Team USA won the 20th Black Bass Fishing World Championship on Lake Hamilton, with Kevin VanDam and Dustin Connell capturing the pairs title. The United States topped South Africa and France, with Scott Martin and Dakota Ebare finishing second in pairs competition among 22 competing nations.
Ott DeFoe and Drew Gill are positioned as strong contenders for the Black Bass World Championship at Lake Hamilton in Arkansas, October 1-3. Team USA will defend its 2025 gold medal against 22 other nations, with additional American pairings including Kevin VanDam/Dustin Connell and Scott Martin/Dakota Ebare.
B.A.S.S. announced the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series will continue its 50/50 live sonar format in 2027, with a coin flip determining technology rules for each tournament. For the first time, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic will also be included in the Coin Flip Show, with consecutive Classics showcasing both competition styles.
Wildlife Forever announces the 2026-27 Art of Conservation Bird Art Contest and Fish Art Contest, open to K-12 students worldwide with support from Title Sponsor Bass Pro Shops. The free programs inspire youth to connect with nature through art, writing, and science, with deadlines of November 30, 2026 for Bird Art and February 28, 2027 for Fish Art.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in partnership with Wildlife Forever, opens the 2026–2027 Florida Fish Art Contest to kindergarten through 12th grade students. Participants create original artwork of Florida's native fish species and submit entries by February 28th, 2027, with winners receiving prizes and recognition from the FWC.
Ninety-seven high school students competed in the sixth annual Skeeter Boats Bassmaster High School Combine in Decatur, Alabama, featuring skills challenges and meetings with 26 college programs. Ty Magargle won overall honors with 366 points, while Tristan Topa, Kaden Tomblin, and Graham Gordon captured individual event titles in Casting Accuracy, Long Cast, and Technical Challenge, respectively.
The Association of Collegiate Anglers announced its sixth annual Pre-Season Poll for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Carson-Newman University ranks first for the first time, with University of Montevallo and Lander University rounding out the top three among 25 ranked college bass fishing teams.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) is accepting entries for the 2027 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest with a deadline of October 30, 2026. The contest features 10 categories and accepts up to 10 photos per amateur photographer, with winning images displayed in traveling exhibits across Alabama during 2027.
The newly rebranded Bassmaster College Classic Cup presented by Lew's debuts October 9-11 on Wilson Lake in Florence, Alabama, featuring a three-day tournament format. The champion wins a berth in the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, a Toyota Tundra, Nitro boat, $7,500 prize money, and entry into a Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens division.
19-year-old Beau Schilling made history by becoming the first rookie to win the National Walleye Tour's Angler of the Year title in 2026. Competing alongside his father Chad and fellow 19-year-old Jayden Wendel, Schilling dominated multiple qualifiers using Rapala's Mooch Minnow and VMC Tungsten jigs across various fisheries including Lake Erie, Lake Oahe, and Green Bay.
Caleb Hudson of Georgia won the 2026 Pro-Guide Batteries Elite Series Rookie of the Year title with 621 points, edging Alabama's Fisher Anaya by 2 points and Texas's Pake South. Hudson earned a $10,000 bonus and finished 7th overall in the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year contest.
Major League Fishing announced that the 2027 Columbia PFG College Fishing National Championship will be held on Toledo Bend Reservoir in Hemphill, Texas, February 10-12, 2027. The event will feature top collegiate teams competing for a $56,000 prize package, including a Phoenix 818 Pro bass boat and advancement to the Toyota Series Championship and REDCREST 2028.
The 2026 Strike King Bassmaster College Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops will be held at Leech Lake, Minnesota, August 20-22. According to 2025 Bassmaster Classic champion Easton Fothergill, weather conditions will determine tournament success, with winning teams earning spots in the 2026 Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew's.
Bryan Schmitt won the SPRO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with 81 pounds, 7 ounces, earning his third Elite Series victory. Schmitt edged Chris Johnston by one pound to claim the $100,000 top prize, with Seth Feider finishing third.
Major League Fishing's 2026 Starlink Team Series Bass Pro Shops Patriot Cup streams live on MyOutdoorTV from Charles County, Maryland, August 16-21, featuring 12 two-man teams competing for $560,000 in prize money with hosts Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney providing commentary.
Major League Fishing announced the 50 professional anglers qualified for the 2027 Bass Pro Tour, led by reigning Angler of the Year Zack Birge. The roster includes established champions Jacob Wheeler, Dustin Connell, and Ott DeFoe, plus five Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit rookies: Ryan Lachniet, Connor Jacob, Carter Nutt, Brody Campbell, and Will Harkins.
The 2026 SPRO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain will take place August 13-16 in Plattsburgh, N.Y. Brandon Palaniuk notes that without forward-facing sonar, anglers must adapt strategies as smallmouth bass have become more nomadic, requiring different approaches than previous tournaments on the lake.
CCA Florida's STAR Youth Competition presented by Yamaha runs through September 7th, offering $150,000 in scholarships and prizes. The Guy Harvey Foundation Scholarship Division presents $100,000 in scholarships for ages 6-17, while the Teen Challenge presented by Carolina Skiff offers boat and motor packages for ages 13-17.
Minneapolis artist Melissa Mickelson won the 2027 trout and salmon stamp contest with an acrylic lake trout painting, while Virginia artist John Barnard won the walleye stamp contest with an oil painting. The Minnesota DNR uses stamp revenue to fund walleye stocking and trout and salmon management.
Virginia pro Ryan Lachniet earned a 2027 Bass Pro Tour invitation and Rookie of the Year honors at the 2026 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 6 on Lake Champlain. The 22-year-old Campbellsville University graduate finished second in the 7 Brew Angler of the Year race and demonstrated exceptional consistency throughout the season, making all six cuts with three Top 10 finishes.