Pake South Wins 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at San Rayburn Presented by Battery Tender with 96-10lbs!

New record set for 3-day Opens

By David A. Brown

BASS Press Release

JASPER, Texas — Pake South fell a little short of an ambitious goal, but along the way, he turned in a record-breaking performance to win the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Battery Tender with a three-day total of 96 pounds, 15 ounces.

On Day 1, the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series rookie from Winnsboro, Texas placed fifth with 28-1 and took over the lead with a Day 2 limit of 34-4. Championship Saturday saw him turn in his biggest bag — 34-10 — to seal the deal by a margin of 15-14 over Jace Lindsay.

“It was great; the lake impressed me this week,” South said. “I didn’t come into this one expecting to catch that much weight. I was expecting to have about 30 pounds a day, but to have back-to-back 34-pound days was a little bit more than I expected.”

South anchored his final limit with a 10-15 that bit shortly before 9 a.m. Knowing such quality lives in Rayburn, he said he had been looking forward to fishing this event since last fall.

“When the schedule came out last year, I said, ‘I’m gonna go try to win that one,’” South said. “I fished to win this week, not for points.”

For his efforts, South earned the $45,408 top prize. Anglers that compete in all four events of Division 1 or 2 receive an invitation to fish the 2027 Bassmaster Classic. Because South is not fishing a complete division, this event’s Classic berth goes to the Bassmaster Elite Series field.

Before the start of Day 3, South stated that he had his sights set on reaching the 100-pound mark. While that didn’t come to fruition, he still wrote his name in the record book.

South’s final weight broke the record for all-time heaviest winning total in a three-day Bassmaster event. Florida pro Scott Martin set the previous mark on February 3, 2024 by topping the Bassmaster Open at Lake Okeechobee with 90-6.

“I saw the fish to break 100 pounds on LiveScope today,” South said. “This lake is impressive.”

Dual Threat Tournaments a Giant Scam!

Scott Martin explains what has turned out to be fraudulent tournaments. 

What started as rumors has now turned into something much bigger… and it’s all unfolding right in front of us. In this video, we dive deep into the alleged/potential $1.5 million bass fishing scam that’s shaking the entire fishing community.

Savage Gear's New RevMag Walker

Savage Gear is introducing a cutting-edge topwater lure to freshwater anglers with the all-new Savage Gear RevMag Walker. This topwater walking bait delivers explosive action, exceptional casting distance, and the kind of walk-the-dog movement that draws aggressive strikes from big fish. With a patent-pending reverse magnetic weight transfer system, the RevMag Walker offers unmatched performance, making it a must-have for serious anglers.

 

“The Savage Gear RevMag Walker is unlike anything else on the market,” said Jared Kutil, Savage Gear Product Manager. “The magnetic weight-transfer system maximizes casting distance, then shifts the weight back mid-cast for a soft landing that won’t spook fish. Combined with ultra-sticky, sharp hooks and durable construction, the RevMag Walker is a must-have topwater for anglers that want best-in-class castability and more blowups. Whether you need super accurate, soft-landing casts in shallow pockets around cover or a full-send cast when chasing schooling fish in the middle of the lake, this bait delivers an unmatched topwater performance and more fishing catching experiences.”

 

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.