Category: Tournament releases

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Matt Messer wasn’t necessarily joking when he said he can’t catch smallmouth bass. But Thursday, on Day 1 of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Bass Pro Shops, Messer pounded the lake’s legendary smallmouth population, eventually weighing a five-bass limit for 23 pounds, 9 ounces on a blustery day here […]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials have announced the talented field of anglers set to compete in the 2025 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers (EQ) Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, the proving ground where competitors battle for a coveted berth on the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series. The lineup features a mix of rising stars, seasoned veterans and international […]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. has unveiled the 2026 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation presented by Lowrance schedule, with four qualifying events on some of the country’s most renowned fisheries and a championship location to be announced at a later date. The B.A.S.S. Nation trail offers everyday anglers the opportunity to fish their way from the grass-roots level to the […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

WALKER, Minn. — The only thing that stood taller than Laker Howell was the fishing rod he used to win the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Leech Lake presented by SEVIIN. At 6-foot-5, the pro from Guntersville, Ala., armed himself with a 7-foot-9 Daiwa Kage medium swimbait rod and leaned on his largemouth prowess to tally a two-day […]

LA CROSSE, Wis. — To catch fish, you have to know where they are. But looking past that obvious truth, knowing where they are often requires an understanding of where they’re going. Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pro Pat Schlapper said that principle will factor keenly into the Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Elite at Upper Mississippi River. […]

WALKER, Minn. — In the Ojibwe language, the name translates to “lake abundant with blood suckers,” but anglers competing in the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Leech Lake presented by SEVIIN will find this vast northern Minnesota fishery abounding in rod-bending opportunity. Competition days will be August 14-16 with daily takeoffs from Walker Public Dock at 6 […]

MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. — The Yokohama Bassmaster Elite at Lake St. Clair certainly hasn’t been difficult for Trey McKinney, but after three days of competition the second-year pro didn’t know how many big smallmouth were left in his best area. His questions were quickly answered on Championship Sunday as McKinney caught a 6 pound, 2-ounce smallmouth within the […]