2020 Bass Pro Tour Premieres on Discovery Channel Saturday, July 4
June 30, 2020 (Tulsa, Okla.) Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today the premiere of the 2020 Bass Pro Tour on the Discovery Channel, debuting Saturday, July 4, 7 to 9 a.m. ET and PT.
This competitive bass fishing circuit brings together 80 of the most accomplished professional anglers including Jacob Wheeler, Jordan Lee, and Ott DeFoe, currently ranked the top three anglers in the world by industry media outlet, BassFan, alongside Kevin VanDam, Mike Iaconelli, and reigning 2019 Bass Pro Tour Points Champion Edwin Evers.
“Major League Fishing is overwhelmingly the number one rated show or series in the fishing category across all networks, and the 2020 Bass Pro Tour on Discovery Channel is a critical piece of that schedule,” said Jim Wilburn, Major League Fishing President and CEO. “In 2019, MLF was the highest-rated series to ever air in the Discovery outdoor block. We look forward to bringing new fans to the sport with our return to Discovery Channel on July 4.”
Fans can follow the 2020 Bass Pro Tour season every Saturday morning from 7 to 9 a.m. ET/PT through October 4, 2020. The 15-week, 14-episode show schedule is as follows:
| Air Date | 2020 Bass Pro Tour Season Episode Listing |
| July 4 | B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole on Lake Eufaula, Ala. – Knockout Round |
| July 11 | B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole on Lake Eufaula (Ala.) – Championship Round |
| July 18 | Favorite Fishing Stage Two Presented by Bass Cat on Lake Okeechobee (Fla.) – Knockout Round |
| July 25 | Favorite Fishing Stage Two Presented by Bass Cat on Lake Okeechobee (Fla.) – Championship Round |
| August 1 | General Tire Stage Three Presented by TrueTimber on Lake Fork (Texas) – Knockout Round |
| August 8 | General Tire Stage Three Presented by TrueTimber on Lake Fork (Texas) – Championship Round |
| August 15 | No MLF episode due to Shark Week |
| August 22 | Toyota Heavy Hitters Presented by Venmo on Kissimmee Chain (Fla.) – Qualifying Round Group A, Day One |
| August 29 | Toyota Heavy Hitters Presented by Venmo on Kissimmee Chain (Fla.) – Qualifying Round Group B, Day One |
| September 5 | Toyota Heavy Hitters Presented by Venmo on Kissimmee Chain (Fla.) – Qualifying Round Group A, Day Two |
| September 12 | Toyota Heavy Hitters Presented by Venmo on Kissimmee Chain (Fla.) – Qualifying Round Group B, Day Two |
| September 19 | Toyota Heavy Hitters Presented by Venmo on Kissimmee Chain (Fla.) – Knockout Round |
| September 26 | Toyota Heavy Hitters Presented by Venmo on Kissimmee Chain (Fla.) – Championship Round |
| October 3 | Stage Five Presented by Covercraft hosted by Sturgeon Bay (Wisc.) – Knockout Round |
| October 4 (Sunday) | Stage Five Presented by Covercraft hosted by Sturgeon Bay (Wisc.) – Championship Round |
About the 2020 Bass Pro Tour
Following a mid-season interruption to minimize the spread of COVID-19, the 2020 Bass Pro Tour includes five Stages. Each Stage features six days of competition: four days of Qualifying Rounds featuring the full field of 80; a one-day Knockout Round, culminating into the final 10 competing in the Championship Round. To meet preexisting production timelines, MLF on Discovery Channel brings fans the drama of the Knockout and Championship Rounds from Stages One, Two, Three, and Five, and all six days of the Toyota Heavy Hitters Presented by Venmo.
Using SCORETRACKER®, fans and anglers alike keep track of the changing field as each fish changes the standings in real-time until time runs out at the end of Period Three. Each episode culminates into the Championship Round of Stage Five. Standings after Stage Five determine 2020 Season Points Champion as well as qualifiers for the 2021 Heavy Hitters and the Bass Pro Tour Championship: REDCREST, scheduled for February 21-29, 2021 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
About Major League Fishing
Founded in 2011, Major League Fishing (MLF) brings the high-intensity sport of competitive bass fishing into America’s living rooms on Outdoor Channel, Discovery, CBS, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, Sportsman Channel, and on-demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). The Bass Pro Tour consists of eight events and a championship streamed live on www.MajorLeagueFishing.com and MOTV.
In late 2019, MLF acquired FLW which expands their portfolio to include the world’s largest grassroots fishing organization, including the strongest five-fish format professional bass fishing tour, the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, as well as the Toyota Series, Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine, and Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI, and High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing.
For more information on the league and anglers, visit www.MajorLeagueFishing.com and follow MLF on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.