Stingy.
That’s how many anglers described their practice for the 2026 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. That is, those who focused their practice on the big smallmouth that inhabit Leech Lake.
But those who stay the course and navigate the conditions will have the best chance to claim a trophy and advance to the College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s.
“Typically, when you catch a smallmouth it is a big one,” Lander’s Andrew Blanton said. “I think low to mid 20s will lead Day 1. It will be a grind though. Five to seven bites are what we are all kind of expecting.”
On a national scale, Leech Lake was a relatively unknown fishery until 2024 when the Bassmaster Opens showcased impressive quality of both smallmouth and largemouth. Minnesota native Easton Fothergill won that first event with a two-day (weather shortened) total of 49 pounds, 13 ounces, with all 10 bass being smallmouth.
The next year, Laker Howell won another weather-shortened and weather-impacted event with all largemouth weighing 39-13. Strong breezes made life difficult on those anglers fishing for smallmouth, but it still took almost 20 pounds a day to win.
Here’s the takeaway from the two previous cracks at Leech Lake: if the wind is not a factor, you can have a good tournament with largemouth but enjoy a great tournament with smallmouth. The wind, however, is always a factor. Getting a three-day tournament completed seems impossible.
As it stands, winds are forecasted to blow 5 to 10 mph from the southwest on Day 1 before shifting to the NW for the final two days. Day 2 the wind speed is expected to be like the previous day, but jump to 10-15 mph on Championship Saturday.
Even with the uncertainty of the wind, many teams practiced strictly for smallmouth, including Mason Thompson and Cody Domingos. The puzzle pieces didn’t quite fit until the final day of practice for the University of Tennessee duo.
“It was kind of confusing. The first two days were pretty brutal trying to find what we were looking for,” Domingos said. “From what we’ve seen, the wind will be there no matter what.”
When they did find what they were looking for, they found a group of smallmouth unwilling to bite.
“They want the baits presented a certain way. A lot of the bass, you can tell they have been hammered on,” Thompson said.
Brody Robison and Peyton Sorrow from the University of Montevallo spent all of their practice idling the main lake looking for smallmouth habitat. They made maybe 20 casts the whole time. Even with the minimal fishing time, Sorrow said it was tougher to get a bite than they imagined.
“I think if we put our heads down, we can get five of the right bites at the end of the day,” Sorrow said.
“This tournament will be won with smallmouth,” Robison added. “But if it gets cloudy it will make it tougher on the field.”
Blanton, the reigning back-to-back National Champion, and partner Wyatt Gabehart focused their energy on smallmouth as well, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be willing to pivot if it gets too dicey on the big water.
“The first two days, smallmouth will definitely be the way to go. It can flop so fast. I think a mixed bag will end up winning it for sure,” Blanton said. “If the wind is pounding some of our areas, we may have to go fish for largemouth. Having multiple areas will be key.”
What’s on the line this week?
- The overall Team of the Year will be decided, and the winner will earn a spot in the College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s.
- The National Championship winners will claim the final spots in the Bracket.
