Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation club members can earn a place in the National Team Championship, the Individual National B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, and the BASSMASTER Classic! Find an Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation-affiliated club in your city and join for these Alabama opportunities. Youth participation opportunities are also available through the Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation.
Conservation Commissioner Chris Blankenship holds the trophy as Tucker Smith is congratulated by Senator Steve Livingston for winning the Ultimate Angler Championship at Lake Guntersville. Photo by Kate Stone
This two-day competition serves as the finale of the Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) regular team series season, featuring a total prize pool of $100,000. Wheeler Lake, home lake of the Alabama Bass Trail, will host the Championship for the second time since the tournament trail’s inception.
From an obscure lure lab located deep beneath the concrete of Wilson Dam, Dr. Frankenslime has concocted a couple of different bait arrangements sure to confuse even the most skilled angler. Take a look if you have the nerve to try a new concoction!
Written by David A. Brown
Photography by Andy Crawford
DECATUR, Ala. — For a guy who finished first, the number two came up a lot in Laker Howell’s victory story.
Hydro Life Extension project
When nearly 18,000 workers began constructing Wilson Dam in 1918 [in North Alabama], they shared a common goal: to help the United States win World War I by powering two plants producing nitrates for explosives. They also wanted to tame Alabama’s Muscle Shoals for improved navigation.
Wilson Dam during construction. TVA image.
September 13 was the Shoals Youth Bassmasters final tournament for the 2025 Tournament Trail. Forty-six young anglers took to the water of Wheeler Lake, launching from the First Creek ramp. The final event of 2025 resulted in 62.04 total pounds of bass being weighed in by the tournament award winners of all three age divisions.
By Jay Anglin
Sponsored by WHITEWATER
A brain-dump of tactics and techniques for overcoming the doldrums of the summer dog days
The old saying, “a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work” may ring true for millions of anglers, but those struggling on the water may dispute this.
Educational Programs are happening all the time at the park—from hikes to art to animal encounters. Join Park Naturalist Jennings Earnest for a fun and educational experience.
