Top 3 Fishing Stories of the Week: Behind the Tournament DQs, Bass Advent Calendar, and Top 10 Bass Lure Gifts

From, a look at the bass tournament organizations’ responsibility in rule enforcement, to an Advent calendar for bass anglers, to the top 10 lures to gift a bass angler, these stories captured our Sports Illustrated fishing reader’s attention on Fishing on SI this past week.

These are the Top 3 Fishing Stories of the Week: Behind the Tournament DQs, Bass Advent Calendar, and Top 10 Bass Lure Gifts | Craig Mazurek | Justin Hoffman | Strike King

1.) Behind the DQs: Is a Broken System Adding to Bass Fishing’s Integrity Crisis?

Disputed polygraphs, opaque rulings, and rising DQs involving Tai Au, K.J. Queen, Scott Martin, and others have anglers questioning the integrity of the tournament system itself. | Photo by Craig Mazurek

In recent reporting, I’ve argued that the future of professional tournament bass fishing depends on integrity of the anglers. I can’t say enough times that the vast majority of anglers are genuinely honest, hard-working, trustworthy guys who put their reputation, personal accountability and integrity above all else. But that very small percent of people willing to trade their integrity for a little false glory or a quick payday make it really tough for the sport to be taken seriously.

I expected the possibility of a debate about how anglers conduct themselves. I hadn’t considered that the most emphatic responses to my articles would come from within the professional ranks and would suggest the bigger integrity problem may actually be behind the scenes of the tournament organizations…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

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2.) Best Gift for Bass Anglers: Strike King's 12 Days of Fishmas 2025 Advent Calendar

The perfect advent calendar for every angler on your Christmas list. | Strike King

There's no better way to count down the days to Christmas than with an advent calendar. Traditionally filled with either chocolate, trinkets, or tea, this season Strike King is giving us what we really want - fishing lures!

Who doesn't love surprise fishing lures?! With the 12 Days of Fishmas advent calendar, lucky anglers will receive 11 random tackle items from Strike King, including both bass and panfish hardbaits, jigs, soft plastics and terminal tackle. The 12th surprise is a gift of Strike King swag…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

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3.) Top 10 Best Bass Fishing Lure Gifts For Christmas

Here's Your 'Bass Fishing Lure' Christmas Gift Guide! | Justin Hoffman

With Christmas just around the corner, this guide has everything you need to support your favorite bass angler's fishing passion. From noisy topwaters to slick soft plastics (and everything in between), this list of must-have baits are sure to bring luck to each of the fishing friends on your list - and is the reason why each made the cut for my Top 10 Best Bass Fishing Lure Gifts for the Holidays.

As an ardent angler, these are the actual bass fishing lures I use, have faith in, and strongly recommend - and are guaranteed to catch you (or your angling friends) more fish…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.