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With a three-day total of 42 pounds, 7 ounces, Kaden Buchmann wins the 2026 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Norfork Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops.
MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. — Kaden Buchmann followed the same script that had him headlining the first two days’ weigh-ins for the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Norfork Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops, but only Act 1 brought the applause.
Fortunately, that’s all the Troutman, N.C., pro needed to close out a wire-to-wire win with a three-day total of 42 pounds, 7 ounces.
“This is incredible,” Buchmann said. “I absolutely did not think I had it.”
Buchmann set the early mark with a Day 1 leading limit of 16-7 and held the top spot after adding a second-round bag that went 14 even. Buchmann found Championship Friday less generous, but his 12-pound limit allowed him to edge Cody Stahl by a margin of 1-14.
For his efforts, Buchmann won the top prize of $71,317. He also received an invitation to fish the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, March 19-21 at Lake Hartwell.
The 2027 season will again feature a split between tournaments in which live sonar is permitted and tournaments where live sonar is not allowed. A coin flip will determine the technology designation for each tournament on the 2027 schedule. The results will be revealed live during the Bassmaster Coin Flip Show on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 10 a.m. CT.
In additional news, for the first time ever, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic will also be included in the Coin Flip Show. The 2027 Classic field will be the first composed entirely of anglers who qualified under the 50/50 technology rule, making it a natural extension to apply the same format to the World Championship of Bass Fishing. One coin flip will determine the live-sonar rules for the next two Classics: If the 2027 Classic is designated a non-live-sonar event, the 2028 Classic will allow live sonar, and vice-versa. This ensures consecutive Classics will showcase both styles of competition.
“The first season of the 50/50 format showed us that great competition is not defined by a particular style of fishing,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “Our anglers were challenged to demonstrate their versatility, and our fans embraced the opportunity to watch and learn from both forms of competition. Continuing the format in 2027 allows us to celebrate innovation while preserving the broad range of skills that has always defined the Bassmaster Elite Series. With the success of this structure in the Elites and because it is how our 2027 Classic contenders qualified, it was a natural fit to continue the framework and allow a coin flip to determine the format for the 2027 Classic.”
Gill does it again, wins Pro Circuit Championship on the Kissimmee Chain
Drew Gill is no stranger to big moments, and winning the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Championship is one of his biggest wins yet. Photo by Jody White
By Jody White, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, Press Release
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Burnishing his already sterling record, Drew Gill earned his third major victory of the year – and his second in Florida – with a comeback win in the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Championship on the Kissimmee Chain. In sixth place after Day 1, Gill moved up to second on Day 2 with 22 pounds, 12 ounces, and he smashed his way to the top on Day 3 with 31-13 for a 75-3 total. For the win, Gill takes home $100,000, a superfluous REDCREST qualification and some serious momentum for the rest of the fall slate.
Fishing second, Levi Kohl dropped one spot with a solid final day that earned him $25,000, and Bobby Bakewell rallied back into third for a $20,000 payday. The 2027 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech season starts in February at Lake Murray, and the full schedule promises to be just as exciting as this season.
After two days, five of the top six pros had caught most of their fish from the same community hole in Lake Toho, scanning through the area with forward-facing sonar and making the most of it. Kohl had the lead, but it was not insurmountable by Florida standards, and it was anyone’s guess how well that area would hold up.
Luckily for Gill, he had discovered a secondary zone, and it turned out to be excellent.
132 anglers set to compete in 2026 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The road to the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series enters its final stretch this week as 132 anglers prepare to compete in the 2026 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops, a three-event postseason that will determine the next group of anglers to advance to bass fishing’s highest level.
The 2026 EQ field features a mix of rising stars, veteran professionals and accomplished anglers from across the country and Japan, all pursuing one of 10 invitations to the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series. The roster was assembled through several qualification pathways, including the Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender and the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series and the reigning Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour champion.
The three-event season begins Sept. 23-25 on Norfork Lake in Mountain Home, Arkansas, before moving to Toledo Bend Reservoir in Many, Louisiana, Oct. 21-23. The postseason concludes Nov. 11-13 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama. The diverse schedule moves competitors from a deep, clear Ozarks reservoir to the sprawling waters of Toledo Bend before finishing on one of the Tennessee River’s most celebrated bass fisheries.
“This field represents exactly what the Elite Qualifiers were created to showcase — talented anglers who have earned the opportunity to compete head-to-head with a place on the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series at stake,” said Hank Weldon, B.A.S.S. Executive Director of Tournaments. “Over three events, they’re going to have to prove they can adapt to very different fisheries, changing fall conditions and the added pressure that comes with knowing every fish matters. With only 10 Elite Series invitations available, consistency will be critical from the first day at Norfork through the final weigh-in at Guntersville.”
Adding another layer to the postseason will be the use of forward-facing sonar. The 2026 EQ format was established with one tournament allowing forward-facing sonar, one prohibiting its use and the status of the final event determined by a coin flip. The results have produced a schedule that will require competitors to demonstrate their abilities with and without the technology.
Angler List Below
Finding a bladed jig that flat-out catches bass without hammering your wallet just got a whole lot easier. The all-new ChatterBait® PZ2™ from Z-Man® replaces the longtime Project Z™ ChatterBait and delivers a next‑generation bladed jig with upgraded features, refined detailing, and enhanced durability—not to mention an accessible $7.99 MSRP.
Built to bridge the gap between the Original ChatterBait and the ChatterBait Elite EVO™, the PZ2 brings high‑end performance and refinement to a broader range of anglers. It maintains the aggressive vibration, erratic hunting action, and proven fish‑catching consistency that define the ChatterBait family.
A streamlined, swim-jig-style head design improves tracking and deflection around cover, while a custom 5/0 heavy-duty black nickel needlepoint hook and super-strong quick-clip line tie give anglers the confidence to winch big bass out of heavy cover without worrying about flex or failure. Whether you’re slow rolling the PZ2 through submerged vegetation or burning it over shallow flats, it’s built to hold up cast after cast.
The PZ2 is equipped with a molded multi-ridged trailer keeper that firmly locks both ElaZtech® and traditional soft-plastic trailers in place. That means less time adjusting baits after every fish catch and fewer torn-up trailers over the course of a long day on the water.
As with every ChatterBait bladed jig, the signature vibration is the star of the show. The direct head‑to‑blade connection and trademarked stainless hex‑shaped ChatterBlade® deliver instant startup, aggressive pulse, and the hallmark hunting action that consistently produces bites across all seasons and water conditions.
Big weights on Couchiching Only CSFL Classic 2026
Photo: CSFL
Orillia, Ontario
The best of the CSFL 2026 season gathered on fame Lake Couching, Orillia, Ontario for the 2-day CSFL National Classic XXX. The weather was sunny with foggy patches each morning that burned off to expose high skies and high pressure. The weights were tight after Day 1 on Saturday. When the last of 78 boats weighed in Brian Johnston and Cam Neville bumped two power-house teams. Bassmater Elite angler Evan Kung and Jill Eppel of Pickering and Elite pro Cory Johnston captured 3rd.
The full final day weight-in seen here:
