2018 Costa FLW Series Rules, Entry Dates
The 2018 Costa FLW Series season will again consist of three events in each of the five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western – along with the no-entry-fee Costa FLW Series Championship to be held on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Ala.
Changes to the Costa FLW Series for 2018 are highlighted by the addition of all-new Strike King Angler of the Year and Co-angler of the Year payouts, with cash awards for the top five pros and co-anglers in each division. The Angler of the Year in each division now receives $5,000, with $4,000 going to second, $3,000 to third, $2,500 to fourth and $2,000 to fifth. The Co-angler of the Year now receives $2,000, with $1,500 going to second, $1,250 to third, $1,000 to fourth and $800 to fifth. Entry fees for the Costa FLW Series will slightly increase. Pro entries increase by $100 per event to $1,700 per tournament. Co-angler entry fees increase by $25 per event to $575 per tournament.
Costa FLW Series payouts will remain the same for 2018. Each qualifying tournament pays as much as $85,000, including a Ranger Z518C with a 200-hp outboard, to the winning pro, and $32,000, including a Ranger Z175 with a 90-hp outboard, to the winning co-angler based on a 150-boat field. As the number of participants increases, so do the awards. At the maximum field size of 250 boats, the payout jumps to $105,000, including a Ranger Z518C with a 200-hp outboard, for the winning pro, and $34,500, including a Ranger Z175 with a 90-hp outboard, for the winning co-angler. The depth of the payout also grows with participation, from 40 places paid at 150 boats to 67 places paid at 250 boats.
“A Costa FLW Series win is one of the most sought-after titles in bass fishing,” says FLW Series Tournament Director Ron Lappin. “No other circuit offers anglers from coast to coast better payouts for a lower entry fee. Add FLW’s extensive media coverage to the mix along with advancement to the FLW Tour, and it’s easy to see why the FLW Series continues to set participation records.”
The top 40 pros and co-anglers that fished all three qualifiers in each U.S. division advance to the no-entry-fee Costa FLW Series Championship for a shot at winning $95,000, including a Ranger Z518C with 200-hp outboard, in the pro division. The second-place championship pro earns $25,000, followed by $20,000 for third and $15,000 for fourth. The winning co-angler at the championship earns as much as $32,000, including a Ranger Z175, while the second-place championship co-angler earns $12,500 followed by $10,000 for third and $7,500 for fourth.
The highest finishing pro from each of the five U.S. divisions and the International Division based on final results at the 2018 Costa FLW Series Championship will qualify for the 2019 Forrest Wood Cup. Six FLW Series pros will advance to the 2019 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. The top 15 pros and co-anglers from each division receive priority entry into the 2019 FLW Tour.
Entry Dates
Entry is open now for the top 40 pros and co-anglers from each division of the 2017 FLW Series and the top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division of the 2017 BFL plus the winner of each 2017 BFL tournament (who paid an entry fee for all five tournaments in a division and fished at least two tournaments in the same division) who must pay their deposits for all three tournaments in a division by November 6, 2017 in order to secure their priority entry position. For Ranger boat owners (Ranger owners with current registrations or confirmation of a boat order who will use their Ranger boat in FLW Series competition) and sponsor entries (FLW may reserve sponsor spots in each qualifying tournament), deposits will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. Central time November 7, 2017. For anglers who fished a full division of the 2017 FLW Series or a full division of the 2017 BFL, deposits will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. Central time November 8, 2017. For TBF members, deposits will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. Central time November 9, 2017. For other entries, deposits will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. Central time November 10, 2017. Top entry priority goes to pros and co-anglers who enter all three FLW Series tournaments in a division by December 13, 2017 for the Southeastern, Southwestern and Western divisions and March 28, 2018 for the Central and Northern Divisions.
2018 Costa FLW Series Payouts:
Qualifying Event Payout:
Place Pro Ranger Cup Co-angler Ranger Cup
1 $40,000 Ranger Z518C Ranger Z175 $5,000
with 200 HP outboard with 90 HP outboard
2 15,500 5,000
3 12,000 4,000
4 10,000 3,500
5 9,000 3,000
6 8,000 2,500
7 7,000 2,000
8 6,000 1,750
9 5,000 1,500
10 4,000 1,250
11 3,750 1,000
12 3,500 1,000
13 3,000 1,000
14 3,000 1,000
15 3,000 1,000
16-20 3,000 800
21-25 2,750 700
26-30 2,500 600
31-40 2,000 500
Big Bass: Day 1 300 200
Big Bass: Day 2 300 200
Entry Fee $1,700 $575
*Payback is based on the number of paid entries for each tournament.
Costa FLW Series Championship:
Place Pro Ranger Cup Co-angler Ranger Cup
1 $50,000 Ranger Z518C Ranger Z175 $5,000
with 200 HP outboard with 90 HP outboard
2 25,000 $5,000 12,500
3 20,000 3,500 1 0,000
4 15,000 2,000 7,500
5 10,000 1,000 5,000
6 8,000 4,000
7 7,000 3,500
8 6,000 3,000
9 5,000 2,500
10 4,500 2,000
11-15 4,000 1,500
16-20 3,500 1,000
21-25 3,000 900
26-30 2,500 800
31-40 2,000 700
*Payback is based on the number of paid entries in qualifying tournaments.
Strike King Angler of the Year and Co-angler of the Year
Place Pro Co-angler
1 $5,000 $2,000
2 4,000 1,500
3 3,000 1,250
4 2,500 1,000
5 2,000 800