Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Thursday, January 08, 2026
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By JAN-MICHAEL HESSENAUER, Michigan fisheries research biologist
Now is the best time to be a bass angler on Lake St. Clair in at least the last 50 years.
Lake St. Clair in southeastern Michigan, consistently rated as a top 10 bass fishing lake by Bassmaster Magazine, is a popular destination fishery for high-level professional fishing tournaments and fishing enthusiasts from around the world.
Anglers love this opportunity to connect with nature, that feeling of a tug on the line and a beautiful fish in their hands.
This isn’t just hype – smallmouth bass are thriving in Lake St. Clair, despite the presence of invasive species, an intense fishery and other perceived or potential threats.
A new research study from the Michigan DNR Lake St. Clair Fisheries Research Station looked at this fish population to explore what might contribute to its success.
What they found might surprise even the most avid Lake St. Clair anglers.
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By Al McGuckin
Watching Wisconsin pro Adam Rasmussen drop a jig head minnow on a bass’ head 70-feet from the front deck of his Vexus is as impressive as the days of watching Brett Favre drop passes into the arms of Packer’s all-pro Donald Driver.
But when it’s time to score in tournaments you’re more likely to find Rasmussen slinging any lure with a skirt on it.
“I’m totally comfortable playing the forward-facing sonar game with my Humminbirds, but if you look at my recent wins and high finishes the past couple of seasons, there’s a jig, spinnerbait or ChatterBait involved in every one of them,” says Rasmussen.
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BFHOF Report
When talk begins to center around the significant figures in the history of Texas bass fishing, no conversation is complete without a mention and nod to Earl Golding and Phil Marks.
Both were proud Texans whose vast contributions to the sport made them easy choices to receive the Meritorious Service Award from the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.
Golding was a Waco-based sportswriter who is credited with starting the first competitive bass tournament while Marks played a pivotal role in developing numerous tournament-proven baits for Strike King that turned into top sellers.
Both Golding and Marks were honored posthumously at a Hall of Fame function Thursday, March 20 in Fort Worth, Texas. They are the sixth and seventh recipients, respectively, of the MSA.
“Learning more about these two gentlemen through our Board’s process in honoring them with the Meritorious Service Award allowed me to gain a deeper appreciation for the impact they had and still have on the sport of bass fishing,” said BFHOF Board President John Mazurkiewicz. “It will be the Board’s honor to celebrate this special recognition with Earl’s and Phil’s family, friends and industry associates in their home state of Texas at one the biggest annual events in the bass fishing world.”
When the late bass fishing legend and Hall of Famer Ray Scott recognizes you by saying "Earl … without a doubt should be considered a forefather of competitive bass fishing," millions of bass angler deserve to know more about Golding.