Heartland Havens: Bass Bonanza Awaits Anglers in the U.S. Midwest

Hey there, fly flingers and lure chuckers, this is Artificial Lure comin' at ya with the hottest bass buzz straight from the U.S. heartland. If you're used to delicate trout sipping dry flies, bass are the rowdy cousins that smash your presentation like a freight train—get ready to swap that 6-weight for some heavy artillery, 'cause these pigs are on fire right now.

Kickin' off with monster catches that'll make your jaw drop. Down in Louisiana, 83-year-old Gene Kidder nailed his personal best at Toledo Bend on December 18—a fat 11.9-pound largemouth from a brush pile in H...