Four Canadians Earn Their Spot at Bass Fishing's Unofficial World Championship
Canada is sending some serious firepower to Tennessee this fall.
Four Canadian pros have qualified for The Champions, the new event being called the unofficial world championship of bass fishing. It runs October 28 through November 1 on Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with a record $3.25 million purse and $1.25 million going to the winner.
Evan Kung Rides a Hot Finish Into Nashville
Leading the group is Evan Kung, 27, of Pickering, Ontario. Kung picked up the first win of his Elite Series career at the season finale on the St. Lawrence River in Clayton, New York, back in August. That victory paid him more than $100,000, locked up his place on the circuit for next year, and earned him a ticket to The Champions.
Now he has a chance to cap off the best season of his life with a $1.25 million payday.
The Rest of the Canadian Crew
Kung will be joined on the Bassmaster Elite side by brothers Chris Johnston of Peterborough, Ontario, and Cory Johnston of Cavan, Ontario, along with Jeff Gustafson of Kenora, Ontario.
Every one of them has won an Elite Series event. Chris Johnston has also twice claimed overall honors on the circuit, and Gustafson made history in 2023 as the first Canadian ever to win the Bassmaster Classic. He's still the only one.
How The Champions Works
The event is the brainchild of Texas businessman Brian Bird, who founded World Bass Enterprises in January. He came up with the idea on a Minnesota fishing trip in August 2024. His thinking was simple: Bassmaster and Major League Fishing each had great anglers and great championships of their own, but nothing put the best of both on the same water.
The field pulls the top anglers from the Elite Series and Major League Fishing, plus two amateurs who won their spots through raffles. Everyone fishes the first two days, and the top 15 advance to the final. There's also a team angle: whichever circuit gets eight or more anglers into the final takes home the Champions Cup.
A Creative Twist on Forward Facing Sonar
Forward facing sonar (FFS) is one of the most debated topics in pro bass fishing right now, and The Champions is splitting the difference.
During the first two days, each angler picks one day to fish with FFS and fishes the other day without it. On championship day, anglers get the technology for a single three hour stretch of their eight hours on the water. Once they switch it on, the clock is running, and when time is up the unit gets locked away in a lockbox for the rest of the day. Bird's take is that some anglers love FFS, some hate it, and this format is about as down the middle as it gets.
Free Fun for Fans
If you're anywhere near Nashville, this one is worth the trip. Every day of competition ends with a weigh in that's free to attend, and there will be plenty to do while the anglers are out on the water: live bands all day, a petting zoo, fishing for kids, BB gun ranges, archery, and axe throwing. There's also a free outdoor expo at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.
Can't make it in person? The event will be available on pay per view.
The Venue
Old Hickory Lake holds largemouth, spotted, and smallmouth bass. It covers roughly 35 square miles and runs about 97 miles along the Cumberland River. This year's field includes anglers from Canada, Japan, and the United States.
Bigger Plans
Bird wants The Champions to become the officially recognized world championship of bass fishing, held every year, with more ways for anglers around the globe to earn a spot. With four Canadians and a group of Japanese anglers already in the field, it's got a global flavor from day one.
Source: Original reporting by Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press.
