC booth to talk to agency information specialists, biologists and game wardens about fishing opportunities in the state.
32. Strike a deal. Find hot buys, deeply discounted close-outs and launches of many of the newest products for 2016 at the Dick’s Sporting Goods booth. And be on the lookout for the Dick’s Sporting Goods Bass Fan Bass Hand to wave at the arena including their prize patrol –– get seen waving a bass hand for your chance to win prizes up to $100 in Dick’s gift cards.
33. Take a sneak peek. Get a preview of what’s new at Mercury Marine for 2016, including the latest engines, parts and accessories.
34. Watch the clock. Be present in the Nitro booth for their hourly giveaway items. You can also register for special promotions.
35. Try your luck. Try your hand at some bass-fishing trivia, play the slot machine game or spin the prize wheel for a chance to win some exciting prizes at the Nationwide booth.
36. Be a cover model. Get a picture of your face on the cover of Bassmaster Magazine at the B.A.S.S. booth. And while you’re there join or renew your B.A.S.S. membership.
37. Mark the spot. Note your hometown on the giant world map by the North Ballroom Gallery of the Classic Outdoor Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods to show how far you traveled to attend the Classic.
38. Build a better bait. Customize your own spinnerbait at the Toyota booth.
39. Improve your skills. Attend one of the daily seminars offered by the members of the Shimano bass crew, including Jared Lintner, Jonathon VanDam and JP Derose.
40. Enjoy some B.A.S.S. social interaction. Use the hashtag #bassmasterclassic and follow the latest updates on Facebook.com/BASS, Instagram.com/BASS_Nation, Twitter.com/BASS_Nation and Snapchat BASS_Nation.
41. Meet anglers and win prizes. Check out the Miss GEICO racing boat –– and have the chance to play games, win prizes and meet anglers at the GEICO booth.
42. Get tied in knots. Test your knot tying skills at the SpiderWire booth where you can compete with your fellow anglers for the highest break strength on the knot testing machine. Prizes will be awarded. Buy any Abu Garcia, Pflueger or Mitchell reel priced at $49.99 or higher and receive a free line fill by SpiderWire.
43. See the rising stars. See the 3rd Annual Costa Bassmaster High School Classic Saturday, March 5 at Lake Hudson in Salina, Okla., with the weigh-in at the BOK Center in Tulsa. And visit the 7th Annual College Classic Sunday, March 6 at the same locations.
44. Be a B.A.S.S. winner. Enter to win the Fish with Edwin Evers sweepstakes at the B.A.S.S booth.
45. Spin and reel. Don’t miss the display of new products at the Abu Garcia booth, including the exciting new Revo spinning reels.
46. Watch the crowning of the Classic champion. Come to the final weigh-in to see the trophy presentation at the BOK Center Arena.
2016 Bassmaster Classic Title Sponsor: GEICO
2016 Bassmaster Classic Presenting Sponsors: GoPro
2016 Bassmaster Classic Platinum Sponsor: Toyota 2016 Bassmaster Classic Premier Sponsors: Berkley, GoPro, Huk, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2016 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo Presenting Sponsor: Dick’s Sporting Goods
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines, Bassmaster website , television show ,The Bassmasters , social media programs and events. For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, B.A.S.S. Nation, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Costa Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.
By: Helen White, Bassmaster
