The 2015 U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship is in the books and it once again set new records for attendance, weight of fish, and money payouts to the winning teams. In its third year, the Bass Pro U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship featured 275 teams from across the country battling for a $25,000 grandprize. It was the biggest payout in bowfishing history.
The event was held at the Bass Pro location in Springfield, MO June 12-14. In addition to this year’s tournament, Bass Pro also launched the first World’s Bowfishing Fair where they unveiled lots of gear from their brand new Archenemy Bowfishing line. Other vendors at this year’s event included Muzzy, AMS Bowfishing, NAP, Rinehart Targets, Fin Finder, Oneida Bows, PSE, Innerloc, Lumenok, Bowfishing Tour, Monster Bowfishing, and more. It’s an event for the whole family with tons of prizes, giveaways and raffles for kids of all ages.
There were a number of seminars offered throughout the event from the likes of Chuck Belmore, John Paul Morris, and Jon Justice of The Habit TV show, Kevin VanDam, Corey Brossman, Tim Wells, Mathew Schillinger, and others.
There were a number of seminars offered throughout the event from the likes of Chuck Belmore, John Paul Morris, and Jon Justice of The Habit TV show, Kevin VanDam, Corey Brossman, Tim Wells, Mathew Schillinger, and others.
You knew the moment you stepped on to the grounds at Bass Pro that you had arrived at an event put on by folks that are addicted to bowfishing. Whether a beginner, or an old pro, they had it all covered to ensure an entertaining and educational experience for all.
“Bowfishing is my passion,” says John Paul Morris, founder of the U.S. Open tournament. “I want to do everything I can to continue to grow this great sport.”
“Bowfishing is my passion,” says John Paul Morris, founder of the U.S. Open tournament. “I want to do everything I can to continue to grow this great sport.”
Despite a monstrous rain storm that rolled through right as teams were being released to their boats, excitement and anticipation continued to run high as teams pulled out of designated parking lots and headed to one of five lakes that were open to bowfishing for this tournament. The expanded list of lakes included in this year’s tournament were: Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Truman, Pomme de terre, and Stockton.
The U.S. Open tournament follows the Big 20 Format. After a long, sleepless night on the water, the teams returned to Bass Pro with their 20 largest fish to be put on the scales. There was also a $5000 check to be given to the team that hauled in the single largest fish of the event.
When the dust finally settled and all the scores were tallied up, Team Mid-MO Bowfishing, from Clinton, MO were declared the 2015 U.S. Open Bowfishing Champions with a weight of 393.66 pounds. Team Captain, John Marshall, also took home big fish honors with a 60.8 pound Grass Carp that sealed the deal on the $5000 Big Fish payout. Marshall’s fish was the biggest fish so far in the three years of the U.S. Open. The fish proved once again that one fish can make all the difference when it comes to bowfishing tournament action.
The top ten teams at this year’s U.S. Open are as follows:
- Mid-MO Bowfishing – 393.65#
- Team Stump Jumper – 351.68#
- Dirty Boys Bowfishing – 349.15#
- Moenig – 349.00#
- Team Let’s Hunt – 330.65#
- Muzzy Bowfishing – 324.55#
- Southern Style Bowfishing 320.55#
- Hood-Campbell-Ellenburg – 316.65#
- Team Fin-O-Cide – 299.20#
- Strickly Bowfishing – 294.10#
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