Now that the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series season is behind us, it’s time to look forward.
But before I do, I gotta give kudos to Trey McKinney for winning the Progessive Bassmaster Angler of the Year title. It’s truly impressive he has been second for the past two years and yet kept his foot on the gas until he got the job done this year.
Honestly, I think he’s the hardest-working angler on the Elite Series, or at least no one works harder. I gotta believe he spends more time on the water than anyone I know.
There is no doubt I had a rough season. My drive home from the St. Lawrence River gave me plenty of time to look back and assess why it was bad and what I need to do to fix it.
Truthfully, over the past couple of years I’ve concerned myself with how others were running their businesses. I’ve got to let that go and focus strictly on how I run mine.
At the time of this writing, I’m not sure what next season’s schedule will bring, but I suspect forward-facing sonar will be a player again. And while I use it in select situations, that’s not what made me the angler I am today.
Historically, I show up at the Elite events for the three-day practice period, and I’m out there from daylight to dark.
That’s no longer a viable plan.
Next year, I’m going to spend more time living in my truck going from lake to lake to pre-practice, especially on the scoping lakes B.A.S.S. selects. That doesn’t mean I’m going to run around scoping, but I’m going to invest more time learning nuances within those lakes.
I have to. Today’s Elite competitors seem to know more about the bodies of water we fish than most locals. I must put myself in the same position.
I have fished just about all of the traditional Elite Series lakes over the years, but I need to know more about the nooks and crannies and how to access them. I have to become more efficient about the moves I make on the lakes. It will make my time more productive.
Little mistakes I’ve made in the past were exaggerated because of the high performance of the FFS users — that technology changes the outcome of our events.
We’ve learned the weights go up substantially when the technology is allowed. That leaves little margin for error for those who don’t rely upon it. You can have a mediocre event, but it will look like a complete disaster.
I’m not revamping my fishing style, but I need to know more about the lakes we are fishing and spend more time on them.
Do I want to live in my truck? No. But spending more time on the tournament waters before cutoff will help me climb back into the standings without sacrificing the fishing style that has provided me with a great career.
