The Starting Spot: Bassmaster Elites Final Swing, BPT Season Closer on Saginaw, and KVD Picks Team USA

The Starting Spot Daily Bass Fishing Headlines are the perfect way to start your day with some of the top bass fishing articles on the internet. It’s the quick, informative, how, where, and who you need to know. So, rub the sleep from your eyes, pour that first cup of the day, and head to your Starting Spot.

The Starting Spot: Bassmaster Elites Final Swing—St Claire then La Crosse -2025 BPT Season Closing Tournament on Saginaw Bay, and KVD Picks Team USA for International Bass TOurnament in South Africa | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

In this edition of The Starting Spot:

-The 2025 Basmaster Elite series is winding down, with just two tournaments left in the series—St Clair and the Mississippi River at LaCrosse Wisconsin—some anglers are fighting for what may be career saving AOY points.

-The Bass Pro Tour has been to Saginaw Bay before, but this time it’s like a whole new body of water…a really big body of water. Who will put the pieces together and head home with the final BPT trophy of the 2025 season?

-Legendary bass pro Kevin VanDam has been dubbed coach of Team USA. His hand picked superstar team will soon represent the USA in international bass tournament competition in South Africa.

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Daily Limit: Everything at stake in final swing

by Mike Suchan

In a story on Bassmaster.com: It’s crunch time for the Elite Series.

The AOY, event titles, Classic qualifications and requalifying are on the line in the final two events of the 2025 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series season.

Three anglers are within 13 points for the Progressive Angler of the Year title, which could produce a photo finish…MORE.

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New twist on Saginaw Bay will force anglers to adapt

by Mitchell Forde

In an article on MajorLeaguFishing.com: The Bass Pro Tour will wrap up the 2025 season at Toyota Stage 7 Presented by Ranger Boats on Saginaw Bay and the Saginaw River this week. With the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year title, spots in the REDCREST 2026 field and requalification for the Bass Pro Tour all up in the air – not to mention the $150,000 paycheck and red trophy up for grabs for the winner of every BPT event – there’s lots on the line for just about every angler in the field. So, it seems fitting that the pros will have to tackle the largest venue of the season with perhaps the most question marks.

Part of Lake Huron, Saginaw Bay spans more than 700,000 acres – and that doesn’t include the 22-mile Saginaw River, which is also in play at this event. Both the bay and river are lined by miles of shallow, largemouth-laden cover, while smallmouth roam the open water of the outer bay. BPT rookie Colby Miller explained the challenge of trying to get a grasp on such a vast venue in just two days of official practice…MORE.

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Kevin VanDam Selects USA Bass Team With Experience, Youth - And Chemistry

by USA Angling

Per a story on USAangling.com: The six-angler team that will represent the United States next month at the 19th edition of the World Black Bass Championships in South Africa will be a mix of savvy veterans and emerging stars. According to coach Kevin VanDam, who hand-picked the squad, it also contains a big dose of the unquantifiable but highly sought team sports concept known as “chemistry.” VanDam, the sport’s all-time winningest competitor, took on his role with USA Bass late last year. The Sept. 4-6 event at Arabie Dam in Limpopo, South Africa will be the team’s first under his watch.

The team will be split into three duos who’ll fish together each day. Those pairings will consist of Jacob Wheeler and Kyle Welcher, Scott Martin and Logan Parks, and Ott DeFoe and Drew Gill.

“I think we’ve put together a really strong team,” VanDam said. “International competition has gotten really good, but I expect our guys to do exceptionally well and we expect to win. For the rest of the world, the biggest bullseye is on Team USA, but our expectations are high and we’re pretty confident that we’re up for the task…MORE.

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