Episode Details

Artificial Lure here, and if you’re a diehard bass fan, I hope you’re sitting down—because this week’s bass news has been enough to get even the laid-back fly folks buzzing.

Kicking things off, all eyes were glued to Saginaw Bay, Michigan this weekend for the Toyota Stage 7 of the MLF Bass Pro Tour. Tennessee’s very own Hatfield tore through the knockout round, yanking big largemouth out of shallow reeds and making the smallmouth bites look pretty meek by comparison. Hatfield even joked, “My hands hurt and my ribs hurt from setting the hook, but it’s awesome.” Imagine rib pain from big bass—now that’s a good problem to have! The MLF event has been a power fishing spectacle: swim jigs, bladed jigs and even some topwater getting brutal hits, with shallow cover and moving bass schools keeping pros scrambling minute-to-minute. If you’re looking to fish like a pro, Saginaw’s emergent weeds and offshore grass are the ticket right now—just bring some sturdy gear, and maybe a wrist brace, just in case, like Hatfield.

Over on the Bassmaster Elite stage, Trey McKinney grabbed the spotlight at Lake St. Clair, another legendary basin straddling Michigan and Ontario. St. Clair has a knack for producing monster bags of smallmouth, and this week has been no exception with the top sticks hauling in fat bronzebacks. The Elite crowd raved about how crucial forward-facing sonar has become for finding and following roving smallmouth, but don’t think you can’t get them with more classic presentations if you know the sweet spots—think drop shot, tubes, and, dare we say, a well-placed fly pattern that mimics a goby.

On the grassroots front, some seriously fun stuff is happening for “locals only” types and weekend warriors with the Bill Dance Nationwide Giant Bass Open. Here’s the deal: you don’t need a giant bass boat or a monster entry fee—$44.99 a year gets you in. Fish your region, log your best catches (by length or weight), and you’re in the draw for monthly cash and even a shot at a 21-foot Ranger and a Ford F-250 when the year wraps. Bill Dance is giving away a championship in Tennessee if 50,000 anglers sign up. Every entry is on public water, artificial lures only (hey, fly fans—flies count!), and there’s a bonus if you’re swinging for one of the country’s true giants in Texas, California, or Florida. If you’ve ever dreamed of that once-in-a-lifetime cast turning into something big, now’s your chance.

Out west, Colorado wrapped up its Smallmouth Bass Classic at Ridgway Reservoir. This event helps control the invasive smallmouth population, but the action is fierce with $20,000 up for grabs and the entire tournament open to anglers of all skill levels. There’s no entry fee, just a park pass and a license, and the word on the water is smallmouth there are stacking up in deeper water—a prime opportunity for anyone who likes chucking streamers or big poppers and watching the take.

Late summer is keeping the bite fired up all over—from the deep waters of Ohio to lakes across Iowa and Pennsylvania, where reports are rolling in of steady catches as fish chase bait out over structure. Illinois and Wisconsin anglers are also finding bass hanging around docks, weed lines, and drop offs—a little daytime heat isn’t slowing them down.

Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming action on the Connecticut tournament trail, with Lake Lillinonah, Lake Zoar, and the Connecticut River all hosting events in August and October. Local clubs are getting after it in a big way, so if you want to test your skills or just watch the weigh-in action, grab your coffee and come hang out.

That wraps it up for this week in bass country—thanks for tuning in with Artificial Lure. Come back next week for another dose of the best, weirdest, and wildest from the world of bass fishing. This has been a Quiet Please production—for more, check out Quiet Please Dot A I. See you on the water!

For more