Hey bass heads, Artificial Lure here bringing you the scoop on what's hot on the water this week. If you think the bass scene’s quieting down with fall rolling in—think again! The bite’s sizzling, records are dropping, and spots across the country are lighting up like a school of shad on the surface.

Let’s kick things off with big news from Florida. Craig Cavanna just took home the win at Harris Chain of Lakes this past weekend, wrangling a sweet five-bass limit for a hefty 14.39 pounds anchored by a chunky 4.67-pound largemouth. That kind of bag has locals eyeing the Harris Chain as prime October water, especially with weather cooling and the grass lines holding schools of hungry greenbacks. There’s chatter that spinnerbaits and topwater frogs are making a splash down there, so pack your fly rods with some loud poppers if you’re headed that way.

Now for the tournament diehards—Upper Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin is buzzing as the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship takes over this week. The fields are stacked and conditions are classic Midwest autumn: crisp, breezy, and loaded with fat river bass feeding up for winter. Reports from Mercury and Bassmaster insiders are pegging the shallow sloughs and current breaks for both largemouth and smallies on chatterbaits and big streamers. If you’re after multi-species action to scratch that fly itch, La Crosse is a must-visit as the stripers and rock bass are showing too.

For you college fishing fans, the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open just wrapped last weekend on Lake Dardanelle, Arkansas. Over 280 teams battled it out, with Carson-Newman University clinging to first place in the national standings—though University of Montevallo is nipping at their heels, with only 35 points separating them. Dardanelle’s grass edges and flooded timber proved tricky, but plenty of teams exceeded 3,000 points, and buzz in the forums says the shad migration has the bass feeding shallow. Don’t sleep on the college circuit—these kids are bringing innovative tactics and plenty of fly crossover, especially targeting suspended fish on intermediate lines.

Where else is hot right now? According to Bassmaster’s “Top 10 Best Bass Lakes of 2025,” places like Lake Fork, Texas and Clear Lake, California remain legendary for both numbers and giants. But watch for dark horses—Lake Chickamauga in Tennessee is quietly putting out double-digit fish, and Guntersville, Alabama is seeing some bonkers fall evening bites. Anglers are threading big streamers and sparse bucktail jigs to mimic dying baitfish, a trick any fly angler should put in their arsenal.

Want something a little offbeat? Urban river fishing is exploding: Columbia, South Carolina’s Saluda River is holding solid numbers of largemouth, spotted bass, and striped bass, with savvy city anglers landing trophy fish on fly poppers and streamers evenings after work. That’s proof you don’t need a truckload of tackle or a trip to the country to hook into serious action.

And don’t forget, fall marks the start of prime fly tournament season throughout the Carolinas. The annual fly fishing tournament kicks off October 25th, with fresh water and even saltwater categories for those who dabble in reds and trout when the bass are slow. Word from Carolinasportsman is that this year’s turnout is looking huge, so shake out those six weights and prep some foam bugs.

That’s the rundown for this week—a country-wide tour of bass madness, stellar catches, and plenty of reasons to keep your flies wet and your ears open. Thanks for tuning in! Be sure to swing back next week for another dose of the real-deal bass buzz, straight from Artificial Lure and Quiet Please. For more, check out Quiet Please Dot A I. See you on the water!

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI