The GHSA bass fishing season is upon us and the sport is entering its fifth season with the promise of an competitive year ahead. This will be the first season since the tragic passing of Kevin Giddens, who led the sport through its early years and was instrumental in its growth into what it is today.
Former GHSA Executive Director Robin Hines will now take over leadership of the sport, guiding it into a new era. The championship tournament returns to Lake Lanier for the first time since 2021. However, the season has already faced challenges, with the first tournament at Lake Seminole canceled due to last week’s snowstorm.
Boats that would have qualified through the canceled tournament will now have to qualify through the remaining three tournaments, placing even more importance on those events. The first tournament will now take place at Lake Oconee on February 8, followed by Clarks Hill Lake on March 3 and West Point Lake on April 5. These tournaments will determine qualifiers for the championship.
Typically, no fewer than 15 boats qualify, with an additional boat qualifying for every 10 boats over 100 entries. However, with the Lake Seminole tournament canceled, additional spots will now be available at all three remaining contests.
The championship tournament will be held at Laurel Park on Lake Lanier in Gainesville. It will last eight hours, and at the end, the boat with the heaviest total weight of up to five fish will be crowned champion. Past champions have come from across the state, with the 2021 champions hailing from Evans, the 2022 champions from Bainbridge, the 2023 champions from Lanier, and the 2024 champions from West Laurens.
This year’s championship promises to be unique, as Lake Lanier offers a different fishing experience compared to other major lakes in the state. Lanier blends the size of a large lake with the characteristics of the smaller lakes found in the North Georgia mountains. Additionally, Lake Lanier is known for its massive spotted bass, unlike much of the state where the largemouth bass is the dominant species. Anglers hoping to win the championship will need to adapt to catching spotted bass in deeper waters, a challenge that will test even the most skilled anglers.