PARK FALLS, WIS. (February 10, 2025) – Bass anglers paying attention have an eye on the West Coast. Many aspire to fish there. Several others, like Alex Niapas and Mark Lassagne, are already entrenched.
What’s the appeal of West-Coast bass fishing? Diverse and scenic fisheries to start, offering the opportunity to catch three species of black bass against a backdrop of some of the most beautiful scenery to be found anywhere. But the draw also includes considerable numbers of bass, plus true trophy potential.
“Our fisheries are definitely diverse,” says last month’s 2025 BAM Tournament Trail Pro-Am season-opener Champion and St. Croix Rod Ambassador, Alex Niapas. “There are clear-water reservoirs all over out here with really big bass, plus the California Delta and Clear Lake, which is arguably the best bass lake in the country,” he adds. “It’s a place where you can catch a bunch of five- and six-pounders with double-digit largemouth always a possibility. While finesse plays throughout the year on the deep, clear-water reservoirs we fish throughout the west, Clear Lake and the rest of the Delta fisheries can be a power-fisherman’s dream.”
And then there’s the spotted bass.
“Most eastern anglers aren’t exposed to spotted bass bigger than three pounds or so,” says Bass Angler Magazine and BAM Tournament Trail Founder, Mark Lassagne. “But spots up to nine pounds or even bigger are a possibility on several lakes out here. Tournament pro Randy Pierson weighed a 7.04 during our recent Pro-Am season opener at Lake Shasta, which is not out of the ordinary. The world record 11.04-lb. spot came out of New Bullards Bar Reservoir here in Northern California, and the next one is certainly out there.”
Lassagne says Clear Lake regularly produces 30-pound daily bags in tournaments, and that Don Pedro Lake gives up five-fish limits over 20 pounds consisting of all three species. Personally though, he says the Columbia River is his favorite. “It’s an incredible fishery just loaded with three-to-four-pound smallmouth. You can have some epic days there fishing finesse to topwater and everything in between.”
Niapas, a resident of Altaville, California says he targeted shallow points with trees and other structure during his championship performance at the recent BAM Pro-Am at Lake Shasta, which was shortened by a day due to high winds. He caught most of his 16.35 and 18.05 limits on a prototype five-ounce trout swimbait.
“First thing in the morning, I caught almost a 5-lb. spot on it and then I ran around to a couple other locations and caught another four fish,” Niapas said of his final day on the water. “I started running a few other spots and began catching threes and 3-½’s. I was culling threes by the end of the day.“
Just one week later, February 6 on the same lake, Niapas earned third place in the WON Bass Open with a bag that included an even bigger fish – a 9.14-lb. spotted bass caught on the same swimbait.
Niapas says larger swimbaits are an important and popular lure when targeting bigger bass, especially in California lakes that have rainbow trout. “They’re kind of a staple at different times of the year,” he says, adding that anglers who commit to throwing them in the right times and places can have considerable success. “Bigger baits can take their toll on you physically though,” he says. “It’s not like pitching a drop shot or flipping a jig all day. I’ve been fishing baits in this class with St. Croix’s Legend Tournament Bass MID SWIMBAIT rod (LBTG710XHF), which comes with the new angler-adaptable GRASP II reel seat. It may look a little unconventional, but once you actually fish it you don’t want to be without it. These are incredibly light, powerful, and well-balanced swimbait rods with or without the GRASP handle. You can easily swap it out for a standard palming trigger, but the GRASP attachment keeps your wrist aligned with your arm when chucking and winding these big baits all day. You will definitely notice less physical fatigue, which means staying in the mental game longer.”
While Niapas chooses to focus his competitive efforts on the BAM Pro-Am Series, the BAM Tournament Trail includes three other distinct tournament series consisting of the Super 60, Scholastic, and Kayak tours. All offer anglers a variety of benefits, including great payouts, low entry fees, and premier exposure. “In addition to coverage of the BAM Super 60 Series on Outdoor Action TV, all BAM Tournament Trail Series are covered comprehensively in our print magazine and through our extensive social media reach. The base of hardcore bass anglers nationwide we reach through our multi-platform high-quality media products are what really sets our tournament series apart,” says Lassagne.
Whether you’re ready to start planning your West-Coast bass trip, looking to learn more about the BAM Tournament Trail, or simply want to put your eyes on some of the most innovative and comprehensive content spanning the entire realm of bass fishing, visit bassanglermag.com.
About St. Croix Rod
Headquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Best Rods on Earth” for over 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with skilled craftsmanship, St. Croix is the only major producer to still build rods entirely from design through manufacturing. The company remains family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing facilities in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With popular trademarked series such as Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all types of anglers from around the world. The St. Croix Family of Brands includes St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks.
About SEVIIN Reels
Wherever and however you fish, the reel in your hand should help create better experiences. Born from St. Croix Rod’s seven decades of design and manufacturing expertise, industry-leading customer service, and unbroken private ownership by the Schluter family dating back to 1977, SEVIIN reels are meticulously engineered and purpose-built to help anglers conquer every species on every piece of water on the planet. SEVIIN focuses on reels and reels only, designing and marketing products that improve the angling experience, regardless of the rods anglers choose. Seven seas, seven continents, seven days a week, SEVIIN reels are fueled by a collective love of fishing surpassed only by a passion to deliver the most reliable reels on the water. The St. Croix Family of Brands includes St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks.
