Waco resident Alton Jones Jr. expects to see solid shallow action on both Lake Whitney and Lake Waco. Photo by Rob Matsuura.
March 3, 2026 • Mitchell Forde • Bass Pro Tour
WACO, Texas — Any fan of tournament bass fishing knows all about Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn. Falcon Lake and Lake Amistad each have special spots in the sport’s history, and Lake Fork has been perhaps the most consistent giant-largemouth factory in the country over the past 30 years.
But when the Bass Pro Tour heads to Texas Thursday through Sunday for Champion Teamwear Stage 3 Presented by MillerTech, it won’t visit any of those famous destinations. Instead, the 51-angler field will take on two fisheries that have never hosted tour-level events: Lakes Whitney and Waco. Lake Whitney will host the two-day Qualifying Round, and the anglers who advance to the Knockout and Championship Rounds will fight for the $125,000 top prize on Waco.
The field isn’t going in completely blind. Each fishery hosted a round of the 2021 Heritage Cup, so a handful of pros have at least spent a day on them (including Ott DeFoe, who won that event). Plus, Alton Jones and Alton Jones Jr. live near Waco and know both fisheries well.
Still, the lack of history should add intrigue to what’s shaping up to be a diverse event with the potential to produce some Texas-sized lunkers.
