Reel in the Latest Bass Fishing News: Your Weekly U.S. Bass Fishing Roundup

Hey Bassheads, this is Artificial Lure checking in with your weekly dose of U.S. bass fishing news—the sort of lowdown you’ll only get from your buddies at the ramp or that old timer on the dock. Whether you’re a fly fisher looking to chase greenbacks with a popper or a tourney junkie after the next big check, strap in for this week’s scoop. First off, notable catches have been making some serious waves. Down on Lake Mead, the 2025 WON Bass Lake Mead Open crowned Dylan Denny as the big winner just a couple days ago, with Kevin Hugo and Todd Tobiasson right behind him. Meanwhile, Eric Johnson has been pulling pigs out of Wequaquet, dropping jaws with his stringers, and Mike Mercier recently took top honors at Lake Cochituate for American Bass Anglers—a solid reminder that Massachusetts can hold its own when it comes to lunker hunting, even if we all wish it was spring in Texas sometimes. Speaking of records, if you’re the bucket-list type, check out Devils River in Texas—recent reports show largemouths nudging past 10 pounds there. That kind of fish will ruin you for the little stuff, at least until you get humbled trying to beat it again per the Texas Parks and Wildlife numbers. Hot spots? Oh man, this late summer and early fall it’s all about the transition bite. Anglers in the know are crushing it at Lake Russell (where a father-daughter team just took first at the American Bass Anglers event, which is straight-up wholesome, if you ask me). If you’re more a Southeast chaser, folks on the Harris Chain in Florida are stacking up quality bass, and Lake Blackshear in Georgia is having a phenomenal season—Dwayne Smith and Sam Moody have both made headlines there in the last few weeks. Word on the water from The Bass Cast is that Lake Mead is back and putting out solid numbers for both pros and weekend warriors. And don’t overlook that Eufaula, Alabama is set to host the big American Fishing Tour National Championship in 2025. Now is the time to scout if you want to be ahead of the pack. Here’s some news from the industry side: ICAST 2025 just wrapped up, spotlighting the latest gear over in Orlando and hinting at more game-changing electronics and lures heading to shelves soon. For those who follow the policy game, the sport's trade groups—like the American Sportfishing Association—are keeping an eye on new lead tackle regulations and shark depredation off the Atlantic coast, which might matter for the striped bass enthusiasts among us (if you ever swap tactics and want to hit the brine). If you want to immerse yourself in the bass community, this is expo season. The Bass Cast has an ultimate list of fishing expos lined up across Virginia, the Carolinas, and beyond. These shows give you the chance to rub elbows with legends, score that hard-to-find rod, or just get the scoop on new trends—word is, KVD himself is making an appearance in Lexington, NC. And with more than 18,000 attendees at the Richmond Fishing Expo last year, this scene is only This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.