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.
The Association of Collegiate Anglers completed its 21st season of the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series with record participation across all events. A survey of nearly 700 college anglers revealed 91% support forward-facing sonar technology and showed strong demand for high-end fishing gear and equipment among competitive student anglers.
CCA Florida announces the 2026 STAR competition presented by Yamaha, a youth-focused tournament running May 23 through September 7. The competition awards over $150,000 in prizes, boats, and scholarships, including $100,000 in college scholarships for participants ages 6-17 who fish and submit photos of their saltwater catches.
Bobby Lane III and Bryden Tyler of Lakeland Christian High School won the Columbia PFG High School Fishing National Championship on Lake Cumberland with a three-day total of 30-6 pounds, earning $10,000 in scholarships and entry into the 2026 Toyota Series Championship. The Florida anglers achieved a wire-to-wire victory over runners-up Keaton Coe and Macoy Johnson of Anoka Junior Bassers.
The 17th Annual High School Fishing World Finals and Abu Garcia High School Fishing National Championship Presented by Tackle Warehouse will take place June 24-26 at Lake Cumberland in Russell Springs, Kentucky. Nearly 500 student anglers from around the country will compete for nearly $1 million in scholarships and prizes, with top finishers advancing to the 2026 Toyota Series Championship.
Yamaha Pro Jason Christie won the 2026 Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound with 92 pounds, 7 ounces, earning his second Elite Series victory of the season. Christie caught 19 bass over four days, focusing on shallow cover in the Chowan River, with a key dock producing several critical fish during the final two days.
The University of Montevallo mathematically secured its 6th consecutive Bass Pro Shops School of the Year title presented by Abu Garcia, earning 6,455 points at the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship. Carson-Newman University finished 2nd and the University of North Alabama claimed 3rd place in the Association of Collegiate Anglers rankings.
Chef Robbie Nicolaisen of The Hound restaurant in Auburn won the Sweet Grown Alabama Seafood Cook-Off at The Wharf in Orange Beach with his Ember-Roasted Cobia dish, earning a $2,500 prize and a chance to compete in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans this summer.
Yamaha Pro Paul Marks captured his second Bassmaster Elite series win at Lake Murray on May 10, 2026, with a four-day total of 90 pounds, 14 ounces, earning the $101,000 top prize. Yamaha Pros dominated the tournament, taking seven of the top 10 spots, with Brandon Cobb finishing third and Robert Gee in fourth.
Twin brothers Carter and Dylan Nutt finished 1-2 at the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 4 on Douglas Lake. Carter won his first Pro Circuit title with 48 pounds for $100,000, while Dylan placed second with 47-10 for $23,900. Carter's offshore expertise and crankbait strategy secured the victory and qualified him for REDCREST 2027.
Z-Man Fishing Products and Evergreen International's ChatterBait JackHammer powered the top three finishers at the 2026 Major League Fishing REDCREST Championship on Table Rock Lake. Jacob Wheeler, Takahiro Omori, and Zack Birge all relied on the JackHammer, with ChatterBait bladed jigs accounting for over 25 top-10 finishes and $1.5 million in combined winnings in 2026.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's 2026 Lionfish Challenge runs May 22 through September 14, featuring new competition categories including Lionfish King, Lionfish Queen, Commercial Champion, Junior Harvester, and Veteran Champion. FWC Lionfish Outreach Coordinator Tony Hart emphasizes how the challenge supports conservation efforts to protect Florida's marine resources.
Wildlife Forever, Major League Fishing, and Bass Pro Shops Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium are hosting the REDCREST Fish Art Contest, a free youth art competition for grades K–12 during the REDCREST World Championship and Outdoor Sports Expo in Springfield, Missouri, April 17–19. Winners will receive fishing equipment and prize packages.