I’ve been at this career for a long time now and I’m fortunate enough to have qualified for my 14th Bassmaster Classic. I’ve been to every other one in my career that I haven’t fished, working for my sponsors and Missile Baits. In fact, I’ve been to every Bassmaster Classic since 2000 in Chicago, when Woo Daves won. That’s my streak.
I can tell you the one thing I have learned. No matter what, the Bassmaster Classic is a can’t miss event for an angler or a fan.
I will admit that being a competitor in the Classic is definitely the preferred way for me to experience the event. I love the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo, I love seeing the fans and being a part of that environment, but to be in the field is a step above.
I’m very fortunate to be in the field this year, and I can boil it down to the one moment that put me in a position to be in the event. It was the last event of 2025 at La Crosse. It was the third day and I had a decent limit, but I knew I needed to upgrade.
I had started the day in 17th place, and I also knew I was going to be just in – or just out – of the Classic points at the end of the day. I was throwing a buzzbait looking for the kind of bites that make a difference, and I got one to eat – it was a late 4-pound, 2-ounce smallmouth. This fish pushed my weight to more than 15 pounds, moving me to 11nth place at the end of the day.
I ended up gaining six points with that fish and finished 44th in the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings, one spot out of the Classic. When Emil Wagner won the first Bassmaster EQ event of the year at Lake Champlain and wasn’t going to fish the rest of the EQ schedule, that spot rolled to the Elite Series, so I made the 2026 Bassmaster Classic field in Knoxville.
I am looking forward to being in the Bassmaster Classic. It’s my first one since 2022, and I’ve definitely missed being in the field.
This will be my first time fishing a Classic in Knoxville, but having been at the first two, I can tell you it’s a great city to host a Bassmaster Classic. There is plenty to do there from a visitor’s perspective outside of the event, but with everything being close enough together that attending all of the different venues is pretty simple.
The expo center and the arena are connected by shuttles, so getting back and forth is easy. There is so much space in the expo with all of the different levels and rooms that there is a never-ending list of things to see and vendors to visit. In fact, I don’t think there is any way possible for someone to see the whole show in a day; it would take two entire days to see the whole show.
The takeoff is absolutely insane with people lining the entire riverfront area, and there are plenty of really good restaurants and nightlife things to do that just always seem to be filled with people there for the event. It’s just a great time and location.
As far as the event itself is concerned, I think it’s going to be a great show. I think the weights might surprise everyone, and I think it’s going to take a completely different approach to win than it did when Ott DeFoe won in 2019 and Jeff Gustafson did in 2023.
This is going to be great and one not to miss.
