B.A.S.S. Nation

Detailing the 2026 B.A.S.S. Nation Schedule

The stage is set for the 2026 B.A.S.S. Nation season as Nation club anglers from across the country chase the dream of competing in the 2027 Bassmaster Classic.

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GL Compton
The stage is set for the 2026 B.A.S.S. Nation season as Nation club anglers from across the country chase the dream of competing in the 2027 Bassmaster Classic. Representing the grassroots foundation of the sport, these anglers take on a demanding schedule of iconic fisheries, testing their skills against the elements and one another at every stop.
From Cherokee Lake and Toledo Bend to the Mississippi River and Lake Champlain, each tournament serves as a proving ground where preparation, perseverance, and performance matter most. The journey culminates at the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Lake Hartwell, where the nation’s top club anglers battle for the national title and the opportunity to advance to bass fishing’s biggest stage — turning lifelong dreams into reality.
Cherokee Lake — Jefferson City, Tennessee
April 10–12
The 2026 B.A.S.S. Nation season opens on Cherokee Lake, where anglers chase both largemouth and smallmouth along deep arms and long creek channels. This lake recently hosted the 2025 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship, where collegiate competitors battled through July heat and made history in dramatic fashion with an overtime fish-off for the title.
Toledo Bend Reservoir — Many, Louisiana
April 22–24
At historic Toledo Bend Reservoir, Nation anglers explore vast grass flats and standing timber that consistently produce big bass and heavy limits. In fall 2025, the lake was the site of the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series finale, a high-stakes showdown that showcased Toledo Bend’s legendary fishery and where big bass bites shaped the season’s last points race.
Upper Mississippi River — La Crosse, Wisconsin
May 8–10
The Mississippi River stop blends current, wing dams, and backwater pockets that reward river-savvy tactics and adaptability. Its recent history includes the 2025 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance, where Nick Trim claimed the title, Elite Series and Bassmaster Classic berth with a heavy four-day total of 77 pounds even against a deep field in a fall smallmouth slugfest.
Lake Champlain — Plattsburgh, New York
July 31–August 2
Lake Champlain delivers world-class smallmouth fishing with plenty of structure and open-water opportunity, framed by stunning Adirondack scenery. In fall 2025, the Nitro Bassmaster Elite Qualifier held here saw pro anglers like Emil Wagner chase big smallmouth and post one of the heaviest three-day totals in the lake’s Bassmaster history.

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