Major League Fishing recently announced the 2026 Bass Pro Tour schedule, which will bring the sport’s premier professional bass fishing circuit to Lake Whitney.
Featuring a roster of 51 pros, the 2026 season will spotlight some of the country’s most diverse fisheries and record-setting payouts as the field competes for Fishing Clash Angler of the Year honors and qualification into REDCREST 2027 and the MLF Heavy Hitters all-star event.
Lake Whitney will host stage 3 of the competition March 5-8, 2026, along with Lake Waco.
Anglers will compete on Lake Whitney during the first two days of the qualifying round before moving to Lake Waco for the knockout and championship rounds on the third and fourth day.
The new season kicks off January 15 at Lake Guntersville in Alabama and winds through fisheries in South Carolina, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, Oklahoma and Ohio, introducing multiple new venues and back-to-back dual-lake events that will push competitors to the limit.
“Our 2026 schedule showcases everything we love about the Bass Pro Tour – challenging new waters, high-stakes competition and a roster of the most accomplished anglers in the sport,” said Kathy Fennel, MLF Executive Vice President and General Manager.
“We’re especially excited about several new stops on the tour next season, and working on some exciting developments for REDCREST 2026, which we’ll be announcing soon. There’s never been a better time to be a fan of the sport of professional bass fishing.”
A key storyline entering the 2026 season is the Bass Pro Tour’s transition to a 51-angler field – the final step in a strategically planned two-year restructuring of the league’s competitive format.
The next evolution is designed to create a more streamlined, sustainable model that elevates the profile of each competitor, improves storytelling for fans and sponsors and maximizes the league’s evolving digital broadcast strategy.
Each Bass Pro Tour event will feature the full field of anglers competing in the qualifying round on days one and two, followed by the knockout round on day three and the championship round on day four.
The league’s signature catch-weigh-release format ensures immediate fish care and maximum fan excitement, with every fish scored and streamed live on MLFNOW! via the MLF app, MyOutdoorTV (MOTV), Rumble and at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
For more information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Lakelander 