The Bassmaster Elite Series Lost Two Anglers in One Day and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI

These 3 stories captured our Sports Illustrated fishing reader’s attention on Fishing on SI this past week.

The Bassmaster Elite Series Lost Two Anglers in One Day—A Reminder of How Fast Everything Can Change; Can a Luxury Ski Resort in Utah Also Be a Great Summer Fly Fishing Destination?; Randy Moss Has a 25-Year Bass Fishing Obsession Most Fans Never Knew About | B.A.S.S. | Ken Baldwin | Chasing 10

In case they slipped by you, following are the most read fishing stories of the week. The Bassmaster Elite Series Lost Two Anglers in One Day—A Reminder of How Fast Everything Can Change; Can a Luxury Ski Resort in Utah Also Be a Great Summer Fly Fishing Destination?; Randy Moss Has a 25-Year Bass Fishing Obsession Most Fans Never Knew About.

1.) The Bassmaster Elite Series Lost Two Anglers in One Day—A Reminder of How Fast Everything Can Change

Matt Arey (left) and Jamie Hartman both stepped away from the 2026 Bassmaster Elite Series on May 4 due to medical issues. | B.A.S.S.

Professional bass fishing took a major hit this week as two big names stepped away from the 2026 Bassmaster Elite Series—both for medical reasons.

On May 4, Matt Arey, the 16-year Bassmaster pro from Shelby, North Carolina, announced he would be taking a medical leave for the remainder of the 2026 Elite season after a recent lymphoma diagnosis. The same day, the New York native Jamie Hartman who had spent the past decade fishing the Elites, confirmed he would be ending his Elite career due to a rare and worsening condition, slipping rib syndrome.

Of course the timing is a coincidence. But, the two stories should cause us all to pause and realize how quickly even established careers, and anything in life, can be disrupted…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

2.) Can a Luxury Ski Resort in Utah Also Be a Great Summer Fly Fishing Destination?

Utah guide Sammy Elam taking the scenic route to the river. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

One of the upsides of this job is that I get invited to fish all over—from farm ponds to water I’ve only dreamed of fishing. If I get an invite and there’s a chance to catch something, I usually say yes.

Last fall, I was invited to stay at a resort in Utah. I write about fly fishing, not resort living. But in the invite was a promise of some great rivers and fishing. Utah is known for excellent fly fishing. I've never fished in Utah, so I kinda felt like it was my duty to go.

That’s how I ended up at the Montage Deer Valley Resort, set at the base of a mountain and just above Park City…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

3.) Randy Moss Has a 25-Year Bass Fishing Obsession Most Fans Never Knew About

Randy Moss gets excited about every bass he catches—part of a 25-year passion he says became his “therapy” after football. | Chasing10

Randy Moss has remained in the football spotlight since his retirement. But when he needs to get away from it, he goes bass fishing.

"Did I need a therapist after retiring from football? Maybe," Moss told me in a recent interview. "But I use bass fishing and mother nature as my therapist. My wife lets me get out two to three times a week."

That's not a celebrity endorsement talking. That’s a guy who genuinely loves the sport of bass fishing the same as you and I.

When I asked Moss about his fishing background, he told me he grew up a country boy on the banks of West Virginia's Kanawha River. He didn’t have a fishing rod of his own…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.