Mark Hicks

In his third consecutive year of competing in the Bassmaster Opens, Oklahoma's Kollin Crawford is right on track to fish the Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers. After the first two Opens tournaments in Division 2 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir and Grand Lake, the 21-year-old sits atop the division's Angler of the Year standings.

This unique free-sliding presentation adds a finesse spin to a classic power-fishing rig.

After the first three tournaments in Division 1 of the 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender, Florida's Bryson O'Steen occupies second place in the division's Angler of the Year standings. He's right on track to achieve his fervent goal of qualifying for the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.

Michael Harlin of Osage Beach, Mo., fished the Upper Mississippi River for the first time in 2015 while competing with the University of Missouri's bass team. He didn't fare well at that event but returned and got redemption by winning a Turtlebox Bassmaster Open presented by Battery Tender in 2026 with a frog.

After fishing all four Division 2 Turtlebox Bassmaster Open presented by Battery Tender tournaments in 2026, Alabama's Brody Robison leads the point standings. In his first season fishing the Opens, the 23-year-old finished fourth at Sam Rayburn, 35th at Grand Lake, 11th at Kentucky Lake and 14th on the Upper Mississippi River.

Any Bassmaster Opens competitor who ends the season among the top 10 in either division's point standings has demonstrated exceptional angling skills. Missouri's Brock Bila finished 10th in Opens Division 1 and fourth in Opens Division 2, making him the undisputed overall Opens Angler of the Year for 2026.

In 2025, Alabamian Connor Jacob fell short of qualifying for the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series by finishing 16th in the EQ points standings after the third and final Bassmaster Elite Qualifier. Only the Top 10 earned the right to join bass fishing's premier tournament circuit.

ARP — The Arp Tigers celebrated Homecoming with a 54-7 victory over Shelbyville on Friday in a non-district football game at Herrington Stadium.

After reading the latest Lufkin Daily News article regarding the proposed data center project, I believe some important context is missing from the narrative being presented to the public. The

How does it feel to be a 2027 Bassmaster Classic contender when you're 22 years old? Ask North Carolinian Kaden Buchmann, who accomplished this feat by winning the first Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops of the 2026 season at Arkansas' Norfork Lake.