Fisher Anaya Wins 2026 Lippert Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin with 54-06Lbs

By Christopher Decker

BASS Press Release

Thanks to a dazzling Championship Sunday performance, the 20-year-old rookie from Eva, Ala., earned his first Elite Series victory at the Lippert Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin with a four-day total of 54 pounds, 6 ounces. 

 Opening the tournament with 11-6, Anaya worked his way into the Top 10 on Day 2 with a limit weighing 12-13 before claiming the Day 3 lead with a sack weighing 14-7. Entering the day with a 2-ounce lead over Brock Mosely, Anaya landed the biggest bag of the tournament on Championship Sunday, a 15-12 limit of spotted bass to secure the title.

His Championship Sunday limit was the biggest bag he’s ever weighed on Lake Martin. 

“This feels awesome,” Anaya said. “I didn’t know if I’d ever win one of these. My buddy Gerald Swindle always tells me it’s not easy to win one of these, so if you get a shot to win, you better make it work. I knew this one would set up in my wheelhouse, I just had to get the bites and land them.”

After winning the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops Angler of the Year, Anaya made his much-anticipated debut last week at Lake Guntersville. That ended with a disappointing 65^th place finish. 

Lake Martin has always suited Anaya’s fishing style, however, thanks to a lot of time on Lewis Smith Lake. He was able to get even more dialed into the Tallapoosa River impoundment by winning a tournament before the off-limits period went into effect. 

“I won a small local tournament here that paid $5,000, and won Phoenix money,” he explained. “I had right at 15 pounds with all spotted bass and thought, ‘Maybe I can make something work down here.’ I fished the same exact way, just in different areas.” 

2026 Lippert Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin Day 3: Fisher Anaya Scores Narrow Lead!

Canadians Cory Johnston 11th, Gallant 22nd & Gustafson 49th 

By Christopher Decker

BASS Press Release

ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — Each time Fisher Anaya has fished a tournament at Lake Martin, he has left with a top finish. Now, Anaya is five bass away from claiming his first Elite Series trophy in just his second attempt.

The Eva, Ala., rookie leads the Lippert Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin with a three-day total of 38 pounds, 10 ounces after landing 14-7 of spotted bass on Semifinal Saturday, the day’s biggest bag. His lead over second-place Brock Mosley is only 2 ounces.

“I knew I needed to get my momentum back (after Guntersville), and the first day was a struggle,” he said. “I ended up scrapping up a decent bag and after that, every move I have made has been right.” 

The style of fishing at Lake Martin suits Anaya, who claimed a win and two second-place finishes during his high school career on the Tallapoosa River impoundment. 

“I like fishing shallow and these bass live shallow and on cover,” the 20-year-old explained. “They are pretty easy to pick out; you just have to troll around and find them.”

Anaya has been lurking in the shadows up until this point. He landed 11-6 to start 15th on Day 1 before catching 12-13 on Day 2 to jump into sixth. The 2025 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops Angler of the Year has been targeting prespawn staging areas, mostly in 10 feet of water or less. One finesse-style presentation has produced most of his bites.

“Most of my bass are coming off of shallow rockpiles,” Anaya explained. “You can’t see them until you cast the bait over and pull them up.”

Forward-facing sonar has revealed most of his fish this week, but on Day 3 when the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, he caught three of his spotted bass sight fishing.

“They are trying to get up and spawn,” he said. “As the week has gone on, more and more are getting up there. I haven’t sight-fished at all this week, but today I saw three of my big ones. They are slowly moving shallower. I just need them to keep coming.”

2026 Lippert Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin Day 2: Brock Mosley Retains Lead!

Canadians Cory Johnston 13th, Gallant 21st, Gustafson 44th Chris Johnston 57th & Evan Kung 59th

BASS Press Release

ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — It was a slow start to Day 2, but Mississippi pro Brock Mosley stayed the course and caught just enough to retain the lead at the 2026 Lippert Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin. 

Mosley landed five largemouth weighing 10 pounds, 15 ounces on Day 2 in east central Alabama, increasing his two-day total to 26-6 after landing a tournament-high 15-7 on the first day of competition. His lead is just 7-ounces over second-place Joey Cifuentes and 11 ounces ahead of Emil Wagner.

“There’s still two days of fishing left, and I’m surprised to even be in this position,” he said. “I’m just going to go fishing; I really don’t have any pressure.”

Anglers enjoyed another day of warm sunshine on Lake Martin, and while plenty of 10- to 12-pound bags reached the scales, four 14-pound bags crossed the scales as well as the tournament’s biggest bass.  

Mosley was the first man out of the cut the last time the Elite Series visited Lake Martin in 2018, one of the coldest Elite Series events ever. This time around, Mosley has taken a different approach and so far, it is paying off.  

“I learned that year that you can burn your fish in practice,” he said. “I didn’t even fish shallow in practice all that much (this week). I ’Scoped all of practice and caught some doing that. That is an option still, I just don’t think I can catch a 3-pounder doing it.” 

2026 Lippert Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin Day 1: Brock Mosley Snags Lead with 15-07lbs!

Canadians Gustafson 12th, Gallant 41st,  Evan Kung 45th, Chris Johnston 70th & Cory Johnston 80th

By Christopher Decker

BASS Press Release

ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — Brock Mosley never caught a 2-pounder in practice for

the Lippert Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin, but all the ingredients came together

for a magical Day 1. 

The Collinsville, Miss., pro landed 15 pounds, 7 ounces to take the lead at the Tallapoosa River impoundment, anchoring his bag with a 4-pound largemouth. In total, Mosley brought three largemouth and two spotted bass to weigh-in, which were 12 ounces heavier than Drew Cook’s second-place limit.

“I didn’t have a great practice, but I didn’t have a terrible practice,” the 2023 Sabine River champion said. “At Lake Martin, you are liable to catch 6 or 7 pounds. I didn’t catch but one or two good ones in practice, but I kept an open mind and went fishing today.” 

As anticipated, the weights throughout the field are super tight. Fifteen of the 101 anglers caught between 11 and 13 pounds while 30 more caught bags weighing between 10 and 11 pounds. 

After last week’s cold spell, water temperatures have climbed several degrees from the start of practice to tournament day, which has the bass moving towards their prespawn and spawning patterns. On Day 1, air temperatures were close to 70 degrees, and Mosley found the prespawners ready to bite on Day 1. 

“Several of the bass I caught today were full of eggs and right where they should be before they go up to start the spawning process,” he said. He rotated between four different baits and several locations, mixing in forward-facing sonar techniques as well as traditional tactics.

“I started looking for a certain type of deal, and I caught some offshore and some up shallow,” Mosley said. “I kind of junk fished and put a bag together. I’m putting my head down and fishing for what is in front of me. I may fish a point, I may ’Scope out some brushpile, or I might catch suspended bass.”

Drew Gill Wins Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Miller Tech on the Harris Chain

Drew Gill captured his second big win of the year in fine style. Photo by Rob Matsuura.

By Jody White

Tackle Warehouse Press Release

LEESBURG, Fla. – Drew Gill kicked off the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech season the same way he kicked off the Bass Pro Tour season – with a superlative win and a $100,000-plus payday. In the first few weeks of the fishing season, the young superstar has now won two national-level events, and consequently leads in Angler of the Year points on both of MLF’s top circuits.

This week in Stop 1 Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches on the Harris Chain, Gill had a killer game plan for big bites and weighed three fish over 8 pounds on the week. After catching three for an even 21 pounds on Day 1, Gill took a big lead on Day 2 with a 19-4 limit and closed with an even 26 pounds (including an 8-pounder and a 9-pounder) for a dominating 66-4 total. Gill topped Brody Campbell by nearly 18 pounds and weighed either the biggest or second-biggest bag every day of the event. For the win, Gill pocketed $100,500 and also qualified for REDCREST in 2027, which is at least a level of insurance for the BPT standout.

To catch his fish, Gill showed off a master game plan and did what he does best at a level nobody else could touch.

A fine-tuned approach

Fishing for suspended, offshore fish in Beauclair, Gill wasn’t in areas that had never seen boats before, and he wasn’t using baits that had never been employed there before. He did what nobody else in the field could do, though.

The Pro Circuit field is not lacking in exceptional offshore anglers or anglers skilled with forward-facing sonar – in fact, Bobby Bakewell and Aaron Yavorsky both have some major success on the Harris Chain, and major skills with the beam. Banks Shaw made the Top 50 cut, as well as Alec Morrison, two modern pros will a full skill set and winners of the last two Pro Circuit AOY awards. Through it all, Gill fished at a level that was a cut – or maybe two cuts, even – above his competition.

One of Gill’s big keys was an umbrella rig, with caught all his fish over 8 pounds, and which he was more committed to than any other angler.

“When I showed up here, the water was 48 degrees in the lake I started in,” he said. “That’s ridiculously cold, and a cold bass is a cold bass. A cold bass has always, will always, eat an A-rig. The first fish I threw it at was almost a 6-pounder. From there, I kept it in my back pocket, ordered a bunch and had it ready.

Hank Cherry Wins 2026 FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville!

 

By David A. Brown

BASS Press Release

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — Hank Cherry, turned 52 today, so it’s fitting that the pro from Lincolnton, N.C., employed a straight-up old-school technique to win the FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville with 88 pounds, 11 ounces.

Cherry caught the majority of his fish on a 3-inch hand-poured chartreuse curly tail grub rigged on a 1/8-ounce ball-head jig. Dedicating his win to his father Harold, Sr., Cherry said he was thrilled to claim the victory with a bait from his childhood.

“I felt like I was 10-years-old again; it was incredible fishing,” Cherry said with a quaking voice. “I was throwing a bait that’s older than (much) of the field. I’ve been waiting my whole life to be able to fish a major tournament and do that.

“My dad has been feeling under the weather, but he’s the one that taught me how to fish and he started this thing.”

Cherry’s slower start amplified his win. A frigid Day 1 impeded his signature jerkbait efforts and left Cherry in 64th place with 16 pounds, 3 ounces. The following day, Cherry sacked up 22-11 and rocketed into 18th.

On Semifinal Saturday, Cherry continued his climb with a limit of 22-2, which moved him into sixth place and secured his Championship Sunday berth. In the final round, Cherry added 27-11 — the event’s heaviest bag — to claim the blue trophy.

Edging Stetson Blaylock of Benton, Ark., by 1-13, Cherry won the $100,000 top prize.

2026 FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville Day 3: Hartman Slides into Lead!

Canadians Cory Johnston 13th, Gustafson 18th, Gallant 29th, Evan Kung 30th & Chris Johnston 46th. 

By David A. Brown

BASS Press Release

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — Jamie Hartman‘s no meteorologist, but the New York pro currently leading the FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville with 67 pounds is predicting a manmade tempest. 

Hartman, who won the 2019 Bassmaster Elite event at Guntersville, placed 14th on Day 1 with 20-12 before rising to second with a Day 2 limit of 23-4. On Semifinal Saturday, Hartman’s 23-pound limit pushed him into the lead by a margin of 1-14 over Wes Logan.

When Bassmaster Emcee Dave Mercer reminded Hartman of the fierce storm that blew across Guntersville right after his trophy presentation, Hartman’s response reflected his pedal-to-the-metal game plan.

“There’s a storm forecast and I’m bringing it,” Hartman boldly stated.

Spending his time south of the tournament site at Goose Pond, Hartman has been targeting fish along grassedges and in grass pockets. He hasn’t established specific targets; rather, he’s working through his area and looking for pods of active fish.

“I’m just following them and just trying to run into batches of them,” Hartman said. “When I Spot-Lock, it’s like boom, boom, boom. They just keep coming.”

Hartman said he’s watching for the bait schools the bass are following, but he’s also just fishing through the area.

“If I see the bait, I go to it and I catch ’em,” he said. “If I don’t see it, then I just start picking away and (the bass) are just running in bunches.”

Hartman said his days have been starting slowly with only a few bites. Once the light switch flips, the action justifies the fast-and-furious cliche.

“It just takes a little bit for them to get going,” Hartman said. “These fish are shallow — 3-8 feet — so they’re feeling (the cold mornings). Once they get warmed up, they get going.”

Hartman has been trying to conserve his spot by getting what he feels he needs to be competitive. Even with that measured approach, his area’s population has kept him busy.

2026 FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville Day 2: Kyle Welcher Jump into Lead!

Canadians Gallant 9th, Cory Johnston 10th, Gustafson 16th, Evan Kung 17th & Chris Johnston 32nd. 

By David A. Brown

BASS Press Release

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — Kyle Welcher doesn’t like to stay put, but switching off his core instinct and committing to one area delivered a big Day 2 improvement that put him atop the leaderboard for the FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville.

After placing 18th on Day 1 with 20 pounds, 7 ounces, the pro from Valley, Ala., sacked up 24-9 and surged into the lead with a two-day total of 45 pounds.

“The moral of the story was hunkering down and staying put,” Welcher said. “I did better than I did yesterday; I didn’t run around as much and that was the way to catch ’em.”

Welcher, who won the 2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River by parking in one key area, knew he’d have to employ the same uncomfortable strategy on Guntersville.

“It’s the hardest thing for me to do; it goes against everything that I want to do,” Welcher said. “But when it’s tough and it’s hard to run around and get bites, sometimes that’s the best thing to do.

“That’s something I’ve had to learn by fishing on the Elites. I didn’t have the patience whenever I first started out here.”

Welcher said he fished south of the takeoff site at Goose Pond and focused on a 3-acre stretch. He tried the same area he fished on Day 1, but when the bites failed to materialize, he repositioned and relocated his fish.

“They had slid 150 yards away and I caught them there today,” Welcher said. “The majority of what I’m fishing is eelgrass, but every now and then, I’ll pull up some coontail or some hydrilla, but it’s 90% eel grass.”

Welcher stuck with the same lipless bait/bladed jig combo that much of the field has been throwing. His choice was a 1/2-ounce Rapala Snare and an unnamed bladed jig with a Crush City Freeloader trailer.

Describing his presentations, Welcher said: “It was early-slow and late-fast. That was the biggest adjustment I’d make throughout the day. I think they get up higher in the water column as the sun gets up.”

A gloomy Day 1 brought mostly overcast skies, light breezes and air temperatures that struggled to reach the low 40s. By contrast, the second round saw bright, sunny conditions, stronger afternoon wind and a high of 61.

“I think the sun is the major thing, but the wind could’ve helped a little” Welcher said. “I caught a couple big ones after it started blowing today, but I caught most of the fish I weighed in before the wind started blowing. I definitely think the sun helps you get more bites.

2026 FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville Day 1: Cory Johnston leads with 24-09lbs!

 Canadians Evan Kung 6th, Gustafson 8th, Chris Johnston 50th & Gallant 51th

Canadian pro Cory Johnston has taken the lead on Day 1 of the FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville with a total of 24 pounds, 9 ounces. (Photo Seigo Saito/ BASS) 

BASS Press Release

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — Cory Johnston’s no stranger to cold weather, so the Canadian star confronted a frosty fishery with a sensible game plan that delivered a 24-pound, 9-ounce limit that leads Day 1 of the FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville.

In a tight Top 10 where only 2-11 separates first and 10th, Johnston holds a 3-ounce lead over Bryant Smith.

Johnston said his action started early, but he never established any consistency. Ultimately, he attributes his success to mobility and persistence.

“I started off with a few fish in the morning and then rotated a bunch of areas,” Johnston said. “Late in the day, I got into one area and had a few key bites, but it was one fish here and there all day.

“There was no specific spot. It was just covering water.”

Johnston said the day’s plodding pace fit with the impression he took from practice. As he explained, the three days he spent exploring Guntersville prior to the tournament yielded moderate quality with minimal quantity.

“I wasn’t getting a lot of bites, but I was getting some big bites in practice,” Johnston said. “It was exactly what I expected.

“I had a limit around 11 o’clock and then I caught the last one at 2 o’clock. It was just random. You don’t get a lot of bites, but it’s generally the big ones.”