ZMan's Finesse Chatterbait

 Z-Man® Unveils Premium, Micro-Sized Bladed Jig 

Several years of testing with renowned Bait Finesse System (BFS) enthusiast Jimmy Ly helped refine the bait’s final form, but the focus of the design is simple: deliver reliable ChatterBait action in a smaller, more responsive package that excels with panfish, trout, bass, and other BFS and ultralight‑tackle targets.

"I began working on this project with Z-Man when I sat down with them at ICAST in 2023," said Ly. "The following fall, they sent me some new prototypes to test. We went through several iterations and changes and eventually landed on this model."

Micro Size, Major Performance The Micro Finesse ChatterBait bladed jig is built around a custom needlepoint black‑nickel hook that delivers the strength and sharpness most micro‑sized baits lack. A stamped stainless‑steel bait keeper with two sharp keeper points makes rigging simple, even with ElaZtech superplastics, and grips trailers firmly so they stay put through repeated strikes and multiple fish catches. Its compact stainless‑steel ChatterBlade® connects directly to the head and engages the moment the retrieve begins, producing immediate vibration without the need to pop the rod or accelerate the reel. The result is a small‑profile bladed jig that thumps hard, responds quickly, and appeals to everything from bluegill and crappie to stocked trout and pond bass. "It doesn't foul up on the retrieve, it begins working the second you start retrieving it, and most importantly, it gets bites," said Ly. "Anything under the sun, really. Trout, all sunfish species, bass, perch. Whatever you'd like to catch, this lure will do it."

Late Fall is Drop Shot Time: Time to Invest in a New Hook!

The new Nishine Lure Works DS drop shot hook is really something new. This new style of hook ensures baits run straight and swim naturally. You do have to use a specific knot but don't worry, it's easy to tie. Come along and learn all about the new
Nishine Lure Works DS Drop Shot Hook.

Expertly crafted with precision and innovation, the Nishine Lure Works DS Hook Drop Shot Hooks rely on a specialized construction that is enhanced for the Drop Shot technique. Unique from other drop shot hooks on the market, these feature a modified 90-degree bend that is purpose-built to be a platform for the Snell Knot with an elongated tag end. The Snell Knot and modified bend work in tandem to hold your favorite finesse plastic in a perfectly horizontal position to tempt the most lethargic fish into biting. In addition to their innovative bends, the Nishine Lure Works DS Hook Drop Shot Hooks also feature extended shanks that are longer that most traditional drop shot hooks. These longer shanks enable anglers to use slightly bigger finesse baits while simultaneously optimizing hook up ratios thanks to the wider gaps that hook fish deeper in the lip rather than the teeth. An exciting improvement to the productive Drop Shot rig, the Nishine Lure Works DS Hook Drop Shot Hooks will help you put more fish in the boat when the conditions are challenging.

Justin Kerr Wins the 2026 WON BASS US Open!

Sean Coffey Finishes in Second Place, Matthew Keats Wins AAA Division 

WON  BASS Press Release

VEGAS, Nev. – October 10, 2026 –– As reported earlier in the day, with Tropical Storm Rachel approaching through the Southern Border carrying unsafe conditions to Lake Mead, the National Park Service made the call to pull the day three permit for the event, resulting in the cancelation of the scheduled final day of the 2026 WON Bass U.S. Open presented by Ranger Boats and Mercury on Sunday.

That meant that Saturday’s competition would be the culminating day of the event.  With the most important bass fishing tournament in the Western United States now being a two-day event, the anglers knew there would be no holding back and they would have no choice but to step on the accelerator and catch everything they could.

Mesa, Ariz. pro Sean Coffey took his place in the Ranger Boats Hot Seat midway through the final weigh-in after climbing from his second-place position from the first day.  Coffey posted an 11.39-pound limit to bring his total weight to 26.22 pounds.  That weight would hold strong until the final angler to come to the scales at Calville Bay Marina.

That person was none other than 2008 U.S. Open Champion Justin Kerr from Lake Havasu City, Ariz. needed 13.34 pounds to take the lead, and when the scales tipped at 13.41, Kerr had won his second WON Bass U.S. Open title and the keys to a 2026 Ranger Z520R powered by a Mercury ProXS250 valued at $90,000 and a $70,000 cash prize.

Brandon Keuhl of Peoria, Ariz. finished third in the pro division with 25.64 pounds, he was followed by Jason Borofka of Lavon, Tex. in fourth place with 23.90 pounds while fifth place went to Hermie Romero of Boulder City, Nev. with 23.78 pounds.

Kerr said that he made the run to the Overton Arm and targeted clumps of Spiny Niad grass with a pair of lures.  “I caught six of my keepers on a Morning Dawn Baby Jackhammer and Bullpoint Shad as a trailer,” he said.  “I caught the rest of the keepers I weighed on a jig I tied with my mentor Aaron Martens years ago.  It was a handmade black and blue jig with a matching Rage Craw trailer.”

Kerr said his main stretch of grass was one he had to make multiple presentations to create strikes.  “I had one really good stretch of grass that I caught quite a few of my fish from that patch, but I had to make at least 25 casts to it to get bites,” he said.  “I had a good one chase my bait out today and miss my Jackhammer, I told my co-angler to throw in there quick, and our biggest fish of the day ate it.”

2027 Shootout Tournaments Schedule Announced

 

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

IBASSIN.com goes fall smallmouth fishing with fellow outdoor writer Don Sangster. It is Canadian Thanksgiving and we hope the smallmouth are eating more than turkey. Come along and check out how Luigi De Rose and Don Sangster figure out how to catch smallmouth from a deep, clear lake.

This is one of the original IBASSIN.com videos we shot over Thanksgiving. Cool nights and sunny afternoons can make fishing challenging if you don't get the timing down right. 

Minn Kota Unifies Technology and Brands into One!

Minn Kota integrates its fish finder technology, mapping, trolling motor system and precise boat positioning into one system titled Minn Kota. By integrating Talong, Minn Kota and Humminbird into one, anglers can expect easy compatibility and flawless total boat control. The heart of the system is the Minn Kota fish fishers and that deliver sonal and imaging building that developed over the last 40 plus years. For the angler, expect easy setup and use between screens, motor and Talon technology. 

Learn more here. 

Coin flips set live-sonar designations for 2027 Bassmaster Elite Series and next two Classics

The 2028 Bassmaster Classic will not permit live sonar, regardless of the fishery selected to host the championship. 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The coin has spoken. B.A.S.S. revealed the live-sonar designations for all nine events of the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series during Tuesday’s live Bassmaster Coin Flip Show presented by Walls, setting the stage for another season that will challenge the world’s best anglers to compete both with and without the technology.

The show also determined the live-sonar format for the next two Bassmaster Classics. Live sonar will be permitted during the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour on Lake Hartwell, March 19-21, while the 2028 Bassmaster Classic will be contested without live sonar.

Under the 50/50 technology format introduced in 2026, a coin flip determines whether live sonar can be used at each Elite Series event. The format is designed to test the complete skill set of Elite anglers across a variety of fisheries and fishing styles.

The 2027 coin flips produced the following results:

LIVE SONAR

• Feb. 11-14, Lake Okeechobee, Okeechobee, Fla.
• March 19-21, 2027 Bassmaster Classic, Lake Hartwell, Greenville, S.C.
• April 22-25, Lake Fork, Yantis, Texas
• May 20-23, Santee Cooper Lakes, Clarendon County, S.C.
• June 17-20, Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Columbus, Miss.
• Aug. 19-22, Mississippi River, La Crosse, Wis.

NO LIVE SONAR

• Feb. 18-21, Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, Kissimmee, Fla.
• April 8-11, Sabine River, Orange, Texas
• May 6-9, Lake Seminole, Bainbridge, Ga.
• Aug. 5-8, Lake St. Clair, Macomb County, Mich.
• Date TBD, 2028 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic

Of all the results, perhaps none creates more intrigue than Lake St. Clair.

Nick LeBrun Wins the 2026 The Ultimate Angler World Championship on Lake Guntersville!

Frog bite key to Nick LeBrun win!

The entire LeBrun clan celebrating one of the largest payouts in fishing history.
(Photo: The Ultimate Angler World Championship facebook page)

By Luigi De Rose, IBASSIN.com

Scottsboro, Alabama: The bass fishing world has a new millionaire, well half-millionaire! Nick LeBrun became $500 000 richer after winning the The Ultimate Angler World Championship on Lake Guntersville, Alabama this past weekend.

This Bossier City, Louisiana, angler made a last day charge like no other. As the rains fell on Sunday, Nick hunted the thick grass mats that choke Lake Guntersville with his Frog Factory Ribbit Top Toad Frog and smashed a 5-bass limit to the tune of 28-pounds. LeBrun three day total for 15 bass 69-02lbs was enough to leapfrog Day 2 leader Bryan Schmitt who sacked 67-08lbs. The remaining Top Five anglers were Buddy Benson 64-08lbs, Ron Nelson 62-12lbs and Canadian angler, Cory Johnston with 62-04lbs in 5th. 

The Ultimate Angler World Championship event pitted anglers from national bass fishing circuits and top-tier state anglers. Anglers were forbidden to use forward facing sonar or 360 Image technology and only given 2 days of official practice. 

The field of anglers experienced late summer fishing at Guntersville despite the event being held in early October. With the south remaining gripped in summer heat, the anglers found the majority of the bass in the grass. Thick weed beds had the anglers casting over it with topwaters, punching through it or patrolling the lanes that intersect these enormous grassbeds with vibrating jigs.

Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender unveils 2027 schedule

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials have announced the 2027 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender schedule, featuring eight tournaments across two divisions and a diverse lineup of fisheries stretching from Florida to Michigan.

The Bassmaster Opens have long served as a proving ground for aspiring professional anglers, providing competitors a pathway toward the highest levels of tournament bass fishing. The 2027 schedule will test anglers across a variety of fisheries, from Southern reservoirs and grass-filled lakes to Northern smallmouth waters. The Opens will once again provide competitors a route toward the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops and ultimately the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.

Division 1 Schedule

• Jan. 28-30 — Harris Chain of Lakes (Leesburg, Fla.)
• April 1-3 — Lake Guntersville (Scottsboro, Ala.) *
• May 26-28 — Douglas Lake (Dandridge, Tenn.)
• Aug. 26-28 — Oneida Lake (Syracuse, N.Y.) *

Division 2 Schedule

• Jan. 14-16 — Sam Rayburn Reservoir (Brookeland, Texas)
• Feb. 25-27 — Lay Lake (Columbiana, Ala.) *
• April 29-May 1 — Table Rock Lake (Branson, Mo.)
• June 23-25 — St. Marys River (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) *

*Forward-facing live sonar will be permitted at these events.