Canadian Boats Saddled with New Mandatory Fee

 

The Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, announced amendments to the Small Vessel Regulations that will modernize Canada's pleasure craft licensing program and database.

The Pleasure Craft Licence (PCL) is a unique identification number for recreational boats that have one or more engines whose combined power is at least 10 horsepower- similar to a car’s license plate. It allows emergency responders and law enforcement to quickly identify the owner of a boat, which improves response times in urgent situations and supports efforts to address unsafe or abandoned boats.

The following changes have taken effect as of December 31, 2025:

• new and renewed pleasure craft licences will only be valid for five years
• current lifetime licences will be gradually replaced with licences that must be renewed every five years.
• a $24 service fee will apply to issuing, renewing, transferring, or replacing a Pleasure Craft Licence. This fee will be updated annually for inflation
• licence holders must now update their information within 30 days of a change in their name or address, instead of the previous 90 days.

Quick facts

• All pleasure craft with one or more motors adding up to 10 hp (7.5 kW) or more must have a valid licence under the Small Vessel Regulations.

• The amendments will introduce a new five-year licence validity period and a $24 service fee for licence-related services.

• Applications for a Pleasure Craft Licence (PCL), payment of the new service fee, and requests for fee exemptions for those exercising section 35 treaty rights can be completed through Transport Canada’s website.

ZMan's New 3” Finesse Powerhouse

 

Ladson, SC- Fresh out of the mold and ready to fool even the most stubborn fresh and saltwater gamefish, the new 3” Scented Jerk ShadZ™ has officially arrived. This compact, forked-tail baitfish imitation is the newest, smallest addition to Z-Man’s popular Scented Jerk ShadZ family, offering a noticeably slimmed down profile versus the 3.5” version that has already earned a permanent place in anglers’ boats and tackle bags. The 3” model fishes beautifully on a Finesse EyeZ™ Jighead, Finesse ShroomZ™ Ned head, or nose-hooked on a dropshot rig.

A Proven Family Expanded

The Scented Jerk ShadZ lineup has long been a staple across countless species, from largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass in freshwater, to redfish, trout, and snook in saltwater. Z-Man Pro Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson says it best: “the Scented Jerk ShadZ line-up of baits has been at the top of my arsenal for years for bass fishing and other species as well. It’s been responsible for the two biggest wins of my career – a Bassmaster Elite Series win and the Bassmaster Classic!”

Mastering Spot Lock

 Boat control has always been one of the biggest challenges for anglers, especially when wind, waves, and current come into play. This is precisely why Minn Kota invented Spot-Lock GPS Anchor Technology.

Minn Kota Spot-Lock eliminates that hassle, allowing anglers to control their boat with ease and enjoy a more enjoyable fishing experience.

Happy New Years!

 

Wishing all of our loyal readers and you new ones, a wonderful 2026!!

Turtlebox Audio named Title Sponsor of Bassmaster Opens Tournament Series

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials are excited to announce that Turtlebox Audio, the rugged portable speaker company built for adventure, has signed on as the Title Sponsor of the Bassmaster Opens. The agreement pairs one of the fastest-growing brands in outdoor audio with one of the sport’s most competitive and widely followed tournament series.

 Turtlebox delivers the most durable, high-performance audio products built for the outdoors — on the water, in the mountains and beyond. The brand’s products are available nationwide through national and specialty retail partners, major online marketplaces, and owned brand channels. In addition to creating premium audio equipment, Turtlebox actively supports the outdoor community, from conservation causes to grassroots angling events — always encouraging people to get outside and explore.

 

The Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens serve as a critical proving ground for anglers aspiring to compete at the sport’s highest levels — the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series and ultimately the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. With eight tournaments across two divisions, the Opens offer a national stage for the next generation of professional bass anglers.

 

Battery Tender named Presenting Sponsor of the 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials have announced that Battery Tender®, a global leader in battery chargers, maintainers and portable power solutions, has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series, one of the sport’s most competitive and influential tournament trails.

The multievent partnership brings together two brands known for dependability and performance, strengthening support for the next generation of Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pros while enhancing the tournament experience for anglers and fans nationwide.

“Bassmaster is the gold standard in the fishing world, and for a family-owned company with our own deep history, partnering with an organization that has defined the sport for decades is a major milestone,” said Michael Prelec Jr., CEO of Battery Tender. “It's an opportunity to align our brand with the very best in the industry and demonstrate our commitment to keeping anglers powered and ready for the future of sportfishing. We look forward to a successful collaboration that elevates the experience for fans and pros alike.”

XBRAID’s new V12 Fluorocarbon Leader technologically advanced leaders

 

Fluorocarbon leader material to the rescue. And the most advanced of the advanced leader lines is XBRAID’s new V12 Fluorocarbon Leader.

XBRAID employs a proprietary manufacturing process to create a leader that is 1.3 X stronger than previous leaders. And, amazingly, this while narrowing the diameter. 

Optical clarity is another pinnacle proposition of XBRAID V12. “It starts with premium clarity fluorocarbon resin,” said DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin. “XBRAID’s advanced extrusion process then renders a slim profile without sacrificing any strength, finishing with a leader line that is basically invisible in the water with an incredible refractive index.”

The elite resin and sophisticated extrusion process also emphasizes hardness for better travel through the guides and reduced coiling. Inferior and suppler leader lines tend to sloppily unfurl through the guides, creating friction, and worse, develop permanent coiling – memory – after long periods on a reel or their original spool sitting (sometimes baking) in your tackle bag.

XBRAID V12 sets a new marker for core features associated with 100% fluorocarbon leader lines. For openers, its abrasion resistance is only bested by wire, which is a no-no for most fishing applications. XBRAID V12’s hardness also mitigates stretch, providing the ideal degree of shock absorption when couple with a braided mainline. Going hand-in-hand is XBRAID V12’s heightened sensitivity, imparting the maximum amount of feel through the mainline, rod, and into your hands. And provided knot strength is best on the market.

XBRAD V12 Fluorocarbon Leader FEATURES:

• 100% fluorocarbon
• Made from the clearest fluorocarbon resins
• Proprietary extrusion process
• Slim profile
• Exceptional hardness resists coiling
• Highly abrasion resistant
• Low-stretch
• Incredible knot strength
• 2- to 25lb test strengths
• 33-foot spools

101 anglers set to compete on 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Coming off the heels of a record-breaking 2025 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series season that awarded 11 century belts, saw four-first time champions (two of which were members of the 2025 rookie class) and garnered over 183 million social media impressions, B.A.S.S. has announced the 101-angler field for an exciting 2026 Elite Series season.

Next year, anglers will be put to the test with the use of forward-facing sonar only being allowed at five of the nine regular-season Elite events. Anglers will be competing for a $100,000 first-place prize at each stop of the season, while also accumulating valuable Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year points in hopes of making it to the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

“Each season, the Bassmaster Elite Series showcases the very best in professional bass fishing, and 2026 will be no exception,” said B.A.S.S. Elite Series Tournament Director Lisa Talmadge. “We’re excited to welcome 101 incredibly talented anglers who represent the heart of this sport — a mix of proven champions, rising stars and hungry newcomers all ready to compete on some of the most iconic fisheries in the country. It’s going to be an unforgettable season for our anglers and fans alike.”

With the exception of one angler, every 2025 Elite Series angler who qualified is returning next year. The list of anglers includes 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour champion Easton Fothergill of Grand Rapids, Minn., who won the most coveted trophy in bass fishing during his freshman season on the Elites. Two-time Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year Chris Johnston will also join the ranks of returning anglers alongside Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year Tucker Smith, who took home his first blue trophy at the 2025 Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork with a 127-pound, 8-ounce winning weight that also earned him a century belt .

FULL LIST OF ANGLERS BELOW

B.A.S.S. Announces updated No-Information rule for Classic, Elite Series, Elite Qualifiers and Opens

B.A.S.S. has announced an update to its No-Information rule that will apply to the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, Nitro Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops (EQs) and the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens in 2026. The new structure was developed in collaboration with the Association of Bass Professionals (ABP) — a panel of Elite Series anglers elected to represent the field — with the goal of preserving the integrity of tournament competition while giving anglers more freedom to enjoy the sport and discuss fishing outside of the primary competition window — the 28 day period where the water is off limits.

Under the revised rule, the No-Information period begins as soon as the Elite Series schedule is announced — or when an angler becomes definitively aware of a tournament location. From that point forward, anglers may not purchase or exchange goods or services for information or waypoints. 

The traditional 28-day off-limits period remains in effect. During this time, anglers may not be on tournament waters and the information restriction tightens: in addition to the purchase/exchange ban, anglers may not solicit or intentionally receive information from anyone other than another registered competitor in that specific event. Anglers may continue to use publicly available information — such as printed maps, publicly available weather and water data, public websites, message boards and videos like those on YouTube.