Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Monday, November 24, 2025
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Seaguar Report
Sometimes, you have to go deep if you want to catch a football-sized smallmouth. Deep water structure are places where many big smallmouth live much of the year if the conditions align, and fishing deep is a great way to catch the fish of a lifetime.
Television host and bass fishing personality Mark Zona and prominent smallmouth specialist and guide New York's Capt. Joe Fonzi each spend plenty of time in deep water when searching for the biggest fish in the lake.
They each have a specific approach to targeting deep water, with everything from the tackle and gear used to where they look having a purpose. While much of their focus is on the Great Lakes, the key themes will apply to catching smallmouth anywhere.
When to Go Deep
Zona spends much of his time filming Zona's Awesome Fishing Show throughout the Great Lakes region, and fishing deep is nearly always a part of the plan. There are a few exceptions, but often, he chases suspended bass in deep water or fishes right along the bottom where big smallmouth live.
"From ice out until the water gets to be around 50 degrees, you can find a good amount of fish hugging the bottom from 20 to 50 feet deep," he said. "Then they come up and do their business and head right back out but tend to suspend a lot more. The prime times to catch them in deep, clear water on the bottom are early in the year, then late summer, and again in the late fall. Those breaks between seasons are when I concentrate on shallower water or suspended bass out deep, which is a different subject."
Fonzi, who spends much of his time guiding clients with his Thumbs Up Guide Service on the Eastern Basin of Lake Erie, is nearly always in deep water regardless of the season.
"Ever since zebra mussels became prevalent and cleared up the lake years back, our water has gotten much clearer," Fonzi began. "Now fish can stay deep all year and spawn in water as deep as 30 feet. A certain percentage of fish, not all, but especially the biggest fish, will spawn in the deepest water that sunlight can hit."
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MLF Report
Skeet Reese, 2024 Bass Fishing Hall of Fame inductee, A founder of Major League Fishing, the 2007 Bassmaster Angler of the Year and 2009 Bassmaster Classic Champion announces his retirement from competitive fishing at the end of the 2025 MLF Bass Pro Tour season.
While he is retiring from competition, he will remain actively involved in the industry. He plans to spend more time serving in an enhanced promotional capacity for his partners and to growing Reese Fishing, his new fishing rod brand.
His more than 40-year career began in the Western Pro circuits such as WON Bass and West Coast Bass, then turned to the Bassmaster Western Invitationals, where he qualified for the Bassmaster Tour and the Bassmaster Elite Series.
The announcement brings to a conclusion one of the most highly decorated competition careers in the history of professional bass fishing. He has competed in more than 300 professional events, claiming 12 career victories, 84 top 10 and 120 top 20 finishes. Appeared in 19 Bassmaster Classics, three Major League Fishing REDCREST championships, two Forrest Wood Cups and a Red Man All American. Altogether, Reese has posted more than $4 million in career earnings while casting.
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BFHOF Report
The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame is kicking off the celebration of its 25th anniversary by hosting a silent auction this month in a continuing effort to support its mission of celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing.
The 25th Anniversary Auction is online now and will run through April 29. Up for grabs are an assortment of unique fishing gear packages, one-of-a-kind paintings and autographed memorabilia. Additional items will be added throughout the duration of the auction. Check out the auction here: https://one.bidpal.net/hof25years/browse/all.
“The continuing support we receive from throughout the bass fishing world and those involved in the sport in so many ways shows that they also believe in the Board’s mission and our efforts,” said BFHOF Board president John Mazurkiewicz. “Plus, it’s great to see the support from new and upcoming brands like Bizz Baits, Nomad Design, Reese Fishing and RodBender Fishing Company joining in with the major players like Daiwa, Denali, Gamakatsu, Lew’s/Strike King, Shimano, SPRO, and Sunline who all again never say no when we ask for support. We can’t thank them enough.”
Later this year, the Hall will welcome three new inductees as part of its annual Celebrate Bass Fishing Week. Randy Hopper, Craig Lamb and William Shakespeare Jr. will be inducted on Thursday, Sept. 25 at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Mo. As part of the induction festivities, the Hall will also conduct an online silent auction that week as well as a live auction for those in attendance at the banquet.
Proceeds from the auctions aid the Hall’s initiatives, such as funding grants for fisheries conservation, scholarships for fisheries science students, and backing youth fishing.
For additional information about how to support the Hall or the upcoming induction banquet, please visit bassfishinghof.com.