BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The coin has spoken. B.A.S.S. revealed the live-sonar designations for all nine events of the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series during Tuesday’s live Bassmaster Coin Flip Show presented by Walls, setting the stage for another season that will challenge the world’s best anglers to compete both with and without the technology.
The show also determined the live-sonar format for the next two Bassmaster Classics. Live sonar will be permitted during the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour on Lake Hartwell, March 19-21, while the 2028 Bassmaster Classic will be contested without live sonar.
Under the 50/50 technology format introduced in 2026, a coin flip determines whether live sonar can be used at each Elite Series event. The format is designed to test the complete skill set of Elite anglers across a variety of fisheries and fishing styles.
The 2027 coin flips produced the following results:
LIVE SONAR
- Feb. 11-14, Lake Okeechobee, Okeechobee, Fla.
- March 19-21, 2027 Bassmaster Classic, Lake Hartwell, Greenville, S.C.
- April 22-25, Lake Fork, Yantis, Texas
- May 20-23, Santee Cooper Lakes, Clarendon County, S.C.
- June 17-20, Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Columbus, Miss.
- Aug. 19-22, Mississippi River, La Crosse, Wis.
NO LIVE SONAR
- Feb. 18-21, Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, Kissimmee, Fla.
- April 8-11, Sabine River, Orange, Texas
- May 6-9, Lake Seminole, Bainbridge, Ga.
- Aug. 5-8, Lake St. Clair, Macomb County, Mich.
- Date TBD, 2028 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic
Of all the results, perhaps none creates more intrigue than Lake St. Clair.
One of the premier smallmouth fisheries in the country, St. Clair has become synonymous with the electronics-driven techniques that have transformed modern smallmouth fishing. When the Elite Series returns to Macomb County Aug. 5-8, however, anglers will have to unlock the massive fishery without live sonar.
That could make the eighth event of the season — with Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year points and Bassmaster Classic qualification increasingly important — one of the most fascinating tests of the 2027 Elite season.
“The first year of the 50/50 format showed us exactly what we hoped it would — that our anglers are incredibly versatile and that compelling competition can look very different from one tournament to the next,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “Now we know what those challenges will look like in 2027. Lake St. Clair without live sonar immediately jumps off the schedule, but every one of these results creates a different strategic challenge. That unpredictability is part of what makes this format so interesting for both our anglers and our fans.”
The season begins with contrasting technology rules during back-to-back Florida events. Live sonar will be available Feb. 11-14 on Lake Okeechobee before anglers move to the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Feb. 18-21, where the technology will not be permitted.
After the Bassmaster Classic, the Elite Series resumes April 8-11 on the Sabine River in Orange, Texas, without live sonar. Anglers will then have access to the technology April 22-25 on Lake Fork in Yantis, Texas.
Live sonar will again be prohibited May 6-9 on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Ga., before being permitted for consecutive events on Santee Cooper Lakes in South Carolina, May 20-23, and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in Columbus, Miss., June 17-20.
Following the summer break, anglers will face the no-live-sonar challenge on Lake St. Clair before live sonar returns for the Aug. 19-22 season finale on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis., where the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year race will be decided.
For the first time, the Bassmaster Classic was included in the Coin Flip Show.
A single flip determined the live-sonar rules for the next two editions of the World Championship of Bass Fishing, ensuring that consecutive Classics will showcase both styles of competition.
The result means live sonar will be permitted at the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, March 19-21 on Lake Hartwell. Greenville, S.C., will host Classic festivities, with competition taking place on Hartwell and takeoffs from Green Pond Landing in Anderson.
The 2027 championship will mark the fifth time Lake Hartwell has hosted the Bassmaster Classic, more than any other fishery in Classic history.
The 2028 Bassmaster Classic will not permit live sonar, regardless of the fishery selected to host the championship. The destination for the 2028 Classic has not yet been announced.
The 50/50 technology format debuted during the 2026 Elite Series season and produced strong fan engagement across both types of competition. Lake Guntersville, where live sonar was not permitted, was the most-viewed Elite event of the regular season across B.A.S.S. digital platforms, while the live-sonar event on the St. Lawrence River ranked second.
The contrasting results reinforced the premise behind the format: Elite anglers must demonstrate the ability to locate and catch bass using the full spectrum of skills required at the highest level of the sport.
Fans can follow all nine 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series events and the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour through coverage on Bassmaster.com, including Bassmaster LIVE, real-time leaderboards, photo galleries and tournament analysis.
For more information, visit Bassmaster.com.