From The Tribune staff reports
TULSA, Okla. — Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament fishing organization, is set to open the 2021 Bass Pro Tour season on March 21-26 with the Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
Among the 80 anglers competing in 2021 will be local professional angler Aaron Martens, of Leeds.
“I’m grateful to be competing again and looking forward to seeing all of my friends on tour,” said Martens. “My goal is to finish the season in good health.”
Martens’ professional resume includes three Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year awards (2005, 2013, 2015), 11 wins, 82 top-10 finishes and more than $3.6 million in earnings.
2021 MLF Bass Pro Tour Schedule
- March 21-26 Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Jasper, Texas
- April 9-14 General Tire HEAVY HITTERS Raleigh, N.C.
- April 30-May 5 Stage Two at Lake Travis Austin, Texas
- May 21-26 Stage Three at Harris Chain of Lakes Leesburg, Fla.
- June 4-9 Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga Dayton, Tenn.
- June 25-30 Stage Five at St. Lawrence River Massena, N.Y.
- Aug. 5-10 Stage Six at Lake Champlain Plattsb., N.Y.
- Sept. 10-15 Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Michigan
- March 22-26, 2022 REDCREST 2022 at Grand Lake Tulsa, Okla.
The top award at each Bass Pro Tour event is $100,000, with $300,000 going to the winner of the REDCREST 2022 championship event. Anglers are also competing to qualify each year for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event, which showcases the pros with the highest cumulative weight from their single largest bass in each of the seven regular-season events.