Jacob Foutz Wins 2026 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Arkansas River!

Canadians Cory Johnston 5th

BASS Press Release

MUSKOGEE, Okla. — Family’s important to Jacob Foutz, so when he made a promise to his great grandmother Judy Fisher, he intended to keep it. Two years after her passing, Foutz fulfilled his oath by winning the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Arkansas River.

After tallying a four-day winning total of 72 pounds, 4 ounces, Foutz linked a transitional moment in his final day to that longstanding family commitment.

“This afternoon, I had 30 minutes before I locked (back to Pool 16 from Pool 15) and I had gone back for a big one I had seen on bed,” said the 27-year-old from Philadelphia, Tenn. “My great grandma was my biggest fan. Every time I saw her, I promised her a blue trophy.

“That big fish wasn’t there and I said, ‘Grandma, if you’re watching, I can use a 5-pounder right now.’ About 5 minutes later, I caught a 6-1. You can’t script it any better than that.”

Foutz placed seventh on Day 1 with a bag of 18-1 and moved up to second a day later with 18-15. Adding 20-10 on Semifinal Saturday, Foutz took over the lead by a margin of 6-9.

2026 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Arkansas River Day 3: Foutz Out Front with 57-10lbs!

Canadians Cory Johnston 5th, Chris Johnston 20th & Gustafson 49th

Tennessee's Jacob Foutz has taken the lead on Day 3 of the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Arkansas River with a three-day total of 57 pounds, 10 ounces. (Photo: Seigo Saito/ BASS)

BASS Press Release

MUSKOGEE, Okla. — On a day marked with significant weather impact, Jacob Foutz looked like he was fishing different waters than the other 49 semi-finalists competing in the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Arkansas River.

In a way, he actually was, as the pro from Philadelphia, Tenn., has enjoyed three days of complete solitude in a backwater area of the Illinois River branching off the east side of Kerr Lake (Pool 15). During that time, Foutz has amassed a total of 57 pounds, 10 ounces, which sends him into Championship Sunday with a cozy lead of 6-9 over the first two days’ leader Fisher Anaya.

“It feels like I’m fishing in a different fishery; clean water, big ole bass — I can’t complain,” Foutz grinned. “Where I caught them today, I found it yesterday, but it’s part of the same backwater area I’ve been fishing.”

Keeping himself in the hunt, Foutz started with a seventh-place bag of 18-1 and moved up to second with a Day 2 limit that went 18-15. Adding his best effort — a third-round limit of 20-10 — puts him squarely in the driver’s seat.

A major storm system, which brought big winds toward the end of Friday’s weigh-ins, dropped air temperatures by about 15 degrees and lingered the blustery conditions throughout Day 3. Fortunately, Foutz was fishing in protected backwaters.

2026 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Arkansas River Day 1: Anaya Scores Lead with 20-04lbs!

Canadians Gustafson 29th, Cory Johnston 29th, Chris Johnston  60th, Gallant 69th & Kung 71st

By David A. Brown

BASS Press Release

MUSKOGEE, Okla. — Fisher Anaya ran away from most of the field, but meeting back in the middle salvaged his day and positioned him atop the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Arkansas River with a 20-pound, 4-ounce limit.

With the event based on Pool 16, tournament boundaries also comprise pools 17 and 15. The largest percentage of the field locked downriver to Pool 15, for what is generally considered the greatest concentration of quality fish in this region of the river.

Anaya, a Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series rookie from Eva, Ala., calculated the considerable time required for locking into Pool 15, versus the shorter time he’d need to reach Pool 17. Factoring in his practice results, plus his experience at the previous Elite event, he chose the upriver option.

“I locked down at the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway with like 50 other guys and I was like, heck with traffic,” Anaya said. “I locked up today and there was eight or nine of us in the lock. It wasn’t bad.

“I had a better practice up there (Pool 17). I caught 20 pounds the first day of practice and when I went down to Pool 15, I had four fish one day and 15 pounds the next. I just canned that area because I didn’t feel like making a long run.”

As Anaya explained, time management ultimately determined his game plan.

“I didn’t think I could catch them fast enough in the short time I’d have to fish,” he said. “I just gave myself more time to fish.”

Anaya, the 2025 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Angler of the Year, reached Pool 17 and found that lower water conditions had altered the scenario. He was able to catch two big fish that he had marked in practice, but around midday, Anaya realized he needed to make a change.

After that, he returned to Pool 16 where he found greater productivity with fish relating to grass patches and a few fry guarders (male bass protecting hatchlings).

“I found one patch of grass and caught three big ones on three casts,” Anaya said. “I got a little bit lucky, but I think luck plays a big factor on this place.

“I caught the two fish from Pool 17 on a 3/8-ounce ChatterBait, but in Pool 16, it was a little bit of everything. I caught one on a ChatterBait, one on a swim jig, one on a wacky rig, one on a jerkbait. I weighed two from Pool 17 and three from Pool 16.”

2022 Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Lake Oahe Day 2: Chris Johnston Takes Over Lead!

 

Chris Johnston of Otonabee, Ontario, is leading after Day 2 of the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Oahe with a two-day total of 37 pounds, 12 ounces.(Photo: Seigo Saito/BASS)

BASS PRESS RELEASE

MOBRIDGE, S.D. — Chris Johnston’s primary spot on Lake Oahe doesn’t look particularly special, but it holds big smallmouth that have lifted him to the lead at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Oahe with a two-day total of 37 pounds, 12 ounces.

 

Entering Day 2 in seventh place with 18-15, the Otonabee, Ontario, native caught 18-13 Friday and holds a 7-ounce lead over second-place Austin Felix and a 10-ounce lead over third-place Patrick Walters.

 

“I’m thrilled with it,” Johnston said. “I caught them all right where I caught them yesterday. I had them by about 9:30. There’s not a lot of fish there and I wasn’t seeing many left. But after I caught them yesterday morning, I didn’t see any fish. So, some new ones moved up today and I was able to catch them.”

 

While the north wind raced across Lake Oahe the entirety of the day, creating rough and wavy conditions, the 2021 St. Lawrence River Elite champion caught a limit quickly using mostly the new Spro CJ Smasher as well as a couple of other baits. A key adjustment, however, led to two big bites late in the morning.

2018 Costa FLW Series Northern Lake Champlain Day 1: Brett Carnright Tops with 21-07lbs!

Top Canadian Cory Johnston 4th 

by Jody White

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Smallmouth key to Carnright.
(Photo: FLW)

Day one of the Costa FLW Series tournament presented by Power-Pole on Lake Champlain was a smashfest – everyone in the top 10 weighed 19 pounds or better and the vast majority of that was brown. Leading the way, Brett Carnright caught 21 pounds, 7 ounces to get things underway. In second, Austin Felix tuned up 20-15 of smallmouths and sits just 8 ounces off the lead.

Most everyone in the top 10 is primarily or exclusively targeting bedding smallmouths, and Carnright is no different. He made the top 10 last year on Champlain with spawning brown bass, and he’s got it going on again this year.

“I had my five that I wanted to catch, and I caught all five of them, and those were the only fish I caught today,” says Carnright. “I went searching for new fish the rest of the day after about 9 o’clock. It was pretty relaxing – my co-angler had his five even before my five.” 

Starting off with 21+ is great, but consistency is key on Champlain. Carnright finished ninth in last weekend’s T-H Marine Bass Fishing League (BFL) event on Champlain and seems to think he can keep the ball rolling.

“I had 18-10 in the BFL, but I saved fish then and actually caught two that I would have weighed in the BFL today,” says the local angler. “Practice was good, I had four full days on the water and had a much better practice size wise than last year.

“I don’t think I can catch that amount of weight again, but I can definitely catch a good bag. I found some new fish today, and I feel like I have the area to myself. I didn’t see a lot of boats around me.”

Top 10 pros

1. Brett Carnright – Plattsburgh, N.Y. – 21-7 (5)

2. Austin Felix – Eden Prairie, Minn. – 20-15 (5)

3. Ron Nelson – Berrien Springs, Mich. – 20-11 (5)

4. Cory Johnston – Cavan, Ont. – 20-6 (5)

5. Stephen Estes – Auburn, N.H. – 19-13 (5)

6. JJ Judd – Saint Albans, Vt. – 19-12 (5)

7. Chris O’Brien – Rochester, N.Y. – 19-11 (5)

8. Joseph Wood – Westport, Mass. – 19-9 (5)

8. Ryan Latinville – Plattsburgh, N.Y. – 19-9 (5)

10. Edward Levin – Westerville, Ohio – 19-6 (5)