Dreaming of More Classics

Posted by Pete Robbins on Mar 17th 2026

I just attended my 22nd Bassmaster Classic, my 21st as a member of the media, and my 16th working for B.A.S.S. Oddly enough, they haven’t really started to blend together. I can remember distinct vignettes, moments and interactions from each one.

 

Knoxville is a great host for a number of reasons, most notably that the blast-off, Expo and weigh-in are so close together. Now we know it’s a fishing on the rise, too. Next year Greenville SC will set a record for the most times a fishery has hosted the event: five. That’s another place where they know what bass anglers and fishing fans want. B.A.S.S. keeps returning in part because they know that it will fire on all cylinders.

But what are some other venues that B.A.S.S. should or could consider? Obviously places away from even mid-size cities are not feasible. There has to be sufficient infrastructure to host the tens of thousands of people who will arrive in town. That means an arena, convention center space and hotels, for starters. Here are a few places that fit the bill as we look toward 2028:

Historical Venues:

  • Lake Mead (1971, Las Vegas) – The city that hosted the first Classic is my number one draft pick. We haven’t had a western Classic since then. Some anglers might not make it to launch on time after late nights. The fans were certainly run roughshod.
  • James River (1988-90, Richmond, VA) – The weather might be a little iffy in March, but the fishery is substantially better than it was 35 years ago thanks to aggressive stocking an habitat management. The last tidal fishery on the schedule was the Louisiana Delta in 2011.
  • High Rock Lake (1994-1998, Greensboro) – Great opportunity to celebrate two Hall of Famers – Bryan Kerchal and Denny Brauer – at a different time of year.
  • Percy Priest Reservoir (1972, Nashville) – While there were plenty of smallmouths caught on the Tennessee River this year, it would be fun to have a Classic on a true highland smallmouth impoundment. Nashville might not need a Classic, but the sights on Broadway could get ugly. 

If They Moved the Classic Back to Summer:

  • Lake Minnetonka or Mille Lacs (Minneapolis) – Fun system, complicated strategically due to all of the no wake zones but would make for great “stadium” angling.
  • Madison Chain (Madison, WI) – Another made-for-TV venue in a fishing-mad part of the world. I know that the Chicago Classic left a bad impression among many fans and anglers, but it’s over a quarter-century later and we have new abilities to show off the sport.
  • Finger Lakes NY (Syracuse) – A city just a bit smaller than Greenville, in a part of the country that hasn’t hosted a Classic since Bo Dowden won on the St. Lawrence in 1980.

Don’t Forget the West (in addition to Lake Mead, listed above)

  • California Delta (Sacramento) – Huge system of tidal water with monster fish potential. If we hit it right, would likely produce record Classic weights.
  • Folsom (Sacramento) – A western spotted bass fishery would be new to most of the field and most of the angling fans.
  • One of the Phoenix Area Lakes (Roosevelt?) – Give the true desert anglers a chance to show off a completely different fishery.

Another place I’d like to see is Lake Lanier (Atlanta) which would produce amazing spotted bass weights.

I ruled out places like the Great Lakes because of weather concerns (even in summer, wind could cancel a day), along with places without the requisite infrastructure. Within those parameters, which venues did I miss?