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Waco resident Alton Jones Jr expects to see solid shallow action on both Lake Whitney and Lake Waco.
Waco resident Alton Jones Jr. expects to see solid shallow action on both Lake Whitney and Lake Waco. Photo by Rob Matsuura.
March 3, 2026 • Mitchell Forde • Bass Pro Tour
WACO, Texas — Any fan of tournament bass fishing knows all about Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn. Falcon Lake and Lake Amistad each have special spots in the sport’s history, and Lake Fork has been perhaps the most consistent giant-largemouth factory in the country over the past 30 years.
But when the Bass Pro Tour heads to Texas Thursday through Sunday for Champion Teamwear Stage 3 Presented by MillerTech, it won’t visit any of those famous destinations. Instead, the 51-angler field will take on two fisheries that have never hosted tour-level events: Lakes Whitney and Waco. Lake Whitney will host the two-day Qualifying Round, and the anglers who advance to the Knockout and Championship Rounds will fight for the $125,000 top prize on Waco.
The field isn’t going in completely blind. Each fishery hosted a round of the 2021 Heritage Cup, so a handful of pros have at least spent a day on them (including Ott DeFoe, who won that event). Plus, Alton Jones and Alton Jones Jr. live near Waco and know both fisheries well.
Still, the lack of history should add intrigue to what’s shaping up to be a diverse event with the potential to produce some Texas-sized lunkers.
Alton Jones announces plan to retire following 2026 season
Bass Pro Tour angler Alton Jones announced that his 36th season as a touring pro will be his last. Photo by Tyler Brinks.
January 15, 2026 • Mitchell Forde • Bass Pro Tour
Just before the start of his 36th season as a touring pro, Alton Jones announced that it will be his last. Jones, who is part of the field that blasted off for the first event of the Bass Pro Tour season on Lake Guntersville Thursday morning, posted on his social media accounts Wednesday that he will retire at the conclusion of the 2026 season.
Speaking to MajorLeagueFishing.com about his decision last week, Jones said retiring isn’t something he took lightly, nor is it a recent development. The 62-year-old has been thinking about it for a while now and eyeing this season as his last for more than a year.
“I wanted to fish through the ‘25 season, the whole thing, and I wanted to get to right now and ask myself, ‘OK, this is my last season, how does it feel?’” Jones said. “And it really feels like the right thing to do. I feel a lot of green lights.”
Read more: Alton Jones announces plan to retire following 2026 season
Fishing legend Alton Jones, Sr. anchors down with us ahead of the Major League Fishing Challenge Cup
Alton Jones, Sr., who will be competing on Team 7Brew Coffee, along with his son, joined RFD-TV’s Tammi Arender to discuss some of his career highlights, how special it is to compete with his son, and what he is expecting this Sunday.
Be sure to catch Alton in the Major League Fishing Challenge Cup, which starts Sunday at 10 AM ET and continues Monday–Friday next week at 2:30 PM ET, following “Cow Guy Close.”
King and Prince of Heavy Hitters
The Bass Cast - FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – B&W Trailer Hitches Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops comes to Smith Mountain Lake, May 17-22. Thirty Bass Pro Tour anglers from the 2024 season qualified. One will walk away with the $100,000 top prize – and potentially double that with an additional $100,000 awarded to the angler who catches the heaviest bass in the Championship Round.
The qualification process for Heavy Hitters was simple. Each angler’s biggest bass from every event of the 2024 BPT season was added up for a total weight. The 30 anglers with the most combined weight made 2025 Heavy Hitters. At the top, Justin Lucas piled up 41 pounds, 15 ounces over seven events, followed closely by Jacob Wheeler at 41-9. Michael Neal (third in qualifying standings) was the only other angler to top 40 pounds with 41-7.
Heavy Hitters features a star-studded cast yet again this year, headlined by some of the biggest names in the sport – among them, Alton Jones Sr. and Jr., who may as well be called the King and Prince of Heavy Hitters at this point, having each won the title belt in 2021 and 2023, respectively. Junior, notably, has won more Heavy Hitters money than anyone with an additional $150,000 in big bass bonuses in 2022.
How Alton Jones Mastered Deep Water for a 2008 Classic Win
Lake Hartwell, which spans nearly 56,000 acres along the Georgia-South Carolina border, is a legendary bass fishing location. Hartwell is in a three-way tie for “most Bassmaster Classics” hosted—2008, 2015, 2018 and 2022.
Impounded in 1961 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to generate hydroelectric power and manages floodwaters, Hartwell offers some of the best bass fishing in the country.
Nestled in the rolling foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the lake is mostly clear and deep, with some parts reaching depths over 200 feet. While there are some houses and shoreline development, much of Hartwell remains wild, with shorelines heavily wooded.
Jones cracked the code by capitalizing on a jigging spoon bite first thing each morning before switching to a deep jig. After a strong opening day, he surged to the lead on Day 2 with an 18-pound, 11-ounce bag.
Bassmaster Classic Champions Who Conquered Hartwell
Lake Hartwell has seen its share of Bassmaster Classic stories and drama. Each of the following four champions earned his victory.
How Alton Jones Mastered Deep Water for a 2008 Classic Win
Jones cracked the code by capitalizing on a jigging spoon bite first thing each morning before switching to a deep jig. After a strong opening day, he surged to the lead on Day 2 with an 18-pound, 11-ounce bag.
