Skeet Reese, 2024 Bass Fishing Hall of Fame inductee and founder of Reese Fishing, announces the Big Bass Battle presented by Reese Fishing at Clear Lake June 25-28, 2026. The event features a $90,000 Ranger boat prize package and is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, Ranger Boats, Mercury, Lowrance, and Power Pole.
Jack Story of Atlanta, Georgia, won the 43rd Phoenix BFL All-American Championship on Lake Murray with a three-day total of 61-8, becoming the youngest-ever winner at 18 years old. Story earned $100,000 and qualified for REDCREST 2027, holding off Brooks Anderson of Marietta, Georgia, who finished second with 60-14.
Shimano Pro Alex Davis won the National Professional Fishing League event at Lay Lake presented by Work Sharp with a three-day total of 51 pounds, 10 ounces, using Shimano Curado rods and reels. Davis finished just ahead of second-place angler Patrick Walters in the closely contested tournament.
Dave Lefebre of Erie, Pennsylvania won the MLF Kubota Heavy Hitters on Orange Lake with seven bass weighing 31-3, earning $100,000. He also caught the Berkley Big Bass, a 9-3 largemouth, for an additional $100,000, becoming only the second angler in Heavy Hitters history to earn $200,000 alongside Jordan Lee.
Rob Gee, a third-year Elite Series pro, previews the Yokohama Tire Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes after earning a $1,000 Yamaha Power Pay bonus for his fourth-place finish at Lake Murray. Gee discusses post-spawn patterns, expected weights, and how the prohibition of forward-facing sonar will impact tournament strategy.
Berkley Pro Austin Tomasek won the National Walleye Tour opener on Lake Erie with 86 pounds, 9 ounces, earning a Ranger 620FS PRO and $15,000. Fishing out of Monroe, Michigan, Tomasek adapted to changing water conditions to locate prespawn walleye and secured a commanding victory over second place.
Garrett Ellenson from Nine Mile Falls, Washington won the 2026 WON Bass Clear Lake Open with a three-day weight of 95.87 pounds, earning a 2026 Ranger Boats Z518 powered by Mercury ProXS 150 and $5,550 in cash. Patrick Touhey finished second with 91.95 pounds, while Ty Manterola placed third with 90.76 pounds.
Jacob Wheeler won Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2026 at Table Rock Lake with 21 bass weighing 51 pounds, 11 ounces, earning the $300,000 prize and defeating runner-up Takahiro Omori by 13-3. The Birchwood, Tennessee pro finally claimed the championship title that had eluded him despite four previous top-six finishes.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation's Commissioners' Cup Youth Bass Fishing Tournament, presented by Xpress Boats, returns for its eighth year on May 16 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs. High school and junior anglers compete in teams with boat captains for scholarships, trophies, and gear.
Monroe, Michigan will host the 2026 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's National Walleye Tour season opener presented by Progressive on April 9-10 at Sterling State Park on Lake Erie. Hosted in partnership with Explore Monroe, the tournament showcases competitive walleye fishing on one of the nation's top fisheries, with daily takeoffs at 7:30 a.m. and weigh-ins at 3:30 p.m.
Major League Fishing's world championship will take place April 17-19 at Table Rock Lake near Springfield, Missouri, featuring the top 35 pro anglers competing for a $300,000 grand prize. The event includes a free MLF Outdoor Sports Expo at Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters with live seminars, pro anglers, and special guests. Table Rock's diverse fishery with all three black bass species makes it ideal for the Bass Pro Tour's every-fish-counts format.
The Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners Tournament returns to Lake Guntersville October 17-18, 2026, featuring a $15,000 first-place prize and a 2026 Toyota Tundra giveaway for all registered anglers. This no-entry fee amateur team tournament is hosted out of Goose Pond Colony Resort with B.A.S.S. conducting the event.
Abu Garcia and Fenwick pro Pake South won his second Bassmaster Open of 2026 at Lake Eufaula with 84 pounds, 1 ounce, winning by over 10 pounds. South targeted post-spawn largemouth in 6-12 feet of water using Berkley Lab Series Minnows and urchin-style baits on Fenwick World Class rods and Abu Garcia Zenon X reels.
Jacob Wheeler won his 11th Bass Pro Tour event at Suzuki Marine Stage 4, earning $125,000 and becoming the first angler to win after winning the Qualifying Round across multiple fisheries. Wheeler defeated Justin Lucas by over 10 pounds on Lake Brownwood and took the lead in the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year race.
Wisconsin DNR carefully regulates large fishing tournaments and requires registration once yearly for events with fewer than 20 boats or 100 participants. Tournament organizers must submit free registrations online or by paper form at least 72 hours before the event, providing details about waterbodies, dates, target species, and expected participants.
Jason Christie won the Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway with 58 pounds, 2 ounces, claiming his ninth Bassmaster title and $100,000 prize. Christie edged Dakota Ebare by 2-5 pounds, with John Garrett finishing third. Christie relied on Booyah Covert Spinnerbaits and YUM trailers to secure the victory.
CCA Florida's Inter-Chapter Challenge, running since 2004, is a family-friendly inshore and offshore fishing tournament held June 4-7, 2026 in Steinhatchee. The event features multiple divisions, dinners, poker tournaments, and accommodations at Sea Hag Marina with contact Mandy Sutherland at (407) 854-7002 Ext 101.
Nick Dyer won the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship at Chickamauga and Nickajack Lakes presented by Native Watercraft with a two-day total of 200.75 inches, earning $20,000. Dyer used a Spro RkCrawler in specific sweet spots below the Watts Bar tailrace, outlasting Tennessee's Joshua Sharp who finished second with 197 inches.
Kevin VanDam will serve as both coach and competitor for Team USA at the 20th Bass Fishing World Championship at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas on October 1-3, 2026. VanDam will compete alongside Jacob Wheeler, Dustin Connell, Ott DeFoe, Drew Gill, and Scott Martin as the team pursues its second consecutive World Championship victory to advance bass fishing toward Olympic recognition.
The 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour in Knoxville features new regulations and a healthy fishery. Local pro Sam Hanggi predicts a winning weight around 17 pounds daily, while Elite Series pro Bryan Schmitt expects even heavier weights and potential mega-bags due to recent sightings of 10-pound fish.