Artificial Lure here with your weekly lowdown on the latest and greatest in bass fishing across the U.S.—so grab your waders, dust off that old popper, and let’s dive right in.

Fall is prime time for bass fanatics, and if you’ve fished Table Rock Lake in the Ozarks lately, you know the bite’s hotter than a fresh jug of crawdad boil. According to a Branson fishing report, bass are staging up on rocky ledges, main-lake points, and brush piles from 10 to 25 feet. Crankbaits in shad and craw colors are pulling in both largemouths and smallies, while spinnerbaits and chatterbaits get bonus points when the wind kicks up. Sunrise poppers? Don’t skip ‘em; those bass are still smashing topwater before the sun climbs. Fish are feeding hard ahead of winter, so if you want a chance at that Table Rock Trifecta—largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted—now’s the time to make stories you’ll be telling all winter[Branson Fishing Report].

Speaking of big catches, Jacob Wheeler just absolutely shattered the Bass Pro Tour single-day record up in Massena, New York. He wrangled up 47 bass for a staggering 165 pounds, 1 ounce in a single day. The previous record wasn’t just topped by Wheeler; second and third place pros also beat it, showing that these northern waters are on fire for monster smallmouths. A whopping 918 bass and over 2,800 pounds were caught in one day—that’s a lot of bent rods and stretched lines. If you ever wondered where to bust your personal best, hit those St. Lawrence River areas for a wild ride[Major League Fishing].

Bass tournaments are switching things up in 2025. For the Bass Pro Tour, every regular-season event winner now pockets a juicy $150,000 check, up from the usual $100K. The format is fresh too: the whole field fishes at the same time for the first two days. And here’s the kicker—new rules mean anglers can only use forward-facing sonar for one period per day. That’s gonna mean more classic tactics like crankin’, flipping, and bait-chucking for the old-schoolers who love a hands-on approach. Expect to see even the pros covering more water, mixing in good old-fashioned lure-craft with a touch of high-tech. It should make for can’t-miss live streams if you follow MLFNOW![Major League Fishing].

As for hot spots, Lake Conroe in Texas is the season opener for the 2025 pro circuit. Harris Chain of Lakes in Florida, Lake Murray in South Carolina, Lake Guntersville in Alabama, and Kentucky Lake all round out a stacked tournament slate this winter and spring. If you’re looking for legendary largemouth, Lake Guntersville’s deep grass beds and bridge pilings are still some of the best draws southeast of the Mississippi. And don’t sleep on the Potomac River, Maryland—the grass flats and tidal swings there are notorious for big, aggressive bass[Major League Fishing].

Want something on the wild and weird side? There’s buzz about “fuzzy dice” rigs—yep, actual dice-shaped attractors—making the rounds in some bass circles, adding a little Vegas flair to finesse fishing. Time will tell if this is the hot ticket or just flashy tackle box garnish. Tournament pros on the St. Lawrence River have seen good luck with it mixed into their smallmouth patterns. If you’re a fly enthusiast, keep an eye on those dice for a possible crossover—you never know what a curious bass might smash when the water’s right[Major League Fishing].

And for you record chasers—Georgia legend George Perry’s 22-pound, 4-ounce largemouth from Montgomery Lake still stands, tied for the world record and sparking a century of fish tales and debates[Georgia Wildlife Resources Division]. If you’re a fly fisher up for a challenge, the upper Coosa River in Alabama promises red-eye bass ready to brawl under leafy shade and rocky riffles, making for an adventurous day away from the crowds[Great Days Outdoors].

Thanks for tuning in for this week’s roundup. Come back next week for more big catches,...

Hey anglers, Artificial Lure sliding into your feed with the latest on bass fishing across the U.S.! With the leaves changing and water temps dropping, the bite is on, and—get this—the stories from the water are wilder than ever. Let’s jump right into what’s hot, what’s not, and the juicy catches locals are talking about.

First up: **notable recent catches**. If you haven't heard, Adam White and Chaz Wilson took top honors at Mayo Lake’s 5 Alive tournament in North Carolina, hauling in a stringer that included a whopping 6.04-pound bass. That big fish bonus definitely raised some eyebrows and gave bragging rights to team Strickland & Phillips, who landed it and pocketed the extra cash. Tournaments across the Southeast are seeing solid weights thanks to the cooler October weather keeping the bass hungry and active.

Now for the **hot spots**. Georgia is heating up—literally. The folks at Georgia Outdoor News say West Point Lake is magic this November, and Allatoona Lake is perfect for teaching the next generation how to read structure and work crankbaits. Whether you’re launching a boat for serious tournament fishing or just exploring with the family on a crisp fall morning, these southern reservoirs are producing largemouths right at that 3-pound mark, with a spotted bass bite perfect for folks who like tossing flashy flies or swim jigs.

If you’re an East Coast local, the **Chesapeake Bay is still holding its own**, especially if you’re into striped bass (or “rockfish,” as the old-timers call 'em). According to Maryland’s latest fishing report, stripers are hanging around deeper holes in the lower Potomac and Patuxent rivers, with topwater and paddle-tail lures producing at places like Thomas Point and Poplar Island. The Bay Bridge—always a classic—is putting up stripers close to bridge pilings and rock piles, and some salty insiders are drifting live eels and perch for that strike you remember all winter. Despite another year of tough recruitment, action for slot-sized fish remains solid if you know where to look.

Here’s one for the *tournament chasers*: the National Professional Fishing League wrapped its championship on Lake Hartwell in South Carolina, with the 2025 circuit spotlighting southern favorites like Santee Cooper and Lake Norman. Live-stream weigh-ins brought big crowds (and even bigger bass), fueling the friendly rivalry between pros and weekend warriors. Hartwell, Logan Martin, and Eufaula—mark those on your travel calendar for next year if you want a shot at your PB.

Midwest and Southern lakes are still seeing the fall transition, so tactics are changing. On Pickwick Lake, guides warn the grass is thin this year, so bass are stacking up near structure and cover instead. The fall pattern means those old-school techniques like jigging or working drop shots around ledges and rocks are back in play.

And for my fly rod folks—bass are chasing shad and menhaden. Smaller baitfish flush out of the streams, and fishing a streamer or popper through the shallows at sunrise or sunset has been sparking some epic blow-ups. If you love fly fishing for trout, trust me, the fall bass bite is for you: aggressive fish, cooler mornings, and plenty of action close to shore. Grab that 7-weight and leave the nymphs at home—a flashy deer hair diver can be your ticket to a local legend moment.

Don’t forget, Texas Parks and Wildlife is still logging record stripers on Lake Conroe. The biggest recent catch was 12.11 pounds and nearly 29 inches long. Fall is prime time for double-digit bass if you’ve got patience and some local intel.

Thanks for tuning in—Artificial Lure appreciates you dropping by for the freshest local reports. Swing back next week for more fishy news, notably big catches and secret spots only the die-hards know about. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.

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