FLORENCE, Ala. — Largemouth bass define “opportunistic feeding,” and Brody Robison leveraged that truth to amass a three-day total of 58 pounds, 4 ounces and win the 2026 Bassmaster College Classic Cup presented by Lew’s at Wilson Lake.
After placing second on Day 1 with 16-14, the recent University of Montevallo graduate turned in a second-round limit of 21-10 and took over the lead. Championship Sunday saw Robison turn in the day’s heaviest bag — 19-12 — and edge Day 1 leader and his Montevallo teammate Peyton Sorrowby a margin of 4-7.
“It’s a mind-blowing experience; this is unreal,” Robison said. “This hasn’t sunk in yet.”
Robison and Sorrow qualified for this event, which included five other Bassmaster College Series standouts, by recording a wire-to-wire win in the 2026 Strike King Bassmaster College Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, Aug. 20-22 at Minnesota’s Leech Lake.
For his achievement, Robison earned a spot in the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, March 19-21 at Lake Hartwell.
Furthermore, the top prize package includes a Toyota Tundra and a fully-rigged Nitro Boat, both professionally wrapped in the winner’s school logo and colors for use at eligible 2027 events. Additionally, Robison received $7,500 in cash and paid entry into one 2027 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender division of his choice.
“Man, fishing the Bassmaster Classic is definitely a lifelong dream of mine,” Robison said. “I’ve been watching the Classic since I was 7 or 8 years old. The ultimate goal as a bass fisherman is to make it onto that stage and to know I’ll be there in March is pretty crazy.”
After a mild opening round, Day 2 brought rainy, windy conditions as the diminished remnants of Hurricane Isaias moved through Alabama. Championship Sunday saw mostly sunny skies and moderate wind.
Robison returned to the primary pattern he fished the previous two days and caught his fish along bluff walls. He fished throughout the entire lake and targeted bluffs adjacent to 50 to 60 feet of water.
Noting that he caught most of his fish within 12 feet of the surface — likely due to lingering oxygen depletion in greater depths — Robison said he was very selective in where he focused his efforts.
“I was fishing current eddies on the bluff walls and some were only 5 yards long,” he said. “I think the fish were hanging on the bluffs in these current eddies and they would slide out to feed on bait whenever it was available.
“They wouldn’t ever chase the bait. They would stay in these eddies and wait for bait to come to them.”
Robison caught his fish with 6- and 6 1/2-inch minnow style baits on 3/16-ounce jig heads. He fished these baits on a 6-10 medium-light Abu Garcia Fantasista rod with an Abu Garcia Zenon 3000 reel spooled with Cast X-12 braided line. He used a 15-pound P-Line Tactical fluorocarbon leader.
In the interest of efficiency, he fished his baits fast to minimize the time-wasting hassle of dehooking the catfish that also liked his minnow.
Addressing what he considered the key to his success, Robison said: “I was able to move freely and not rely on anything; just moving with the conditions and the fish.
“I think our knowledge of the current was what separated Peyton and I from the field. I only had two stretches that I ran twice. Everything else, I was just running new water as the conditions would change.”
Robison, who won the 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Division 2 Angler of the Year title, currently is competing in the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops Series. He said his college fishing experience has prepared him for the next stage of his career.
“Fishing with Peyton and my Montevallo teammates has made me the angler I am today,” Robison said. “It’s been a blessing to have been a part of this for five years. College fishing prepared me for the Opens and the EQs, so I wasn’t blindsided by the level of competition.
“Being a small-town redneck kid, I had no aspirations for college, but I’ve been able to travel the country, make friends from all four corners of the United States, see some crazy places and obtain an education as a backup plan. It’s been a true blessing and I’d recommend it to anybody.”
Sorrow’s second-place total was 53-13. On Day 1, he took the lead with 19-6 and slipped to second with a Day 2 bag that went 17-5. Day 3 saw Sorrow finish with a limit of 17-2.
Sorrow also caught his fish on bluffs with a jighead minnow. He used 1/8- and 3/16-ounce heads and found the latter played a strategic role.
“I was just trying to cast at them and get a reaction from the fish,” Sorrow said. “That would tell me if it was a bass, a catfish or a drum. I still caught plenty of catfish this week, but those heavier jig heads keyed me in to get a reaction really quick. If it wasn’t a bass, I’d keep moving it.”
Anderson Jones of Lander University placed third with 44-2. His daily weights were 13-4, 13-8 and 17-6.
Jones caught his fish on a Hideup Coike (urchin bait), a jighead minnow and a topwater bait.
Robison won the Big Bass award with a 5-1.
All of the action from the 2026 Bassmaster College Classic Cup presented by Lew’s can be found on Bassmaster.com.
