Reel in the Big Ones: Your Weekly Bass Fishing Hotspots and Tactics

Artificial Lure here, sliding out from under the casting deck with your weekly bass fix.Let’s start with some headline-worthy catches. On The Water’s latest Maryland and Chesapeake Bay report says big migratory striped bass are stacked within about 3 miles of Ocean City and Indian River, with boats trolling Mojos and hucking big soft plastics into legit cow bass. Captain Jamie Clough of Eastern Shore Light Tackle Charters is putting clients on heavy stripers back in the Chesapeake, marking bait balls and dropping big paddletails into schools of bunker like it’s a video game.If you’re more into the river-lake grind, FishingBooker’s 2026 “best fishing cities” rundown quietly reminds us that Atlanta and Nashville are sleeper bass hubs. Around Atlanta, Lake Lanier is still cranking out striped and spotted bass, while the Chattahoochee gives you that wade-fishing vibe fly anglers love: current seams, structure, and fish that eat streamers like they mean it. Nashville’s Percy Priest and Old Hickory lakes stay classic mixed-bag water, with largemouth, smallmouth, and spots all in play—perfect for anyone who wants to fish a Clouser one cast and a jig the next.Out West, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s recreation report just flagged an intriguing largemouth situation in the Klamath Basin. A drift-boat electrofishing run on the Klamath River this spring turned up multiple year classes of largemouth around Miller Island, plus a couple of nice bass taken right off the dock at Veterans Park. It’s not exactly on the national bass-tour map yet, but for a traveling fly fisher who likes sneaky destinations, that river-lake hybrid scene with bass sliding along weedlines screams “big articulated streamer” on a sinking line.Tournament junkie? The Bass Cast reports Matt Robertson just won the CATT Lake Norman Fall Final with a five-bass bag going 16.50 pounds. December, clear water, pressured fish, and that kind of weight means he dialed in a cold-water pattern—think subtle swimbaits, jerkbaits, or finesse presentations that any fly angler could mimic with neutrally buoyant streamers and long pauses.On the bigger-picture side, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership just recapped 2025 forage-fish battles, especially around Atlantic menhaden. Managers cut the 2026 menhaden quota by only about 20 percent, even though updated science suggests a much larger cut would help rebuild Atlantic striped bass. For anyone who chases bass with flies, that’s worth tracking—healthy bait schools equal better surface feeds, more life in the rips, and more chances to watch a striper detonate on your deceiver in three feet of water.And if you like your bass with a side of national pride, Georgia Outdoor News just spotlighted Georgia’s Cooper Moon and the USAngling Youth Team taking gold at an international bass event in South Africa. Team tactics, reading unfamiliar water, and staying flexible with presentations were all key—exactly the mindset crossover anglers bring when they bounce between fly gear and conventional.So if you’re a fly fisher flirting with bass, this is your season: big winter stripers on paddletails you can copy with big hollow fleyes, spotted bass on clear Southern reservoirs eating jiggy baitfish patterns, and sneaky western rivers where a bass eats more like a brown trout than a ditch pickle.Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure. Come back next week for more bass gossip, fresh hotspots, and a few ideas to keep your fly box honest. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for more from me check out QuietPlease dot A I.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Name’s Artificial Lure, and if you chase green fish with long rods and feathers, listen up—bass fishing in the U.S. has been quietly on fire lately.Let’s start with big bites. Western Outdoor News reports that California’s Clear Lake is still wearing the crown as Bassmaster’s top bass lake in America, and it’s not just hype—WON BASS pro John Pearl weighed a ridiculous 102.81-pound, 15-fish total there in the Clear Lake Open, and anglers are already predicting another triple‑digit winning weight in upcoming events. Clear Lake in winter means cold, clear water, tight wolfpacks of largemouth glued to cover, and a game that looks a lot like technical trout or steelhead fishing—small windows, precise casts, and watching your electronics like a spring creek hatch.If you’re more into the “locals only” southern scene, the National Professional Fishing League just dropped its 2025 schedule, and it basically doubles as a hotspot checklist. They’re hitting Santee Cooper in South Carolina, Lake Norman in North Carolina, Douglas in Tennessee, Eufaula in Oklahoma, the St. Lawrence River in New York, and Logan Martin in Alabama. Those stops aren’t random—they’re picking lakes that are kicking out heavy bags and big smallmouth/ largemouth mixes. Think of them as a road map for where bass are getting absolutely bullied right now.Down in Texas, the weekly freshwater reports from Texas Parks and Wildlife read like a winter bass sampler. Bridgeport is producing decent largemouth on deep crankbaits, A‑rigs, and swimbaits over schooling fish, while a shoreline crankbait or chatterbait bite is hanging on early. Richland Chambers is labeled “good,” with hybrids and white bass stacking on mid‑lake structure, and black bass getting in on the action. It’s classic winter pattern stuff that translates perfectly if you’re a fly angler who knows how to count down a sinking line and crawl a baitfish pattern over humps and drops.On the tournament side, college and grassroots circuits are heating up. The Association of Collegiate Anglers just recapped the mid‑season standings for the 2025‑26 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year race, and those kids are traveling coast to coast, putting serious pressure on the best largemouth and smallmouth water in the country. Major League Fishing is lining up its 2025 and 2026 schedules with classics like Table Rock and Barren River, targeting windows when the lakes fish at their absolute peak. Translation: if you’re a weekend stick, these event calendars tell you exactly when to show up if you want your personal‑best bass.Curious where to point a fly rod? Here’s the quick-and-dirty list:Clear Lake, CA – deep, clear, giant largemouth; think big game streamer tactics.St. Lawrence River, NY – smallmouth that eat like steelhead and fight like they’re insulted.Santee Cooper, SC, and Logan Martin, AL – classic southern structure lakes where a craw or baitfish streamer on sinking line will absolutely get chewed around brush, docks, and rock.Bassmaster is already teasing the 2026 Elite Series lineup and new rookies, and sites like The Fishing Wire are talking about how U.S. anglers are spending more on tackle and dialing in more specialized gear. The bass world keeps getting more technical—forward‑facing sonar, finesse plastics, tiny swimbaits—which honestly slides fly anglers right into the mix. If you’re already used to reading current seams and micro‑structure, you’re halfway to being dangerous on a winter bass lake.I’m Artificial Lure, thanks for tuning in. Swing back next week for more bass buzz from around the States. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for more from me check out QuietPlease dot A I.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Hey folks, Artificial Lure here, dragging the bottom for the freshest bass buzz across the States.Let’s start out West, where Wyoming just muscled its way onto the largemouth map. According to K2 Radio in Casper, 12‑year‑old Tucker Bass (yeah, that’s his real name) set an International Game Fish Association junior world record at Lake Cameahwait, aka Bass Lake, with a 2‑pound, 4‑ounce largemouth on a 4‑pound line. He did it from a two‑person kayak, using a Northland tungsten jig that’s usually tied on for ice fishing, not bucketmouths. That kid is now Wyoming’s only largemouth world‑record holder, and he also punched his ticket as a Trophy Angler in the state’s Master Angler program.Slide northwest and Idaho Fish and Game just kicked off a new largemouth study on the Chain Lakes connected to Lake Coeur d’Alene. Idaho Fish and Game reports they’re working with local bass clubs to tag and track fish in eight lakes to dial in how these bass use backwaters, weeds, and changing water levels. Translation: if you’re a structure junkie who likes to pick apart side channels with the fly rod or a finesse stick, that whole Coeur d’Alene chain is only going to get better as managers tune regs and habitat with real data.Midwestern crew, don’t sleep on northern Wisconsin. The Minocqua Area Chamber of Commerce fishing report says Bassmaster recently named the Minocqua Chain one of the top 25 bass lakes in the central region and in the top 100 nationwide. Those dark, forest‑rimmed lakes fish a lot like big, still trout water—clear, plenty of edges, and tons of room to work a streamer or deer‑hair diver along wood and weedlines. Popular nearby lakes like Big Arbor Vitae and Clear and Madeline get love too, but if you’re a fly angler chasing smallmouth that act like river fish in lake current, the Minocqua Chain is a “locals know” hotspot.Down in bass‑boat country, the tournament scene is still punching. The Bass Cast reports Matt Robertson just hammered 16.50 pounds of Lake Norman bass to win the CATT Fall Final in North Carolina with a five‑fish bag and a 4.69 kicker. Lake Norman keeps showing why it stays on national schedules: lots of bait, healthy spots and largemouth, and a ton of dock and brush structure that would be deadly for anyone swinging big articulated flies on sinking lines around shade pockets.If you’re mapping out 2025 road trips, the National Professional Fishing League schedule reads like a greatest‑hits list of bass water. The League’s 2025 slate includes Santee Cooper in South Carolina, Lake Norman in North Carolina, Douglas in Tennessee, Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma, the St. Lawrence River in New York, and Logan Martin in Alabama, capped off with a championship on Lake Hartwell in South Carolina. Those stops tell you exactly where the big‑time pros think the best action is going to be—smallmouth on the St. Lawrence, offshore and brush bass at Hartwell, shallow grass and cypress on Santee. Any fly angler who likes covering water and reading current lines could have a field day on those systems outside of tournament chaos.And for a quiet‑water changeup with bass DNA, On The Water magazine just highlighted a new New York state record white perch from Cross River Reservoir. White perch are close cousins to striped bass and crush little jigs in cold water. If you throw small clousers or jiggy baitfish patterns on a light fly rod, that’s winter “bass‑adjacent” fun while you wait for the largemouth and smallmouth bite to heat back up.That’s it for this run. Thanks for tuning in, and come back next week for more bass talk from Artificial Lure. This has been a Quiet Please production. To find more from me, check out QuietPlease dot A I.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Artificial Lure here, tying on a fresh pattern of bass news from around the States.Let’s start with big-fish buzz. Out in Wyoming, a 12-year-old named Tucker Bass (yeah, that’s his real last name) just set an IGFA world record with a 2‑pound, 4‑ounce largemouth on 4‑pound test from little Lake Cameahwait, better known as Bass Lake. According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, he stuck it from a kayak on a tiny Northland tungsten ice jig. That’s about as close to fly-fishing finesse as conventional gear gets: light line, tiny profile, vertical presentation.Down in Arkansas, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission just rolled out its new Legacy Lunker trophy bass program, reported by the Arkadelphian. Any largemouth over 10 pounds caught Jan. 1 through March 31 can be turned over alive to the agency, spawned at the Joe Hogan hatchery, and the big mama goes back to her home lake after she recovers. They’re even pairing these Arkansas lunkers with “thoroughbred” Florida-strain males from Red Hills Fishery’s TITAN MAXX line. Translation: more legit megabass genetics swimming around places you and I can launch a jon boat.If you’re looking for hot spots, the tournament world is basically drawing a giant red circle on a few lakes. Major League Fishing just announced the 2026 Bass Pro Tour schedule, and it opens on Lake Guntersville in Alabama, then swings through Hartwell in South Carolina, O.H. Ivie and Whitney down in Texas, Beaver Lake in Arkansas, Grand Lake in Oklahoma, and Lake Erie out of Ohio. When the top pros keep going back, it’s because those places kick out big bags and plenty of bites.Guntersville in January is going to be especially interesting. MLF notes this will be their first multi-day January event there, so think cold-water grass edges, bait pushed into drains, and fish that will absolutely eat something slow-rolled or crawled along bottom. If you’re a fly angler, picture suspending game changers and big bunny leeches along that same grass and shell.Speaking of smallmouth, Major League Fishing’s Fishing Towns series just revisited Dale Hollow on the Tennessee–Kentucky line, still dining out on that legendary 11‑pound, 15‑ounce smallie. Dale Hollow is classic “big water fly” structure: steep rocky banks, clear water, fish that’ll track a long cast with a sinking line and a neutral-buoyancy baitfish pattern. If you like swinging streamers for browns, this is that vibe, just with bronze backs that jump higher.On the grassroots side, the Carolina Anglers Team Trail keeps stacking weekend tournaments across the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, quietly highlighting how good the local lakes really are. If you’re fly-curious, a lot of those smaller Southeast reservoirs are perfect for sneaking around the backs of creeks with an 8‑weight and a handful of deer‑hair divers.One more curveball: Golf.com recently pointed out that Cabot Citrus Farms in Florida is becoming a legit bass hub disguised as a golf resort. They’ve got a private bass lake next to the clubhouse with guides and gear waiting between rounds. Florida largemouth in a manicured pond you can sight-fish with a floater line and big subsurface bugs? That’s basically a bass flat tailor-made for someone coming from salt or trout.Bass fishing in the U.S. right now is this weirdly perfect mix of science (Arkansas cloning megabass genetics), youth heroes (that Wyoming kid with the ice jig), and pro tours dragging the spotlight across the best lakes in the country. If you’re a fly angler on the fence, this is the moment to start treating bass like warmwater trout with an attitude problem.Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure. Come back next week for more bass talk and fresh intel. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for more from me check out QuietPlease dot A I.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Artificial Lure here, sliding out of the rod locker with your weekly bass fix.Let’s start with some brag-worthy stuff. Over on the college-and-beyond scene, Texas A&M just dropped a hammer on the international stage: according to Texas A&M’s athletics site, Fred Roumbanis helped Team USA win gold at the Tri-Nations Bass Tournament, stacking big bags against top anglers from other countries. That’s not your local jackpot derby – that’s red, white, and blue bass domination.Tournament trails are already setting the table for where the next giants are coming from. B.A.S.S. just announced the 2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers schedule, and it’s basically a greatest-hits list of U.S. bass water. They’re kicking off at Norfork Lake in Arkansas, a deep, clear Ozark reservoir tailor-made for finesse and even fly-style presentations if you like playing the long game with suspended fish. Then it’s Toledo Bend in Louisiana, where hydrilla flats and timber cough up true donkeys every season. They wrap at Lake Guntersville in Alabama, the grass-choked Tennessee River factory that regularly spits out 20‑plus pound limits like it’s no big deal. Bassmaster calls this EQ format one of the most demanding paths in pro fishing, and they picked those lakes for a reason: they’re hot, and they’re loaded.If you’re more into “boots on the ramp” than pro circuits, Outdoor News is showing that bass are still biting up north even with ice creeping in. Their December state reports talk about thin ice forming across Iowa, Ohio, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, but there’s still open water and transition smallmouth and largemouth to be picked off in rivers and power-plant lakes while everyone else sharpens augers. Think slow-rolled swimbaits and jerkbaits, or for you fly folks, big neutrally buoyant streamers on sink tips—basically winter strip-set therapy.Down south, it’s a different story. Texas Parks and Wildlife’s updated lake records page for Lake Conroe reminds everyone that Texas bass don’t play around: the lake largemouth record sits just under 16 pounds, with a junior record over 13. Those may be older records, but every time TPWD refreshes those pages it’s a reminder that any random cast on those Texas impoundments can accidentally turn into your lifetime PB. Winter there is prime big-fish season with jigs, Alabama rigs, and yeah, big articulated flies if you’ve got the backbone in your 8‑weight.On the pro side, The National Professional Fishing League is already talking winter tactics. Their breaking-news features have NPFL pros like Corey Casey and Chad Marler leaning hard into cold-water crankbaits, jerkbaits, and structure fishing. That’s basically a blueprint for fly anglers chasing bass right now: tight-wobble equivalents in fly form, compact profiles, long pauses, and working those transition edges where bait stacks up.If you’re a trout-on-a-3‑weight purist thinking, “Bass? Really?”, here’s the locals-only reality: some of the same stuff you love—reading current seams, targeting structure, watching water temps—translates straight over. Deep Ozark lakes like Norfork fish almost like giant spring creeks with shad, and grass lakes such as Guntersville reward precise casts the way a spooky tailwater brown does. You just get louder eats and more broken tippet.So if your snowpack is building, look for rivers and warm-water discharges holding smallmouth. If you’re south of the frost line, aim at grass edges, channel swings, and timber with something that kicks, flashes, or pushes water. Somewhere between Conroe and Guntersville, somebody’s about to stick the next fish you’ll be mad you missed.Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure. Swing back next week for more fresh bass gossip and on-the-water intel. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for more from me check out QuietPlease dot A I.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Artificial Lure here, sliding out of the rod locker with your weekly bass buzz.Let’s start with the big bites. Over in tournament land, Bassmaster reports that Fisher Anaya just punched the final ticket to the 2026 Bassmaster Classic by stacking up nearly 40 pounds at Lake Hartwell in the TNT Fireworks Team Championship Fish-Off. That’s classic pre-winter pattern stuff: offshore structure, bait balled up, and big largemouth chewing when you hit the right window.If you’re a “trout bum with a bass problem,” winter is actually prime time to scratch that itch. Major League Fishing recently ran tips from Mercury pro Marshall Hughes saying December through March is the best window to hunt true giant bass on umbrella rigs. He’s basically treating big largemouth like river browns: target current breaks, edges, and bait schools, but swap your streamers for an A-rig slow-rolled through the mid-column.Hot-spot scouting? Texas is on fire even as temps drop. Texas Parks and Wildlife’s latest weekly report has Lake Brownwood spitting out black bass to almost 8 pounds on bladed jigs and crankbaits in 3–18 feet, especially in the major creeks. Lake Meredith is another sleeper: reports say largemouth, smallmouth, and sand bass are “great” around Sexy Cove and Bugbee on topwaters and spinnerbaits, even with water temps in the low 40s. That’s the kind of mixed-bag action a fly angler can appreciate—think clousers and gamechangers instead of spinnerbaits and chatterbaits.If you’re more of a Western wanderer, Idaho Fish and Game just kicked off a new largemouth bass study in the Chain Lakes connected to Lake Coeur d’Alene. Biologists are tagging fish to understand movement, growth, and pressure. That kind of data is gold if you like figuring out seasonal patterns the way you’d decode a tricky freestone river. Same mindset: read structure, follow forage, and let the science point you to where the pigs winter.There’s also some big-picture stuff worth chewing on. Wired2Fish recently covered research out of Michigan showing many freshwater species, including largemouth and smallmouth bass, are trending smaller as waters warm. Not every fishery’s shrinking, but it’s a reminder to savor those freak-sized catches and maybe lean a little harder into selective harvest and careful handling—especially if you’re out there with barbless hooks and a “catch-photo-release” habit from the fly world.On the travel front, Outdoor News reports that bass bites across the upper Midwest are shifting into full cold-water mode: deeper structure, slow presentations, and smaller profiles. For a fly angler, that’s your cue to dredge with full-sink lines, jigged craw patterns, and neutrally buoyant baitfish flies instead of bombing the banks with poppers.If you’re just looking for somewhere to go this weekend in the States, here’s your quick hit list:Alan Henry and Brownwood in Texas for solid largemouth.Meredith if you want that mixed smallie/large mouth/sand bass chaos.Any power-plant lake or warm-water discharge in your region if you want a legit shot at a winter trophy.That’s it from me, Artificial Lure, tying off the leader for this week. Thanks for tuning in, and come back next week for more bass talk, locals-only intel, and a little science mixed in. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for more from me check out QuietPlease dot A I.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Hey folks, Artificial Lure here – your slightly over-caffeinated, silicon-brained fishing buddy, checking in with this week’s bass buzz from around the States.Let’s start in Texas, because of course we are. Wired2Fish reports that right after Thanksgiving, Clay Butler smacked a 12.55-pound largemouth out of Champion Creek Reservoir, breaking a 20-year-old lake record. That’s not just a fat fish, that’s “call your buddies and brag for the rest of your life” class. Texas Parks and Wildlife’s records also show Fort Phantom Hill kicking out a 13.33-pound largemouth in early 2024, reminding everyone that West Texas isn’t just dust and windmills – it’s big-bass country.On the “future of the fishery” front, Louisiana is tuning up one of its sleeper spots. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says they’re dropping 140 adult Florida-strain largemouth into Lake Buhlow in Pineville, on top of 77 they planted earlier this year. Those are retired brood fish from the hatchery, and the goal is simple: bigger bass in a convenient, city-side lake for years to come. Translation: in a couple seasons, Buhlow might be the spot where your “quick after-work session” turns into a personal best.Up in Idaho, things are getting nerdy in a good way. Idaho Fish and Game just launched a new study on largemouth in the Chain Lakes connected to Coeur d’Alene Lake. They’re tagging bass with transmitters to see how much the fish wander between lakes and how that should change management. That Chain Lakes system is already known for trophy largemouth, and this kind of work is how you keep a big-bass factory running instead of burning out.If you’re chasing hot current bites, Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Texas is still one of the most reliable factories for 5-pound-plus fish. Travel and fishing blurbs on Rayburn keep repeating the same thing: tons of cover, piles of quality bass, and legit trophy potential if you’re willing to grind. Over in Tennessee, Cordell Hull Lake is getting more attention too – clear water, pretty scenery, and solid bass fishing that flies just under the radar compared to the more famous Tennessee River reservoirs.Now, for the fly folks lurking in the back of the boat: winter is lining up to be sneaky good if you think like a trout bum. The BassCast just talked about that “first taste of winter” pattern in Virginia – bass sliding between shallow and deep, feeding up, but getting moody. Gear guys are leaning on Alabama rigs, lipless cranks, and slow stuff, but the behavior is what matters. Early and late, when the sun barely bumps the water temp, bass slide shallow and eat. Sounds a lot like working a streamer along a warming bank for browns, doesn’t it? Same game: find the slightly warmer water, move a bait with some intent, and hang on.Fly anglers who want to dabble: this is prime time for big articulated streamers on sinking lines around points, channel swings, and riprap. Think “olive and white Game Changer where that guy would throw an A-rig.” You’re not that far off from your favorite swing run – you’re just doing it from a jon boat instead of a gravel bar.Big picture, between record-breakers in Texas, stocking projects in Louisiana, and telemetry work in Idaho, bass fishing in the U.S. is in a pretty sweet spot. More big fish, better science, and plenty of room for the fly crowd to sneak in and start sticking green torpedoes on 7-weights.Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure – come back next week for more bass gossip, big-fish stories, and low-key peer pressure to try something new. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for more from me check out QuietPlease dot A I.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Hey there, this is Artificial Lure here with the latest lowdown on bass fishing across the States, and let me tell you, things are heating up even as the weather cools.Down in Alabama, Fisher Anaya is on fire. Fresh off locking in his spot on the 2026 Bassmaster Elite Series, he just punched his ticket to the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic by winning the TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish-Off on Lake Hartwell. His two-day total of 39 pounds, 15 ounces was just enough to edge out Barrett Choquette and grab that final Classic berth. If you’re into fly fishing, you’ll appreciate this kid’s finesse and focus – he’s the real deal.Over on Lake Guntersville, Nathan Brewer made a serious statement in the Toyota Series opener. He jumped out to a big Day 1 lead with a smallmouth-only bag that weighed 28 pounds, 5 ounces. That’s right – all smallies, and one of them was a 6-pound, 11-ounce monster. Brewer didn’t even need many casts, saying he made about 20 and then called it a day. That kind of efficiency is what dreams are made of.If you’re looking for a hot spot this winter, Lake Patoka in Indiana is shaping up to be a real battleground. Anglers there are facing a fun choice: flip the flooded bushes for spawning largemouth or head toward the dam and target the lake’s growing smallmouth population. There are so many flooded bushes that fish can hide deep in the creeks, but if you can find the right ones, a 20-pound bag isn’t out of the question. More realistically, a solid mixed bag in the 16-17 pound range could be the winning ticket.Wheeler Lake in Alabama is another place to watch. It’s home to all three major bass species, but right now smallmouth are the talk of the lake. They’re running bigger than usual and are easier to pattern as the water cools. Guides and fisheries managers agree that smallmouth could dominate the Toyota Series Championship there, especially around the Decatur Flats and below Guntersville Dam. If you see a 25-pound bag during that event, it’ll likely come from below the dam – though doing it three days in a row is a tall order.Out in Texas, Possum Kingdom Lake just had a few new all-tackle records added. The smallmouth bass record still stands at 6.80 pounds, but there’s plenty of action on other species that share the water with bass. If you’re chasing big fish, it’s a good reminder that even in colder months, the right spot and presentation can turn a slow day into a memory-maker.For those of you who like to slow it down, winter bass fishing is all about deep, stable structure and slow presentations. Focus on points, ledges, and current breaks, and don’t be afraid to crawl a jig or drag a soft plastic. December is a transitional month on many lakes, including Toledo Bend, where anglers are tweaking their approach to match winter patterns.Thanks for tuning in, and come back next week for more bite-sized bass news. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for me, Artificial Lure, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Artificial Lure here, sliding out of the rod locker with your weekly bass buzz.Let’s start with one of the wildest “you can’t make this up” stories in a while. Cowboy State Daily reports that 12-year-old Tucker Bass – yes, his last name is Bass – just landed Wyoming’s first world-record largemouth at Lake Cameahwait, better known as Bass Lake. The fish wasn’t a freak giant, it was a 2‑pound, 4‑ounce largemouth that set an International Game Fish Association junior 4‑pound line class world record. Dad’s name? John Bass. They literally put “world-record Bass” on ice, waited for IGFA to certify it, then announced they’re deep‑frying it for dinner. That’s about as local‑only as it gets.On the tournament side, Bassmaster just locked in the final spot for the 2026 Bassmaster Classic, and it went to a 20‑year‑old hammer from tiny Eva, Alabama, named Fisher Anaya. At Lake Hartwell on the Georgia–South Carolina line, he stacked up 39 pounds, 15 ounces over two days in the TNT Fireworks Team Championship Fish‑Off. According to Bassmaster, he leaned on a Neko‑rigged green pumpkin Crush City Janitor Worm, deadsticking it in about 10 to 12 feet, often waiting minutes for those cold‑water largemouth to commit. Hartwell’s already a spotted bass playground, but this week it reminded everyone there are some heavy largemouth chewing in those pockets near the dam.If you’re looking for current hot spots to point the truck at, Major League Fishing has Cayuga Lake in New York on the radar again. Their coverage of the Fox Rent A Car Stage Six says bass are set up on deep grass edges with fish pushing 4 pounds and up, classic northern “clean water, big shoulders” smallmouth and largemouth country. Think long flats, thick grass, and docks, the kind of stuff that just begs for a big streamer or a sink‑tip line if you’re a fly rod sicko crossing over from trout.Down south, the American Bass Anglers trail is lighting up lakes all over. Recent ABA reports have wins and big bass coming off places like Georgia’s Lake Sinclair, Oklahoma’s Grand Lake, and the Harris Chain in Florida. That’s classic winter playbook: shad‑chasing bass on channel swings, docks, and any warm outflow you can find. For a fly angler, that screams neutrally buoyant baitfish patterns slow‑rolled along riprap and bridge pilings when the sun finally warms that top foot of water.If you’re more of a gear tinkerer than a traveler, Whiskey Riff just dropped a rundown of budget‑friendly spinning reels for bass. The fun nugget there is how they talk about spinning setups getting a lot more use thanks to forward‑facing sonar and finesse techniques. That lines right up with the fly world: smaller baits, lighter presentations, watching fish react in real time. Same obsession, just fewer false casts and more screens.And if you’re grinding it out up north, Outdoor News fishing reports out of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and New York say we’re in that weird shoulder season: early ice on the smaller lakes, guys pacing shorelines waiting for safe “walkable” ice, and a mix of open‑water last‑chance bass bites and first‑ice panfish. Not peak bassin’, but if you’re willing to throw big bunny leeches or Clousers along remaining green weeds, you can still stick a few chunky largemouth before everything locks up.Alright, that’s your weekly lap around bass country from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and come back next week for more. This has been a Quiet Please production and for me check out Quiet Please Dot A I.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Hey there, this is Artificial Lure with your weekly dose of bass buzz from across the States. Quiet Please, let’s get into it.Bass fishing is definitely in that winter groove right now, but that doesn’t mean the big ones are playing hard to get. In fact, some serious fish are still getting caught if you know where to look. In Maryland, the upper Bay and lower Potomac are still giving up stripers in the deep channels, especially near steep drop offs and bridge pilings. Anglers are jigging metal and soft plastics in 40 to 50 feet of water and seeing some solid action, especially around the Route 301 Bridge on the Potomac and the deeper edges of the Patuxent. The water’s cold, but the bass are still down there, stacked up on the bottom and waiting for a well-placed jig.Over in Texas, the record books are still fresh. Just this past June, Owen Harmon hauled in a 14.25 pound largemouth at O.H. Ivie Lake, and that fish is now the lake’s all tackle record. That’s a serious slab, and it’s a reminder that even in the heat of summer, Texas lakes can still produce monsters. Right now, lakes like Sam Rayburn, Toledo Bend, and Fork are all in that late fall to early winter pattern where bass are moving deep, and the smart money is on slow presentations around points, humps, and deep brush.Out in California, the bass are hugging cover and structure. Reports from places like Lake Perris and Contra Loma say the best bites are coming from fish tight to rocks, weeds, and deeper structure. Early morning topwater can still fire them up, but most of the work is being done with slow, weedless soft plastics in natural or darker colors. If you’re into fly fishing, that’s a good hint – think big streamers and deep sinking lines around those same kinds of spots.In Ohio, West Branch Reservoir is still a powerhouse for big game. The lake’s known for muskies, but it’s also loaded with largemouth, smallmouth, and hybrid stripers. The bass are hanging around stump fields, creek mouths, and rip rap, especially on the east side of the lake. If you’re chasing that winter bite, focus on the main lake points and the drop offs near the dam.Back east, in the Chesapeake region, the stripers are heading deep as the water cools into the 40s. Anglers are finding them near the bottom in the Patapsco, Chester, and Choptank rivers, and the go to methods are jigging soft plastics and trolling umbrella rigs with heavy weights. Some guys are even using hookless spoons as teasers and seeing good results.And if you’re into tournaments, the pro scene is heating up. Major League Fishing just announced the 2026 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit is now up to 140 pros, with only 10 spots left before the field is full. That’s a stacked lineup, and it shows how much momentum bass fishing still has.So whether you’re chasing slab crappie, big smallies, or a personal best largemouth, there’s still plenty of action out there. Just dress warm, stay safe, and keep your eyes on the depth finder.Thanks for tuning in. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for me, Artificial Lure, check out Quiet Please Dot A I. Come back next week for more.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI