BY MIKE STEVENS
SAN CLEMENTE – The WON BASS contingent of anglers who cashed their “golden tickets” to compete in the 2025 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship in La Crosse, Wisconsin, are back home after a strong West Coast showing in that event, and they’re already preparing for the 2026 WON BASS season. WON recently reached out for their thoughts on the whole experience in the wake of taking their shot at a spot in the Bassmaster Classic, and on a new January event on the WON BASS tournament trail.
Southern California pro Scott Hellesen raised a lot of eyebrows by putting up a 14th-place finish at the BASS Nation Championship which was very much “in the money.”
“It was a unique experience,” said Hellesen. “It was a fun, competitive event that also can qualify you for the Classic. It was also a vacation!”
Hellesen told WON his dad flew out and rode back home with him, and that “vacation” aspect of the event was a recurring theme among most of the WON BASS anglers when they were back home and reflecting on the whole experience.
“There’s no doubt that coming from the West, it’s hard,” he added. “The field includes a bunch of local guys, and with just three days practice, it’s tough but not impossible, and a few days of fishing can change your life. It’s a cool opportunity and it’s definitely worth shooting your shot.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming WON BASS Winter Open at Clear Lake, Hellesen is expecting the possibility of even more gaudy numbers put up by top finishers.
“Clear Lake is tge best bass fishery we have on the West Coast, and that time of year, you’re going to catch the biggest fish, almost for sure,” said Hellesen. “It also pushes Shasta to February which is closer to the spawn and better for that lake. There will be a lot of boats at Clear Lake and a lot of big fish caught, and as a new event, almost everyone is on a level playing field again. It’s almost like a new lake, and that’s an exciting aspect it.
“I think it’s a great opportunity because for most of us fishing in the west, the biggest tourney we’ve ever fished was the WON BASS U.S. OPEN,” said WON BASS pro, Joe Uribe Jr. “I applaud B.A.S.S. and B.A.S.S. for giving western bass anglers the opportunity and exposure. They did that for us, and I think qualifying for us is a lot easier than what the BASS NATION guys have to go through all year, fishing all those regional events for just one shot. And we have a lot of shots in each (WON BASS) tournament.”
Uribe is a well-traveled pro, but had never been to Wisconsin, and like all WON BASS anglers who competed there, he was blown away by the fishery (Upper Mississippi River), and he double-dipped the trip into a family vacation.
“The cool thing for me is that my dad qualified as a co-angler, so we got to travel together, my mom went, and it was a great time,” he said. “I definitely enjoyed myself, and we were very thankful Billy Egan was there to support his guys. That meant a lot to us. He did a great job, and hopefully he’sable to give the western anlgers that qualified this year more insight on how everything went and more guys will sign up for that opportunity. Our western guys had a great showing. I look forward to Hartwell.”
Joe Uribe Sr. finished in 34th on the co-angler side, and Junior told WON he is heading out to Hartwell in a week to get a read on the conditions there this time of year, so when he’s competing there next year, he’ll hit the water running.
These guys were also asked about their thoughts on the new WON BASS Winter Open at Clear Lake (Jan 8-10).
“Clear Lake is my all-time favorite lake, so I like going any time of the year,” said Uribe “I’ve never fished it in January, but it’s another challenge I will embrace, and it will be interesting. Any given cast you can catch a 10 pounder. We’re going to see a 40-plus pound bag, probably multiple. That lake is amazing, and the fish are only getting bigger. I’m definitely looking forward to it.”
Former WON BASS Clear Lake champ (2024) Austin Bonjour thinks the winter version is going to present a new set of challenges that will significantly shake up the field of competing anglers.
“I think it’s going tighten the field up,” said Bonjour. “I believe with the time of the year, the colder water, water clarity and the technology nowdays, it’s going to put a lot of the field in a” forward facing” battle.”
Bonjour also punched his golden ticket in La Crosse and had a very strong finish at 23rd place.
“I believe that it’s a good opportunity for western anglers to represent the state and go fish that national championship,” he said. “It’s a good representation of what we can do and a shot at the Classic, and you can’t beat that. We’ve always had the Bass Nation club-level thing offered up for one guy from California, but now we get to send more guys. It’s pretty cool for the state, and we needed it.
Bonjour told WON he also parlayed the Wisconsin road trip into a family vacation, and also appreciated WON BASS Tournament Director, Billy Egan, having a presence in La Crosse.
“We got to see some cool stuff along the way and see the country.,” said Bonjour. “I don’t mind the travel, and the event was ran well. I think B.A.S.S. did a great job, and Billy showing up and giving the West Coast guys some love and support was great. I don’t want to miss any more of them. It’s a really prestigious tournament.”
Patrick Touey was another WON BASS pro who had a strong showing (35th out of 247, and he was clearly stoked for the opportunity.
“The WON BASS path to the classic is one of the best opportunities the western guys have had in a long time,” said Touey. “It was an awesome experience, and getting the chance at a Classic spot is a dream we all have. We had a big group of western guys that made the top 40 cut so it was a good showing for the west! Thanks to Billy and WON BASS for giving us that platform to compete for a lifelong dream.”
As for the added Winter Open, Touey told WON he’s “stoked WON BASS will be going to Clear Lake twice,” expecting huge bags, and he suggested a triple-digit weight total being needed to win is very possible.
Finishing in 57th on the pro side, Bill Brown’s visit to Wisconsin was highlighted by landing a 6 pounder in the midst of a large group of boats, and he’s all about the shot at the Bassmaster Classic.
“The pinnacle is to get to the Classic, and you can’t get to it unless you are fishing in a tournament that gives you a path to get there,” said Brown. “It was really cool, I loved it and it’s a great fishery. I’m already qualified for Hartwell, and I’m going to be doing my homework!”
WON BASS AAA anglers also held their own in Wisconsin, and that includes 2024 WON BASS (AAA) Angler of the Year, Larry Llanes who finished in 20th place when the dust settled on the Upper Mississippi River.
“The BASS Nation Championship was awesome, and the whole experience was amazing,” Llanes told WON. “The journey cross country was long, 4,760 miles, but it was well worth it. I’ve got to thank Billy Egan for getting with B.A.S.S. and having that opportunity for us to make it there. I ended up in the top 20 out of 250 so I can’t complain there since my goal was top 40, and anything after that was icing on the cake. Hopefully next year I’ll come back, compete again and make the 2027 championship. Winning AOY in 2024 gave me the opportunity to fish this event, and I had a great time with all the West Coast guys. We represented WON BASS and the West Coast Really well.”
A total of 20 WON BASS Pros and 18 AAAs made the trip to Wisconsin to compete in the 2025 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.
“Congratulations to all those WON BASS anglers who qualified for this tournament and to Kyle Grover who made it to the final day,” said WON BASS Tournament Director, Billy Egan. “I want to thank Bassmaster for partnering with WON BASS for giving West Coast anglers an opportunity to come to a tournament like this and for a chance to go to the Classic. We’re looking forward to sending 25 Pros and Co’s from last year’s qualifications to Lake Hartwell. The West has a path to the Classic, so sign up, and see you soon.”
For more info, visit WONBASSEvents.com
