Bass Pro celebrates anniversary with national tournament

Bass Pro Shops this year turns 50 years old, and the company is celebrating with a multimillion-dollar, national fishing tournament.

In celebration of its milestone, the Springfield-based outdoor retailer yesterday announced the amateur U.S. Open tournament would start next month. The event is slated to culminate with championship events Nov. 19-21 on Table Rock Lake. Officials say $4 million in cash and prizes will be awarded, with a $1 million grand prize, according to the tournament’s website.

"This is really important to boost up the quality of fishing," Bass Pro founder Johnny Morris said in a video announcement, noting event proceeds would go toward the National Fish Habitat Initiative.

The event starts with a March 13 qualifier in Lake Okeechobee, Florida. Qualifiers span as far east as Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, and as far west as Lake Mead, Nevada, with events closer to Springfield scheduled in Arkansas and Oklahoma, according to the tournament's website.

Bass Pro ended 2020 by signing a definitive agreement to purchase West Jordan, Utah-based Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: SPWH) in a roughly $785 million deal, according to past reporting.

Last year's Forbes 400 estimated Bass Pro's annual sales at $6.5 billion.