2026 Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/ Albmarle Sound Day 3: Christie Jumps into Lead!

Canadians: Cory Johnston 47th

Oklahoma pro Jason Christie has taken the lead on Day 3 of the Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound with a three-day total of 66 pounds, 7 ounces. Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

BASS Press Release

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Jason Christie can’t believe he is leading the 2026 Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound. 

The nine-time B.A.S.S. champion entered this tournament just trying to get plenty of points to stay inside the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour cutline. Instead, Christie is out in front with a three-day total of 66 pounds, 7 ounces with the opportunity to claim his second blue trophy of the 2026 season.

“(I'm) Absolutely shocked. This tournament was all about getting points for the Classic,” the 2022 Classic champion said. “Missing it two years in a row, and the next one being at Hartwell, it wouldn’t be a cool Hartwell Classic if I wasn’t there.” 

Remarkably, he leads this tournament after falling one bass short of a limit on Day 2. After opening the tournament with 24-1, Christie only brought four bass weighing 15-8 to the scales Day 2. Then, the Oklahoma pro cracked 26-14 on Semifinal Saturday, the second biggest bag of the day. 

He anchored that limit with a 9-7 largemouth that took over Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament. 

2026 Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/ Albmarle Sound Day 2: Arkansas pro Stetson Blaylock has taken the lead!

Canadians: Cory Johnston 48th, Chris Johnston 57th, Gustafson 79th, Kung 83rd & Gallant 94th

Arkansas pro Stetson Blaylock has taken the lead on Day 2 of the Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound with a two-day total of 42 pounds, 4 ounces. Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

BASS Press Release

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Stetson Blaylock has never liked vast tidal fisheries like the Albemarle Sound. Success seems to find him anyway. 

The Arkansas pro leads the 2026 Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound with a two-day total of 42 pounds, 4 ounces. Blaylock added 18-12 to his 23-8 Day 1 limit to take a 4-ounce advantage over Alabama’s Wesley Gore heading into Semifinal Saturday.

“Anytime you are in contention, it is a good thing. But you want to be in contention with bass you know are getting better, and I’m not sure if they are getting better. I have a lot of decisions to make before takeoff, but I’m in a good spot.” 

Fishing was noticeably better across the system on Friday. Multiple bags over 24 pounds hit the scales, including one limit over 26 and another over 27 pounds. 

Blaylock’s first Elite Series victory came at Winyah Bay in 2019, another coastal system along the Carolina coast. In that tournament, he was able to focus on one tactic most of the tournament. So far this week, the six-time Classic qualifier has been able to lock in on a pattern once again.

“I keep saying I don’t like these types of fisheries because there are so many things you can do,” Blaylock said. “There’s going to be someone tomorrow who scraps their plan, does something different and catches a big stringer. That is something I struggle with. At Winyah Bay, I was able to stay in one area all four days. That’s what has been best for me, not running around.”

One area far from takeoff in Elizabeth City has produced the bulk of Blaylock’s limit. With higher salinity across the system, Blaylock has tried to find the freshest water possible. Along with a good population of bass, there’s a plethora of baitfish in the area as well. 

“It is a well-kept area,” he explained. “The trick here right now is finding fresh water. I’m going way way back in this river, and I feel the further back you get, the better opportunity you have to catch a big fish.”

2026 Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/ Albmarle Sound Day 1: Chris Zaldain Snatches Lead!

Canadians: Chris Johnston 40th, Cory Johnston 57th, Gallant 60th, Kung 84th & Gustafson 92nd

Texas pro Chris Zaldain has taken the lead on Day 1 of the Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound with a total of 25 pounds, 8 ounces. (Photo: Seigo Saito/ BASS) 

BASS Press Release

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Live by the sword, die by the sword. Chris Zaldain plays the game often, and on Day 1 of the Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound, the veteran mastered the sword. 

The Californian turned Texan caught 25 pounds, 8 ounces to take the Day 1 lead on the massive eastern North Carolina waterway. Zaldain will carry a 1-7 advantage over second-place Jason Christie and a 1-8 advantage over third-place Justin Hamner. 

Big numbers were expected ahead of this tournament, the seventh of the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series season. While 11 bags over 20 pounds hit the scales, no angler approached the pace that Kyle Welcher set during the 2025 season. 

A true summer tournament is something Zaldain really looked forward to, especially after finishing dead last at Santee Cooper a few weeks prior. Air temperatures have been well over 90 degrees this week and water temperatures are in the 80s. 

“I had no preconceived notions. I didn’t force anything. I let the fish tell me what was going on,” the nine-time Classic qualifier said.

It has been drier than normal this spring and early summer throughout the region, and salinity has increased throughout the system as a result. Finding clean, fresh water was at the center of his meticulous practice strategy. 

“I paid very close attention to what the wind was doing,” Zaldain explained. “I used the Deep Dive app to help with that. The other thing I use in that app is the streamflow feature. It shows you where the cleanest, freshest water is coming in. I was able to spend my practice time there.”

He started in one of the several rivers that connect to the Albemarle Sound and got bit. He moved to the next river and got bit doing essentially the same thing. At that point, he knew he could run it anywhere.

“I purposely stayed out of the river I knew I was going to go to and worked on my pattern in other rivers,” Zaldain said. “Fishing big lines, big rods and catching big fish.”

Are the Pros Tired of FFS Sonar?

MLF BASS PRO TOUR Pro Mark Daniels Jr. says he's realized that Forward Facing Sonar is killing the fun and adventure of bass fishing. Check out the video to understand his perspective of FFS in fishing. 

What do you think? Should it be banned from tournament fishing? Leave a comment.

Banks Shaw Wins 2026 Stop 5 Presented by K&N Filters on Lake Eufaula!

Another win in 2026 for red hot Shaw! 

Banks Shaw earned his second win of the season with rally at Eufaula.
Photo by Rob Matsuura.

By Jody White, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Press Release 

EUFAULA, Okla. – Starting the final day of Stop 5 Presented by K&N Filters in third place, Banks Shaw looked like the odds-on favorite to win. While Cal Lane and Drew Boggs had the edge by weight and place, environmental factors well outside their control didn’t look good. The deluge of rain on Day 2 affected all the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech pros, but Lane and Boggs were fishing shallow, well up a creek that rose higher and flowed faster by the minute.

On the main lake and fishing for more stable fish, Shaw didn’t have those same concerns. After sacking up 20 pounds, 6 ounces to jump into contention on Day 2, he followed up with an even 18 pounds on Day 3 for a 52-10 total and the win. Also walloping them on Day 3, Dylan Nutt moved up to finish second with 51-12 for the second event in a row, and Lane and Boggs fell to third and fourth, respectively.

For the win, which was his second Pro Circuit win of the season, Shaw pocketed $100,000. He also moved into the lead for 7 Brew Angler of the Year; and with a 13-point edge over Ryan Lachniet, he’ll look to go back-to-back. The winner of the Invitationals Angler of the Year in 2025, Shaw stands a great chance to close it out when the Pro Circuit regular season finishes up at Lake Champlain in July.

TOP 10 BELOW

Berkley Expands Lineup With New PowerBait MaxScent Magnum Hit Worm Colors

Built for precision presentations and pressured fish, the Magnum Hit Worm delivers oversized finesse appeal for today’s most popular bass techniques.

More MaxScent! Berkley is expanding its proven PowerBait MaxScent Magnum Hit Worm lineup with seven new fish-catching colors, giving anglers more options for today’s highly technical finesse fishing techniques. Designed for precision presentations with Neko rigs and other finesse techniques, the Magnum Hit Worm shines when targeting pressured bass and fish in a negative mood. As fishing technology advances and pressure mounts, the Magnum Hit Worm excels at targeting individual fish, isolated cover, and finicky bass in low-activity conditions. When subtle presentations and exact casts alone aren't enough, PowerBait MaxScent helps seal the deal.

 

Engineered with a thick body and bulbous tail, the Magnum Hit Worm balances a finesse presentation with a larger meal profile to help trigger bites from wary fish. Paired with Berkley’s exclusive PowerBait MaxScent technology, which is designed to expand the strike zone and generate more bites, the versatile worm remains a go-to option for anglers looking to maximize success across multiple finesse techniques year-round. 

 

Available in a 7-inch profile with 10 baits per pack, the Magnum Hit Worm now comes in seven new fish-catching colors built for versatility on today’s most pressured fisheries.

Pro J Fishing Tackle 2026 Open House this Sunday!

 

2026 Bass pre-open open house event will be held on Sunday Jun 7th. Thanks to all the vendors who will come support us: Shimano Canada DAIWA Corporation - Canada #tackle1 #bkkhookscanada #nishinelureworks #Xzonelures There will be lots of giveaways, draw prizes all day long, and please don’t forget we also have free BBQ from #eatingwild crews from 12pm to 4pm. Make sure make your calendar down, and wish to see you all on Sunday, cheers!!!!!

The lucky winner giveaway is a $160 Value Pro J Power or Finesse box (winner choice)

Jack Story Wins 2026 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American on Lake Murray

Jack Story got it done despite a high-stress final day. Photo by Rob Matsuura.

By Jody White 

Phoenix Bass Fishing League Press Release 

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Jack Story was supposed to walk across the graduation stage with his high school classmates this weekend. Instead, he left the weigh-in stage at the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American on Lake Murray atop the leaderboard all three days.

After taking the lead with 22 pounds, 11 ounces on Day 1, Story made all the right adjustments to wrap up a wire-to-wire victory. The youngest-ever winner of the annual grassroots championship, surpassing a mark set by Jacob Wheeler 15 years ago on Cross Lake, the 18-year-old earned $100,000 and qualified for REDCREST 2027.

Weighing 17-7 on Day 3 brought Story’s total to 61-8, which proved just enough to hold off Brooks Anderson, who charged up the leaderboard with 22-11 on Day 3 and finished with a 60-14 total. In third, Caz Anderson weighed 59-13, and Tom Frink finished fourth with 59-8 to round out a very compelling race through much of the day on MLFNOW!.

Story raises the bar

Young anglers have been winning the All-American since the beginning. Back in 1984, Shaw Grigsby took the trophy at just 28, and Emil Wagner was 25 when he won a few years ago at Lake Hartwell. But this is the first time the winner skipped high school graduation for Day 1. In doing so, Story set a high-water mark that is going to be very hard to top.

TOP 10 BELOW

Nishine Lure Works DS Drop Shot Hook with IBASSIN.com

The new Nishine Lure Works DS drop shot hook is really something new. This new style of hook ensures baits run straight and swim naturally. You do have to use a specific knot but don't worry, it's easy to tie. Come along and learn all about the new Nishine Lure Works DS Drop Shot Hook.

Expertly crafted with precision and innovation, the Nishine Lure Works DS Hook Drop Shot Hooks rely on a specialized construction that is enhanced for the Drop Shot technique. Unique from other drop shot hooks on the market, these feature a modified 90-degree bend that is purpose-built to be a platform for the Snell Knot with an elongated tag end. The Snell Knot and modified bend work in tandem to hold your favorite finesse plastic in a perfectly horizontal position to tempt the most lethargic fish into biting. In addition to their innovative bends, the Nishine Lure Works DS Hook Drop Shot Hooks also feature extended shanks that are longer that most traditional drop shot hooks. These longer shanks enable anglers to use slightly bigger finesse baits while simultaneously optimizing hook up ratios thanks to the wider gaps that hook fish deeper in the lip rather than the teeth. An exciting improvement to the productive Drop Shot rig, the Nishine Lure Works DS Hook Drop Shot Hooks will help you put more fish in the boat when the conditions are challenging.