Bass Angler Magazine

11/09/2026

HOLIDAY SAVINGS FROM OUR FRIENDS AT ANGLERS PARADISE & MARINE! 🎣
Now is a great time to get your boat serviced and ready for the upcoming fishing season!
Our friends at Anglers Paradise & Marine are offering 20% OFF yearly service and maintenance (service & oil only) during their Holiday Savings Event!
📅 November 1 – January 31
Don't wait until tournament season is here to get your boat ready. Take advantage of these savings and get your service scheduled early!
Modesto: (209) 526-4120 Newcastle: (916) 729-0590
IMPORTANT: Appointments are first come, first served, and you must mention the ad before booking to receive the discount.
BAM Trail appreciates the businesses that support our fishing community. Be sure to check out Anglers Paradise & Marine and take advantage of this great offer!

11/09/2026

A costly lure broke off during pre-fishing—but a quick check might have caught the problem first. Roll each rod guide between your fingers and feel for a crack before heading out.

11/08/2026

A tree found on a whim held nearly 100 smallmouth—and two of the day’s biggest came from that spot. After losing a couple of big ones, Conrad took a chance searching for largemouth and still brought in a strong bag.

11/07/2026

🎣 69 ANGLERS. $275,000. ONE INAUGURAL CHAMPIONSHIP.

The BAM Trail closes out 2026 at Lake Don Pedro with the first-ever BAM Classic Championship — and the winner drives away in a Mercury-powered Vexus VXS20 worth over $100,000.

Randy Pierson Fishing thinks the bite will be wide open. Read the full preview at the link 👇

The BAM Classic Championship runs Nov. 13-15 at Lake Don Pedro with 69 qualifiers and a $275,000 purse. Winner takes a Mercury-powered Vexus VXS20.

11/07/2026

A switch to grass fishing and a frog bait made all the difference on the Columbia River, helping Ish Monroe land big bass and finish day one with a 24.75-pound bag.

11/06/2026

🏆 TWELVE STRAIGHT YEARS. SIX MORE AWARDS.

Garmin has been named NMEA Manufacturer of the Year for a record 12th consecutive year — and picked up six Product of Excellence awards on top of it.

From the 27-inch GPSMAP 9227 to LiveScope Plus and the inReach Mini 3, the industry keeps choosing Garmin.

Read the full list at the link 👇

Garmin named NMEA Manufacturer of the Year for the 12th consecutive year with six Product of Excellence awards across MFD, autopilot, safety, sonar and more

11/06/2026

Guess and WIN $$$ - pick the winner of the BAM Classic Championship before the start of the event and have a shot at one of three $50 Tackle Warehouse gift cards. Entries must be in by Thursday evening Nov 12.

Anglers listed below and how they got there.

2026 BAM Classic Qualifiers — How They Earned Their Spot

Angler of the Year Champions
Five anglers qualified by capturing season-long Angler of the Year honors in their respective divisions.
Joe Mariani — Super 60 Pro Tour Angler of the Year
Chris Parks — Northwest Pro-Am Angler of the Year
Randy Pierson — West Pro-Am Angler of the Year
Chad Sweitzer — Northwest Pro-Am Co-Angler of the Year
Curtis Thornhill — West Pro-Am Co-Angler of the Year

Tournament Winners and Previous Champions
These eight competitors secured championship invitations through event victories or previous championship titles.
Aaron Ecthernkamp — Northwest Pro-Am, Potholes Reservoir Winner
Brennan Osborn — 2025 Pro-Am Pro Champion
Brian Cogburn — 2025 Pro-Am Co-Angler Champion
Christian Ostrander — California Delta Pro-Am Winner
Darrell Ocamica — Northwest Pro-Am, Moses Lake Winner
Hayden Lee — West Pro-Am, Lake Don Pedro Winner
Ronald Mace — Super 60 Pro Tour, Columbia River Winner
Ty Manterola — Northwest Pro-Am, Boardman Winner
Super 60 Pro Tour — Angler of the Year Points Qualifiers

The Super 60 Pro Tour rewards anglers who consistently perform against the West's top professional competitors. These 33 anglers qualified through their season-long points standings.
Aaron Britt, Adam Deakin, Austin Bonjour, Beau Joudrey, Billy Hines, Bryant Smith, Cameron Karber, Colby Pearson, Conrad Demecs, Dan Frazier, Darryl Burkhardt, Daylon Smith, Ish Monroe, Jake Arbuckle, Jamie Royter, Jason Bradshaw, Jason Hickey, Justin Campbell, Ken Mah, Kenneth Cleveland, Kyle Goldstein, Logan Huntze, Luke Johns, Marty Lawrence, Matt Thomas, Nick Salvucci, Nick Wood, Randy McAbee, Rich Craft, Tai Au, Tom Leedom, Travis Archer, and Tyler Madden.

Northwest Pro-Am — Angler of the Year Points Qualifiers
Nine anglers earned their championship invitations through the Northwest Pro-Am points race.
Aiden Grad, Brian Walters, Carty Shoen, Clark Korper, Jesse Halstead, Karl Okerman, Sean Minderman, Wade Wilkens, and Zackery Shaff.

West Pro-Am — Angler of the Year Points Qualifiers
Ten competitors secured their Classic spots through consistent finishes on the West Pro-Am circuit.
Bruce Harris, Cory Kerber, Mark Mello, Mike Alvarez, Rob Cloutier, Steve Hoover, Steve Wey, Timmy Wells, Timothy Venkus, and Wyatt Moore.

Travelers Series — Angler of the Year Points Qualifiers
Four anglers earned their championship invitations through Travelers Series points.
Andrew Myers, Jake Boomer, Sam Marvin, and William Ponting.
Together, these 69 qualifiers represent the competitive depth of the BAM Tournament Trail and the different paths anglers can take to reach its championship stage.

11/06/2026

Ron Mace came to the Columbia River championship and left with another title, a trophy, and $50,000. His surprised, emotional reaction says it all as the crowd celebrates a hard-earned win.

11/04/2026

BAM Podcast Marty Lawrence: Listen Here: https://youtu.be/EP6cQj_9_Kc

A Second Chance at Bass Fishing and a Shot at the $250,000 BAM Classic
After 20 years away from competitive bass fishing, Marty Lawrence has returned to the sport with renewed determination, earning a place among the qualifiers for the BAM Classic Championship at Lake Don Pedro.

For Marty Lawrence, competitive bass fishing is about more than winning tournaments. It's about overcoming challenges, rebuilding a career, and getting another opportunity to compete against the best.

In the latest episode of the BAM Podcast, Lawrence shares his journey back into competitive fishing after a 20-year absence, his experience at the Ultimate Angler World Championship, and his preparation for the upcoming BAM Classic Championship.

11/04/2026

NEW for 2027 ... BAM Trail member shirt mockup. We're working to have these shirts ready for our members at the Jan Shasta opener and hoping we can have them at them ISE show too.