The Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament (SBOBT) holds two tournaments throughout the year, hosted from Lake Michigan’s beautiful Sturgeon Bay in Door County, Wisconsin. The waters surrounding Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, teem with world class smallmouth bass fishing and our participants keep weighing in more and bigger fish each and every year. Our spring tournament is limited to 200 2-person teams. 2013 will be our tournament’s 23rd year and we hope to make it better than ever for both the quality of fishing as well as your very own enjoyment!
From its small beginning 23 years ago, the Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament has grown to be the Midwest’s premier bass tournament and become synonymous with the best bass fishing tournaments in the country. Mercury Marine and Ranger Boats are again the exclusive elite sponsors for the 2013 Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament. The first place team will take home a brand new 2013 Ranger Z118 powered by a Mercury 150 OptiMax plus $10,000 in cash and prizes for a total value of $41,640.
Events for the 2013 tournament begin on Thursday, May 16th with a media fishing day. This exclusive event allows media contacts and VIP’s to experience the heart pounding excitement of wrestling with a Door County smallmouth bass. They will also be able to see other important facets of the tournament itself.
The anglers begin their quest at 6.30 am Friday, May 17th, as the tournament participants take to the water for the first day of tournament fishing. Each angler knows that they could have a share in over $100,000 in cash and prizes! Friday and Saturday afternoons the weigh-in starts at 4:00 pm as everyone gathers to see who will bring the big bass to the scale and who will walk away with a brand new Ranger Boat, Mercury Motor & trailer along with $10,000 in cash and prizes. Sunday the 17th will be used as the alternate day in case weather and conditions do not permit fishing on either Friday or Saturday.
While the fishermen hit the water for two great days of fishing, there is plenty to do at Sawyer Park during the day. Saturday, May 18th is a kids fishing day. From 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM children can try their luck at all sorts of games such as scorpion fishing, minnow races, kids casting contest and a fishing pond. Spend time in the blow up bouncers, do a craft project or stop by and get your face painted. All participating kids will take home a prize — with additional chances to win a grand prize in each category.
Saturday afternoon for the Dock Dance will kick off from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Sawyer Park. Come on down and listen to the music, dance a bit and grab a bite to eat. The anglers will return at 3:00 PM for the final days weigh in. One can be sure it’s going to be a thriller! Prizes will be awarded at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.
Besides planning this outstanding event each spring, the Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament organization is also involved in other projects throughout the community: They have joined forces with the Sturgeon Bay Rotary to have windows and doors add to the pavilion at Sawyer Park during the past year; Teamed up with the Door County Invasive Species Program to educate the public and provide equipment to fight invasive species.; Provided funding for the flag pole at the Carmody Park Boat Launch in Little Sturgeon and worked with youth groups and hunter safety programs as well. The SBOBT is always looking for projects and ways to promote fishing with the youth of our community.
All sportswriters, sportscasters and editors are invited to participate in media day on Thursday, May 17th and spend the day on the water with one of our tournament anglers. We ask that you call in advance and let us know that you will be attending so that we can make all the needed arrangements. Please contact Denise Plassmeyer at (920)746-8741 or Wendy Heim at (920)366-4939 to register for the Media Day.
STURGEON BAY OPEN BASS TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
THURSDAY, MAY 16TH
- 8:00 A.M. MEDIA DAY
- 7:30 A.M. Participants register at Sawyer Park
- 3:00 PM PRE-FISHING ENDS -Contestants must be off the tournament waters by 3:00 PM
- 4:00 – 5:30 PM Tournament Registration at Sawyer Park – Under the tent
- 6:00 – 7:00 PM MANDATORY Tournament Participant Meeting at Sawyer Park
- AWARDS FOR PRO-AM
FRIDAY, MAY 17TH
- 5:00 AM Check-In & Boat Inspection
- 6:30 AM – 4:00 P.M. First Flight – Tournament Begins
- 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM Second Flight
- 4:00 p.m. Weigh-In Begins @ Sawyer Park
SATURDAY, MAY 18TH
- 5:00 AM Check-In & Boat Inspection
- 6:30 AM – 3:00 P.M. First Flight – Tournament Begins
- 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM Second Flight
- 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM KID’S DAY – Events for all ages
- 5:00 – 8:00 PM DOCK DANCE
- 3:00 PM Weigh-In Begins @ Sawyer Park
- 5:00 PM Awards Presentation
SUNDAY, MAY 20TH — WEATHER /WIND DAY ONLY IF NEEDED
This day is reserved for a makeup day if Friday or Saturday needs to be cancelled because of weather conditions.
- 5:00 AM Check-In & Boat Inspection
- 6:30 AM – 2:00 PM First Flight
- 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Second Flight
- 2:00 PM Weigh-In
- 4:00 PM PRIZES AWARDED – SAWYER PARK BOAT LAUNCH
The Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament has two tournaments throughout the year. The spring tournament is always the weekend after Mothers Day
The entry fee for the 2013 spring tournament is $510 per 2-person team. The spring tournament is limited to 200 2-person teams. Dates for this years tournament are May 17th, 18th and 19th. For the spring tournament – entries are sent out to the teams that fished the previous year. They are given the first opportunity to send in their entry forms – postmarked on or after March 15th. Teams that are interested in entering the spring tournament that did not fish the previous spring are able to send in their entry form postmarked on or after March 31st. These dates can be subject to change and are specified on the entry form and on the website. Entry dates and deadlines are strictly enforced. Entries that are postmarked prior to due date will be returned.
