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Fall 2025 Fall 2025 Fall marks the close of another exciting tournament season and brings with it the much-anticipated Tournament of Champions events. It’s hard to believe how fast the year has flown by! This season may have spared us the chaos of recent years—no COVID shutdowns, supply chain nightmares, or extreme water levels—but it brought a new challenge for California anglers: Golden Mussel restrictions and launch closures. These invasive species continue to disrupt fisheries across the state, with recent restrictions at Diamond Valley Lake (DVL) underscoring the ongoing impact. That said, there was a silver lining for Delta and Clear Lake anglers: the introduction of the Golden Mussel Region by Randy Pringle at Best Bass Tournaments (BBT). His forward-thinking solution allowed for localized, single-area launch team opens at venues affected by broader closures. We appreciate the continued innovation and commitment to the sport—thank you, Randy. On a more exciting note, shipments of new gear from ICAST 2025 have already begun arriving! It’s always a thrill to see what’s coming next, and you can check out many of the latest product releases from online at Fisherman’s Warehouse—our WesternBass advertisers are rolling out some serious game-changers. Tight Lines
Summer 2025
Summer 2025 Hi All, Topwater, six-hour tournaments in California, and ICAST – it all screams summer and while we are used to an FLW or MLF Western Division tournament circuit stop on the California Delta this time of year, for 2025 it was missing. Fortunately, Mark Lassagne and the BAM Trail stepped in and brought those of us that call the tidal water of the West an event. I would like to congratulate Ish Monroe on his win at the Pro/Am event! Quite an accomplishment! Ish has been one of longtime WesternBass supporters and well as one of the Fisherman’s Warehouse pro staff (a WesternBass title sponsor), so it was great to hear that the Fisherman’s Warehouse exclusive color Missile Baits D Bomb in Rotten Tomato played such a big factor in his win! While summer kicks off and we get ready to head to ICAST, we once again ask that the WesternBass readers support the advertisers that allow us to bring this digital mag as well as the site to you for free! We appreciate them and you! Tight Lines Wayne
Spring 2025
Spring 2025 Hi All, It looks like spring is on the horizon and we will soon be on our way to a new spawn! It was exciting to see some of the big bass that already have been caught in the early waves such as the double-digit on the cover with WesternBass mag contributor John Liechty and also the teener that has been making its way through social media pages caught by Gary Collins Jr. at Clear Lake. It is so good to see that the big ones like that are still out there! I hope to see even more as the season goes on. It looks like all the tournament organizations are off to a good start with participation and catches. I am hoping that the local lakes figure out a plan regarding Golden Mussels to allow us all to use there facilities this year. I am anxious Sites reservoir turns into the next bass fishing destination soon, like we discussed in the last issue of the magazine, When thinking about your fishing needs, please keep in mind the advertisers that help keep this magazine and website available to you. I would like to express my own appreciation for another year of support from the WesternBass advertisers and welcome our newest advertiser, joining us in 2025 – G-Ratt Baits. As always, tight lines! Wayne

Forums

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The next generation of BBT by WB Staff Wed Nov 5, 2025 5:06 am
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HDS 12 - No Bearing on Waypoints by Aschie Thu Oct 23, 2025 11:25 am
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6.86 Oroville Dink! by mark poulson Sat Nov 1, 2025 8:54 am
Swim Baits
Garage Sale by Whoopbass Thu Oct 16, 2025 6:44 pm
Kayaks and Kick Boats
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Striper fly fishing by Swimbaitspence Wed Jul 2, 2025 6:41 pm

Classifieds

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Boats - Motors - Trailers
2003 triton V186 by BWilli21 Wed Nov 5, 2025 5:23 pm
Marine Accessories
WTB Bravo 1 FS 24P prop Right hand by basscattrent Tue Nov 4, 2025 10:18 pm
Electric Motors Miscellaneous
WTB Bravo 1 FS 24P by basscattrent Tue Nov 4, 2025 12:14 pm
Electronics
Lowrance HDS 9 Gen3 by kcchang Wed Nov 5, 2025 7:13 pm
Rods & Reels
Lews Custom Pros TLC 2000 by unclesam321 Tue Nov 4, 2025 10:03 am
Hard Baits
2 Plastic Lunker Punkers by Outlaw Bass Fishing Tue Nov 4, 2025 12:16 pm
Soft Baits
Bass Tackle by Trickafish Fri Oct 31, 2025 8:33 pm
Kayak Classifieds
FS: Garmin GPSMAP 8616 XSV 16" by zach Wed Oct 22, 2025 8:19 am
Terminal Tackle
20#'s unopened lead by Outlaw Bass Fishing Tue Nov 4, 2025 12:20 pm
Lodging & Property
Clear Lake vacation rentals by adamcera Mon Sep 29, 2025 2:27 pm
Tow Vehicles
Wanted to buy mid size pickup by Dfowler Wed Oct 15, 2025 7:11 pm

Recent Forum

Lowrance HDS 9 Gen3 by kcchang Wed Nov 5, 2025 7:13 pm
Helix 9 MSI GPS G3N by kcchang Wed Nov 5, 2025 7:07 pm
Trump playing with fire by monte300 Wed Nov 5, 2025 6:49 pm
2003 triton V186 by BWilli21 Wed Nov 5, 2025 5:23 pm

Industry Press Releases

Spencer Shuffield Claims Victory at 2025 WON Bass U.S. Open
Spencer Shuffield Claims Victory at 2025 WON Bass U.S. Open The calm conditions were in stark contrast to Monday’s opening round where gusty winds covered Lake Mohave and even stronger winds that forced the cancellation of the second day of the championship.
Sean Coffey Takes Day One Lead of 2025 WON Bass U.S. Open
Sean Coffey Takes Day One Lead of 2025 WON Bass U.S. Open Along with the wind, the temperatures began to cool with overnight lows in the mid 60’s and highs in the upper 80’s.
More Than 630 College Anglers Set to Open at Berkley Big Bass Bash
More Than 630 College Anglers Set to Open at Berkley Big Bass Bash The first event of the 2025-26 season for the Association of Collegiate Anglers
Dylan Denny Wins the 2025 WON Bass Lake Mead Open
Dylan Denny Wins the 2025 WON Bass Lake Mead Open When day two of the 2025 Ranger Boats WON Bass Lake Mead Open presented by Mercury began, Dylan Denny held a lead over Western stalwart pro Joe Uribe Jr.
Dylan Denny Takes Day One Lead of 2025 WON Bass Lake Mead Open
Dylan Denny Takes Day One Lead of 2025 WON Bass Lake Mead Open When scheduling a bass tournament in the desert outside Las Vegas, there are times that the weather at Lake Mead might rise to wreak havoc.

Lake Reports

California Delta
California Delta By California Delta Fishing Report – October 5, 2025 The bite remains consistent across much of the system, driven by shifting tides and cooler fall conditions that have fish relating heavily to grass and current seams. Best Techniques & Baits Reaction baits and flipping presentations dominated the weekend. Anglers found steady success with vibrating jigs, swimbaits, and soft plastics around grass lines and current-driven edges. The fall weather pattern — a mix of overcast skies and warming periods — pushed fish into a variety of shallow to mid-depth vegetation where both moving baits and bottom contact approaches proved effective. As tides fluctuated, heavier weights and precise flipping around thick mats played a key role in finding quality bites. When the bite slowed, downsizing or changing color tones helped trigger additional strikes. Weather & Conditions Wind and mild cloud cover created ideal reaction-bait conditions early, while improving water clarity in select areas helped the punch and flipping bite. Most anglers reported strong numbers of catches throughout the weekend, with water temperatures beginning to slide toward classic fall transition ranges. The most productive depth zones held fish between five and eight feet, particularly around submerged grass lines with active current flow. As the season shifts further into October, expect more fish to pull toward these zones as bait concentrations increase. Tournament Spotlight – BAM Super 60 Pro Tour 1st – Bryant Smith — 27.26 lbs 2nd – Ken Mah — 22.88 lbs 3rd – Randy McAbee — 19.70 lbs Smith took top honors after adjusting from a reaction approach to a power-flipping presentation late in the event, while Mah stayed consistent by targeting grass along currented banks with craw-imitating plastics. McAbee locked down third with an efficient punching pattern through dense vegetation, cycling through several grass lines for near-constant action.
California Delta
California Delta By California Delta Fishing Report – October 4, 2025 Bass action on the California Delta has stayed hot through early October, producing heavy weights and steady numbers as the fall transition continues to take hold. Fish are feeding aggressively in classic Delta grass and riprap zones, with reaction baits leading the way for both quality and quantity. The key has been adjusting to daily weather swings and keeping baits moving through productive stretches. Best Techniques & Baits Chatterbait: A dominant player, especially in stained or moving water. Anglers reported strong bites mimicking bluegill patterns in wind-affected areas and along outer grass lines. Soft Plastics: Versatile and effective when fish slow down. Subtle color shifts, such as PB&J or green pumpkin, have been key for pressured fish or when the sun breaks through. Jerkbait: A proven choice for generating numbers of bites, particularly under mixed clouds and light wind. Keeping a shad-colored jerkbait in hand has produced consistent limits. Flippin’ & Punching: As water temperatures cool, more fish are tucking under mats in the 5–7 ft range. Heavy weights and compact plastics continue to pull reaction strikes from tight cover. Weather & Conditions Changing skies and shifting tides have played a major role, with overcast periods fueling reaction bites and clearer conditions favoring slower presentations. Cooling temperatures are grouping bait and bass more closely, creating “feeding lanes” along weed edges and troughs. The Delta is showing strong health this season, with impressive catch rates across multiple areas from Frank’s Tract to the West Delta. Tournament Spotlight – BAM Super 60 Pro Tour 1st – Bryant Smith — 27.26 lbs 2nd – Ken Mah — 22.88 lbs 3rd – Randy McAbee — 19.70 lbs

From the Blogs

Abu Garcia Zata Tact-Z 7.1 Casting Reels
Abu Garcia Zata Tact-Z 7.1 Casting Reels By

Designed in collaboration between Tackle Warehouse staff members and Abu Garcia reel designers, the Abu Garcia Zata Tact-Z 7.1 Casting Reel delivers tournament-caliber performance and helps support veterans fishing organizations. Featuring tactical cosmetics with a combination of FDE and OD green on the one-piece X-Craftic alloy frame and side plates that are complimented by a […]

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