FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alabama Bass Trail 100 Presented by Phoenix Boats Tournament Series Kicks Off Tournament Season January 17th in Cullman
Contact:
Angela Cross Social Media and Communications Director | angela@alabamabasstrail.org | 855-934-7425
CULLMAN, Ala. – January 14, 2026 – The Alabama Bass Trail 100 (ABT 100) launches its 2026 season Saturday, January 17, with a field made up of professional and highly competitive amateur-level team anglers on Lewis Smith Lake. One hundred two-person bass fishing teams coming from across the nation will compete for a $25,000 first-place prize and share of a total payout exceeding $100,000 in this highly anticipated season opener.
As the first of only three ABT 100 events scheduled for 2026, the Lewis Smith Lake tournament immediately establishes critical positioning for the season-long Angler of the Year championship race and represents an opportunity for teams to claim early momentum in a competitive circuit offering more than $300,000 in total cash and prizes throughout the season.
“I am excited to bring an Alabama Bass Trail event to my new hometown of Cullman, Alabama,” said ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson. “Since moving here, I have really immersed myself in the local culture. We have some of the best festivals, and the support organizers receive is incredible. From the tourism office, parks and recreation, and elected officials, everyone goes out of their way to make events like the Alabama Bass Trail successful.”
Premium Competition on Premier Fishery
The ABT 100 Series maintains an intentionally limited field of 100 two-person teams, creating one of the most competitive formats in team bass fishing. The restricted entry ensures a high-caliber field while providing substantial payouts throughout the standings, with 20 places paid plus a $1,000 big fish bonus at each event.
Lewis Smith Lake serves as an ideal proving ground for the season’s opening salvo. The 21,200-acre reservoir, known for its crystal-clear water, diverse structure, and challenging conditions, consistently produces quality bass while testing anglers’ technical skills and adaptability. Located in the scenic hills of North Alabama, Smith Lake offers spotted bass, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass populations, creating multiple strategic approaches for competing teams.
Tournament competition begins at safe light Friday morning, with teams launching from designated ramps and fishing throughout the day before returning for an afternoon weigh-in. The one-day format demands precise execution, efficient water coverage, and decisive pattern selection from the moment lines hit the water.
Award-Winning Tournament Series
The Alabama Bass Trail has established itself as one of the premier tournament circuits in the Southeast, earning recognition as the Decatur Morgan County Event of the Year in 2024 and receiving a nomination for Alabama Event of the Year in 2025. These accolades reflect the series’ significant economic impact and professional organization that has generated over $108 million in tourism revenue for Alabama since its inception.
The ABT 100 represents the pinnacle of the Alabama Bass Trail’s tournament offerings, featuring the highest entry standards, largest payouts, and most competitive field within the organization’s portfolio. Teams qualifying for the ABT 100 have demonstrated consistent performance and competitive excellence, creating a field where every boat represents a legitimate threat to claim victory.
Live Coverage and Fan Engagement
Fans can follow the action through comprehensive live coverage featuring real-time updates from competing boats on the water beginning at 6:30AM CST. The ABT 100 will stream live weigh-ins beginning at 3:00PM CST, and maintain updated leaderboards during weigh-ins at www.AlabamaBassTrail100.org. Watch live coverage www.AlabamaBassTrail.org on Facebook at Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series, and via the Alabama Bass Trail TV YouTube channel.
The live coverage platform allows viewers to track their favorite teams, monitor changing conditions, and witness the drama as the tournament unfolds from launch through the final fish weighed. Broadcast coverage will air later in 2026, providing in-depth tournament recaps and highlights.
Community Partnership and Economic Impact
Cullman’s embrace of the ABT 100 reflects a growing partnership between competitive fishing and community tourism development. The tournament is expected to fill hotels, restaurants, and retail establishments throughout Cullman County while introducing visitors to the region’s hospitality and attractions beyond the lake.
Harmony Heard, Executive Director of Visit Cullman, emphasized the significance of hosting a championship-caliber fishing event.“This is fireworks,” Heard said. “Two major fishing events aligned in the same weekend, centered around Smith Lake and the Omniplex. It could not be a more beautiful alignment. The impact is exponential. Visitors fill our hotels, eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores, and then they come back.”
The Cullman Omniplex serves as the location for the Ultimate Fishing Expo, as well as the official ABT 100 tournament meeting space, providing state-of-the-art facilities for large venues. The multi-use venue positions Cullman to compete with established tournament destinations while maintaining the authentic community atmosphere that distinguishes Alabama Bass Trail events.
Local businesses are preparing for the influx of anglers, families, and fishing enthusiasts. Eddie Canaday, owner of Cobblestone Hotel and Suites, Wissota Steakhouse, and Cotton Creek’s Half Shell Oyster House, sees the tournament as an opportunity to showcase Cullman’s hospitality.“For us, it’s about awareness,” Canaday said. “A lot of anglers come to Smith Lake and never realize what Cullman has to offer. Events like this change that. We want anglers to come back—not just for tournaments, but with their families.”
Championship Season Ahead
The Lewis Smith Lake tournament opens a three-event championship season designed to crown Alabama’s premier team bass fishing champions. Following the Cullman opener, the ABT 100 Series continues with two additional events on proven tournament fisheries:
∙ January 17, 2026 – Lewis Smith Lake, Cullman, Alabama
∙ June 6, 2026 – Neely Henry Lake, Gadsden, Alabama
∙ November 7, 2026 – Lake Jordan
Each tournament offers identical $100,000 payouts with $25,000 awarded to first place, $15,000 to second place, and substantial prizes extending through the top 20 teams. Consistent performance across all three events determines the season-long Angler of the Year champion, recognized as the pinnacle achievement in Alabama team bass fishing.
The limited three-tournament format creates heightened significance for each event, with strong finishes essential to championship aspirations and poor performances difficult to overcome. Teams must balance aggressive tactics with consistent execution across varied fisheries and changing seasonal conditions from winter through fall.
Tournament Format and Rules
The ABT 100 operates under professional tournament standards emphasizing fair competition, sportsmanship, and conservation. Teams fish from a single boat with both anglers contributing to a five-bass limit weighed live at the conclusion of competition. Strict rules govern legal fishing methods, live well procedures, and fish care to ensure the integrity of competition and protection of fishery resources.
Tournament officials conduct pre-launch inspections, monitor competition through on-water marshals and live coverage technology, and enforce penalties for rule violations. The comprehensive rules package ensures level playing conditions while maintaining the highest standards of competitive bass fishing.
Registration for the 2027 ABT 100 season opens June 1, 2026, with priority registration offered to 2026 participants before opening to new teams.
About the Alabama Bass Trail 100
The Alabama Bass Trail 100 is a limited-entry professional team bass tournament series featuring 100 two-person teams competing for a $25,000 first-place prize and $100,000 total payout at each event. The series is a program of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, operated through the Alabama Bass Trail. The Alabama Bass Trail was named Decatur Morgan County Event of the Year in 2024 and nominated for Alabama Event of the Year in 2025. Since inception, the Alabama Bass Trail has generated over $108 million in tourism revenue for the state of Alabama.
Tournament Sponsors
The 2026 Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series is made possible through partnerships with Phoenix Boats, AMFirst, Larry Puckett Chevrolet, 13 Fishing, Rapala, VMC, CRUSHCITY, Buffalo Rock, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Jack’s, Garmin, Thompson CAT, Thomson Trailer Company, Pirnah02, Alabama State Parks, Halo Fishing, Snag Proof, NetBait, Bait Fuel, Scum Frog, Alfa Insurance – Thomas ALFA-MAN Shelton, TH Marine Supplies, Power-Pole, Pro Guide Batteries, Yamaha, E3 Sports Apparel, FishAlabama.org, Sweet Home Alabama, and Alabama Mountain Lakes.
For more information about the Alabama Bass Trail 100, visit www.AlabamaBassTrail100.org, follow on Facebook at Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series, or call 855-934-7425.
Re: Ultimate Fishing Expo Comes to Cullman as ABT 100 Opens Its Season on Smith Lake – Alabama Bass Trail 100 By Jason Duran
The Alabama Bass Trail 100 is run by the Alabama Bass Trail and is a program of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association.
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