DECATUR, Ala. — Ninety-nine of the nation’s top high school anglers gathered for the fifth annual Skeeter Boats Bassmaster High School Combine over the past weekend in Decatur, Ala. The Combine provides an incredible opportunity for the next generation of anglers to plan for their future and meet one-on-one with some of the best fishing colleges and coaches in […]
Author: Mandy Pascal
Champlain’s bounty kicks off Elite Qualifiers quest
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — With career trajectories and the sport’s most prestigious event at stake, time management and balanced ambition will play significant roles during the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Bass Pro Shops. Competition days will be September 18-20 with daily takeoffs from Plattsburgh City Marina at 7 a.m. ET and […]
B.A.S.S. announces 2026 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens schedule, Live Sonar rule change and EQ qualifications updates
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials today unveiled the schedule for the 2026 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN, eight tournaments spread across two divisions that will challenge anglers on some of the country’s most iconic fisheries. The Opens have long served as a proving ground for aspiring pros, and in 2026, the trail will once […]
B.A.S.S. announces results of coin flip determining 2026 Forward-Facing Sonar Events
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — More than 50,000 fans tuned in live on Bassmaster.com to watch a first-of-its-kind show where the venues for the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series were paired and a coin flip determined which events will allow forward-facing sonar (FFS). The new format, announced earlier this week, limits the use of FFS to a maximum of five regular-season Elite tournaments. […]
B.A.S.S. announces 2026 Elite Series Television Broadcast Schedule on FOX and FS1
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— B.A.S.S., the worldwide authority on bass fishing, has announced the 2026 television schedule for the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series and the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. This season delivers 12 hours of live bass fishing on FOX broadcast television, reaching more than 200 million U.S. households, along with almost 60 hours […]
B.A.S.S. announces Live Sonar rule change for 2026 Elite Series
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— B.A.S.S., the worldwide authority on bass fishing, today announced an update to its forward-facing live sonar (FFS) policy that will take effect during the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series season. Beginning in 2026, forward-facing live sonar will only be permitted in up to five of the nine regular-season Elite Series events. Which events […]
Top student athletes named to the 2025 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Thirty-three of the top high school anglers from across the country have been named to the 2025 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team. The students were selected for this honor based on their success in bass tournament competition, academic achievement and leadership in conservation and community service. To be considered for the […]
Schlapper’s local knowledge seals Bassmaster Elite win at Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. — Pat Schlapper was surprised by his first Bassmaster Elite trophy, but not his second. The latter — this week’s season-ending Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Elite at Upper Mississippi River — fulfilled the Eleva, Wis., pro’s honest expectation with a winning total of 66 pounds, 5 ounces. “This one’s so sweet, it means a lot to me,” said […]
Kuphall manages challenging conditions to remain atop Bassmaster Elite at Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. — Conditions changed, but Caleb Kuphall’s game plan did not. Sticking with a technique he employed the previous two days, the pro from Mukwonago, Wis., tallied a three-day total of 50 pounds, 12 ounces and remained atop the Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Elite at Upper Mississippi River. Kuphall, who claimed a wire-to-wire win at the 2021 […]
Last minute heroics push Johnston to back-to-back AOY titles
LA CROSSE, Wis. — When he decided he wanted to be a professional bass angler, Chris Johnston had no idea if he would ever be able to win a single Angler of the Year title. Now, the Otonabee, Ontario angler’s name is written in the B.A.S.S. record books forever. For the second-straight season, Johnston claimed the Progressive Bassmaster […]