2026 NPFL season is official

 

The final piece of the 2026 NPFL season is officially locked in.

Our 2026 NPFL Championship is set for Lewis Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama — February 26–28. This will be our first-ever visit to Smith Lake, and it’s the stage where 42 qualifying anglers from the 2025 season will kick off what’s shaping up to be our biggest year yet.

Here’s the full 2026 schedule, now fully finalized:

• Championship — Lewis Smith Lake, Cullman, AL: Feb 26–28

• Stop 1 — Harris Chain of Lakes, Leesburg, FL: Mar 19–21

• Stop 2 — Wright Patman Lake, Texarkana, TX: Apr 23–25

• Stop 3 — Lay Lake, Clanton, AL: May 21–23

• Stop 4 — Logan Martin Lake, Oxford, AL: Jun 25–27

• Stop 5 — St. Lawrence River, Massena, NY: Jul 23–25

• Stop 6 — Lake George, NY: Sep 17–19

Read more here: https://thenationalprofessionalfishingleague.com/.../202.../

Power Pro Max-8 Braided Line now available

 

Braided fishing lines dominated the best new ICAST 2025 fishing line category, with the top three selections all being brightly colored hi-vis braided lines, and the Power Pro Max 8 Braided Line 4 Color taking 27.5% of the vote. Featuring a 25% thinner diameter while maintaining a high tensile strength, the Power Pro Max 8 Braided line is designed to increase castability, line management, and abrasion resistance when fishing offshore or around heavy cover. The hi-vis Firetiger colorway of the new Sufix 832 braid came in a close second place, and the Sunline Overwatch Chartreuse metered braid came third as the top choice for a finesse-focused spinning reel option.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our IBASSIN.com fans!

Wishing all our valued readers a wonderful and peaceful Thanksgiving!

 

2026 National Professional Fishing League season is full at 130.

WILKESVILLE, Ohio—The field of anglers for the 2026 National Professional Fishing League season is full at 130. But if you don’t see your name on the list below, it’s not too late to get in.

“We’re still accepting talented anglers who are also outstanding human beings to join us for what promises to be the biggest and best season ever for the NPFL,” says league president Brad Fuller. “This will be our biggest field of competitors in our six-year history, and we’re about to close the door on new entries because we’ve always considered 130 anglers to be a ‘full’ field, but we can make room for a few more who are talented and ready to test themselves against a top-notch field and a challenging schedule.

“In 2026, we have the anglers, the schedule, the platforms, and the team to rival any organization in bass fishing,” adds Fuller. “For the fishing fans who enjoyed the great strides we made in 2025, it’s going to be even bigger and better next year.”

Anglers who wish to be part of the 2026 field should complete the Angler Application as soon as possible!

The six-event 2026 season kicks off on Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes in March and wraps up in September on New York’s Lake George. In between, there are four other events in Texas, Alabama, and New York. Florida bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and spotted bass will all be in play on the diverse fisheries that will reward versatility and adaptability in a true test of the best.

FULL FIELD BELOW

Lucas, Ehrler conquer Cross Lake to claim Summit Cup

 

Justin Lucas and Brent Ehrler of Team Ferguson totaled 29-9 on 15 Cross Lake bass to win the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by Zenni. Photo by Tyler Brinks

Joe Opager • Fishing Clash Team Series 

SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CITY, La. — Justin Lucas and Brent Ehrler of Team Ferguson powered through a stingy Championship Round on Cross Lake to claim the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by Zenni with a gritty, wire-to-wire performance.

Lucas led the way with 10 scorable bass for 19 pounds, 1 ounce, while Ehrler’s late surge pushed the team to a total weight of 29-9, securing the title over Team Lucas Oil – defending Summit Cup champs Drew Gill and Marshall Robinson – by more than 12 pounds.

Lucas, who now calls Guntersville, Alabama, home but grew up in California, noted how special it was to win alongside Ehrler, a fellow West Coast product he looked up to as a young angler.

“This one feels special,” Lucas said. “Brent and I kind of came up in the same circles back home, and to win this one together – especially in Louisiana – that’s something I’ll never forget. Today wasn’t easy. Nobody was running away with it, and we had to grind every single minute.”

Late surge seals the win

The four-team field competed on Cross Lake for the first time this week, and the Louisiana fishery proved challenging. Early rain, muddy water and scattered bait made it difficult to identify a standout pattern or area and prevented any team from running away with it.

Everything you need to know about MLF’s 2026 forward-facing sonar rules

 

Starting in 2026, Major League Fishing will restrict the use of forward-facing sonar at all professional and boater/co-angler levels of competition, from the Phoenix Bass Fishing League to the Bass Pro Tour. The decision to limit the technology was made in response to positive feedback from fans and anglers about the forward-facing sonar restrictions implemented on the Bass Pro Tour in 2025 as well as feedback from participants at lower levels.

The goal of these restrictions is to promote multi-dimensional angling – allowing anglers to utilize the latest technology while also creating an environment in which traditional techniques remain highly competitive. MLF believes these rules will make for more dynamic, entertaining competitions and will drive tournament participation, thus enhancing payouts. The league strongly believes that the fracturing of the sport caused by forward-facing sonar is unhealthy and unsustainable. The goal of this solution is a compromise that brings everyone back together for the benefit of anglers, fans and sponsors.

The 2026 rules regarding forward-facing sonar for each circuit will be as follows:

Bass Pro Tour

• No changes from 2025
• Anglers will only be allowed to utilize forward-facing/360-degree sonar for one of three competition periods per day and must declare in advance which period they intend to use it.
• The technology will not be restricted during B&W Trailer Hitches Heavy Hitters or Fishing Clash Team Series competition, as anglers in those events compete in identical, league-issued boats.

Anaya leads the charge into the 2026 Elite Series

 

CLEWISTON, Fla. — It was only last July when Fisher Anaya wrapped up his final high school tournament. Now, the 19-year-old is achieving his dream of becoming a professional angler.

Anaya claimed the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops points race, earning 264 points during the three-tournament gauntlet. He and nine other Elite Qualifiers earned invitations to the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series. 

“It’s awesome. I’m ready to go. I wish we started tomorrow,” Anaya said. 

Hailing from Eva, Ala., Anaya has been fishing as a boater in adult-level tournaments for several years, racking up impressive results in BFL’s and Toyota Series events as well as Alabama Bass Trail tournaments with his father Ryan. 

Even still, Anaya wasn’t quite sure how he would stack up against an impressive group of St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN pros. Turns out, he was top of the class.

“I knew I had a chance,” he explained. “Like, if you are going to fish this stuff you have to bet on yourself. You have to have confidence. I told myself I could do it. I came out here, worked my rear end off daylight to dark every day and it paid off.”

Conditions for Division II, and the EQ schedule for that matter, were volatile. But each tournament, Anaya found one area that he felt could produce quality bites. Nothing seemed like it came easy, however.

“I would land on one area each tournament that would have big ones and I could bank on those to help me survive,” Anaya said. “Really and truly, it looks great on paper, but all my tournaments were super slow and were always a grind.

“I think it bettered me.”

The ability to fight through those grimy days will no doubt serve him well at the Elite Series level. 

Let’s take a look at how the Top 10 finishers in EQ points got to this point.

1st place - Fisher Anaya (264 points; $45,000)

Anaya was one of the 50 anglers who best navigated a tumultuous Division II schedule, finishing second in the regular season to Pake South by two points. He opened the season with a 9th place finish at Sam Rayburn, which he feels set the tone for the season. 

“After catching them in the first one, I was like, ‘I can do this,’” Anaya said. “I caught them at a place I’d never seen before. I just had to carry my momentum and keep going.”

Hudson Wins 2025 Nitro Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Okeechobee presented by Bass Pro Shops.

 

Chris Decker, Bassmaster Press Release

CLEWISTON, Fla. — Last September, Caleb Hudson didn’t know what direction he wanted to take in life. He came just short of winning the College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s, what he assumed would be his best chance at qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic, at least in the foreseeable future. 

But with the support of his family and a few good sponsors, the USC-Union grad decided to fish Division I of the 2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN and it was the best decision he ever made. 

“I feel like I’m on top of the world right now,” he said. 

With a three-day total of 52 pounds, 6 ounces, Hudson claimed the victory at the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops. The win not only sends him to the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, but it also vaults him into the Top 10 in Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops points. 

Opening the tournament in 25th with 10-9, Hudson brought 25-7 to the scales on Day 2 before landing 16-6, which was enough to outlast Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pro Robert Gee, who finished with 51-12. 

“This was never in my 2025 bingo card. It is the best kind of blindside. This is the last event on the schedule I would have ever thought I would win,” Hudson said. “God is the reason for this. Day 2 I was blessed, and it carried me the rest of the way. This is exactly what needed to happen to get me into the Elite Series. I sent it and it worked out.”

Despite warming temperatures, the final day proved to be just as difficult as the previous two. Only one 20-pound bag hit the scales on Saturday, while five limits under 10 pounds were brought in. 

6 Trolling Motor Accessories You May Need

Minn Kota has a compiled a great list of 6 trolling motor accessories you may need. Most think that once they buy a reliable Minn Kota motor that it. That's true but there are few key upgrades that make your motor work better and last longer. 

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