The 4th annual C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation banquet/ fundraiser held Sept. 26 at the Pitser Garrison Convention Center in Lufkin grossed about $145,000, with proceeds going to benefit children with special needs, disabilities and disadvantages, according Texas bass pro Keith Combs of Huntington.
Combs said more than 400 people showed up in support of the Friday night banquet, which was followed by a Saturday fishing event at Lake Nacogdoches.
More than 20 kids and a number of volunteers participated in the fishing event. Participants were awarded plaques, fishing gear, commemorative T-shirts and other goodies.
Formed in 1991, the kid’s foundation is a national charity with really strong Texas ties. It joins volunteers who love to fish with children who have special needs and disadvantages for a fun day of fishing in the outdoors. Fittingly, C.A.S.T is short for “Catch a Special Thrill.”
Combs formed a partnership with the organization in 2021. “We’ve had great support and the attendance continues to grow. It’s the perfect fit with the fishing community around here and the folks who are willing to give back to a great cause. We’ve raised more than $500,000 in four years.”
More leagues introduce FFS rule changes
Bass tournament organizations continue to roll out new rules and restrictions regarding the use of forward facing sonar technology on their respective tournament trails for 2026.
Major League Fishing recently announced that contestants in the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals will be limited to three hours of forward-facing sonar usage each competition day next season. The rule also will also apply to 360-degree sonar usage. There were no restrictions during the 2025 season.
MLF initiated a similar rule on its top-tier Bass Pro Tour in 2024 Anglers are required to disconnect all forward- facing and 360-degree sonar transducers and ensure cable plugs are covered and locked with the lock box provided by MLF.
MLF has not yet announced whether or not any changes are coming in Toyota Series and BFL events next season.
Bassmaster recently added a different twist with the announcement that FFS will be allowed in five of the nine regular-season Elite Series events next season. The five events were decided on Sept. 4 by coin tosses.
A report on bassmaster. com indicates the decision came after two years of deliberation.
“In 2025, B.A.S.S. scheduled a diverse set of fisheries to naturally limit FFS dominance, and winners in nearly half of the season’s events relied primarily on traditional tactics,” the report said. “However, live sonar still influenced outcomes across the board. Many stakeholders within the bass fishing community, including fans and B.A.S.S. members continued to voice concerns about live sonar use and its influence on competition. Elite Series anglers, through the Angler Board of Professionals, also asked for more limitations for the 2026 season.”
On Sept. 10, Bassmaster announced that FFS will be allowed in four of the eight Bassmaster Open events in 2026, two in Division 1 and two in Division 2. FFS will be allowed in only the Texas event, a Division 2 tournament set for Feb. 19-21 on Sam Rayburn.
Earlier this summer, two Texas amateur team circuits announced FFS rule changes for 2026. Zavalla-based Outlaw Outdoors is banning the use of the technology on competition days next season. Meanwhile, Fort Worth-based Tournament Trail Outdoors will require teams to have a legal five-bass limit in the livewell before they can utilize the technology.
Both circuits acknowledged that declining numbers in angler participation are part of the reason the rule changes were put in place.
Johnston grabs second AOY
Canadian bass pro Chris Johnston, 36, recently won his second consecutive Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year title by virtue of his 19th-place finish on the Upper Mississippi River in the final Elite Series event of the year.
Johnston ended the nine-tournament season with 776 points, edging out Illinois pro Trey McKinney in a close race for the AOY trophy. The AOY trophy comes with a $100,000 bonus.
Only three other anglers in Bassmaster history have claimed the title twice in a row. Among them are Roland Martin, Guido Hibdon and Kevin VanDam.
Lee Livesay of Longview finished 34th in the 2025 AOY standings, the highest of any Texan. Dakota Ebare of Brookeland finished 43rd; Keith Combs of Huntington, 55th; Brad Whatley of Bivens, 58th; Ben Milliken of New Caney, 75th; Chris Zaldain of Fort Worth, 82nd; and Ray Hanselman of Del Rio, 83rd.
Livesay and Ebare are currently qualified to compete in the
2026 Bassmaster Classic scheduled for March 13-15, 2026 on the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tenn.
