After three years of hovering in the Top 5 of Bassmaster Magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes rankings, Texas’ Sam Rayburn Reservoir finally takes the crown for being the best bass lake in the nation for 2018.

It’s been called the “Test of the Best” bass anglers, the “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing” and the “World Championship of Fishing.” By any name, the Bassmaster Classic became the salvation of Ray Scott’s Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) when the tournament was launched 47 years ago.

Minnesota’s state motto is “Star of the North,” which seems appropriate seeing Bassmaster Magazine has crowned the state’s second largest lake as the best bass fishery in the nation based on the recent release of the publication’s 100 Best Bass Lakes rankings.

A half-century ago, when Ray Scott of Montgomery, Ala., wanted to entice outdoor media to cover his upcoming press conference, he didn’t soft-sell the event.

For the first time since the creation of Bassmaster’s 100 Best Bass Lakes rankings, a fishery has reclaimed the No.1 spot in the nation. Toledo Bend Reservoir, which straddles the Texas and Louisiana border, keeps the crown and is the only lake to earn the title more than once.

For the second consecutive year, 12 standout high school anglers have been selected as members of the exclusive Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team.