Randy Moss Has a 25-Year Bass Fishing Obsession 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.

Randy Moss Has a 25-Year Bass Fishing Obsession Most Fans Never Knew About; The Bassmaster Elite Series Lost Two Anglers in One Day—A Reminder of How Fast Everything Can Change; The Strange Spiny Lure Taking Over Bass Fishing in 2026 | Chasing 10 | B.A.S.S. | Dave Rush, Outdoor Brand Team

In case they slipped by you, following are the most read fishing stories of the week. Randy Moss Has a 25-Year Bass Fishing Obsession Most Fans Never Knew About; The Bassmaster Elite Series Lost Two Anglers in One Day—A Reminder of How Fast Everything Can Change; The Strange Spiny Lure Taking Over Bass Fishing in 2026.

1.) 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…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

2.) 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.

3.) The Strange Spiny Lure Taking Over Bass Fishing in 2026

The Coike, spiny ball, or urchin-bait is the hottest bass lure in the country right now. | Dave Rush, Outdoor Brand Team

The Coike, a dense elastomer ball covered in soft spines, looks more like a sea urchin than a bass lure. Over the past year it has become one of the most talked-about baits in professional bass fishing.

A little over a year ago, I attended a writer’s conference at Lake Hartwell, South Carolina. Among the various fishing brands present was a Japanese company called Hideup, which offered an assortment of odd-looking, spiny soft plastic baits called the Coike. They’d been popular in Japan for some time, but were just entering the US market.

While intrigued, I assumed the unusual baits were likely a passing novelty, stuffed them in my bag, and mostly forgot about them. But the following weekend I, and lots of other curious bass anglers, watched a professional from Japan hammering monster largemouth bass with a similar urchin-style bait during a BASSMASTER event on Lake Fork, Texas. Had I known the increased demand would make them so scarce in early 2026, I would’ve ordered a lot more when I had the chance…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.