Professional bass fishing is less a sport than a hamster wheel with oversized checks.
Oklahoma pro Blake Capps is learning that quickly. He showed up last year on the Progressive Elite Series as a self-described starstruck qualifier from the B.A.S.S. Nation. At a time when rookies are often presumed to be superhuman, he struggled, to the tune of a single Day 3 cut. He only made that one by the skin of his teeth.
But this year is different, at least so far. Through two days of the 2026 FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville, the Muskogee pro has been remarkably consistent. He caught 20 pounds, 9 ounces yesterday and added 19 pounds today, and finds himself in 15th place, just about a pound out of the Top 10, and arguably one good cast away from the lead.
But there’s no time to rest on his laurels, and past success is no guarantee of future success.
“We gotta do it again tomorrow,” he said, flatly.
And again after that, if he wants to survive.
At each additional step, there’s someone acting like Lucy, planning to pull the football away at the last minute. If you’re not good with disappointment, you won’t last long.
On a day when veteran anglers, Classic champs and certified Alabama hammers got sent home, Capps will get at least one more chance to restring his rods and improve his standing.
I expected the bite to get better today. So did most of the anglers, but a disproportionate number got the unkind but predictable “Lucy” treatment. Judging from the number of times we heard the word “grind” on stage, a few dreams got dashed mid-cast.
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Here’s what I saw, heard and thought from a tricky Lake Guntersville:
Oh Canada – Yesterday there were three Canadian anglers in the Top 10, plus a fourth in the Top 50 and one just outside of it. Cory Johnston was the only one who, more or less, held serve (is there a hockey analogy for staying in the Top 10?), although he dropped to from first to 10th and while Evan Kung and Jeff Gustafson slipped out a bit, Cooper Gallant climbed to ninth. Despite the musical chairs, it was overall a good day for the five Canadian pros: Four of them are between ninth and 17th, while reigning two-time AOY Chris Johnston is in 32nd. Taku Ito, in 21st, is the only one of the three Japanese pros who made the cut, while Australian Carl Jocumsen, who’d been in ninth, had a tough day and missed the Top 50.
Jason Christie – “I’m going to put one bait on tomorrow and go someplace I’ve never been.” He’s had two remarkably consistent bags within a few ounces of 18 pounds and sits in 35th heading into Saturday.
Cut Weight Math – Based on yesterday’s 50th place weight of 17-4 we expected the cut to Day 3 to sit somewhere between 34-8 and 35-8. Despite all the complaints about how “grindy” it was, Seth Feider squeaked into 50th with 34-9, just an ounce over twice yesterday’s cut weight.
Bryan Schmitt – “It’s warming up, but it’s not tropical …. These fish are just a little bit wacked out.” He’s tied with Cory Johnston and Brock Mosley for 10th with 40-10.
Some Surged, Some Suffered – Guntersville transplant Andrew Loberg added 21-4 to his Day 1 catch of 13-6 to rise from 82nd place to 49th, in line to get paid. “We definitely surged today,” he said. For his fellow Surge Squad members, life wasn’t quite as kind. Emil Wagner, Tucker Smith and Paul Marks all saw their weights go down and their placements drop. Fortunately for Marks, his 18-15 yesterday carried him a long way, and he only slipped 11 places down to 41st.
The Home Team – The Alabama pros are another story of haves and have nots. Three are in the top ten: Kyle Welcher (first), Wes Logan (seventh) and Justin Atkins (eighth). However, 13 of the remaining 14 failed to make the cut.
Matt Robertston – “I’ve been taking too much testosterone and Cialis, boys.” He added 16-5 to his Day 1 catch of 23-11 and fell outside the Top 10, albeit by less than a pound.
Rookie Watch – Tough event for the first-years. Nick Trim, the last man to qualify, is in the best position among them in 13th, with Caleb Hudson and Matt Messer not far behind. The other eight all missed the cut, including three that finished 90th or worse.
Cliff Pace – “It doesn’t look like it on paper, but it’s actually kind of hard to get a bite.” The 2013 Classic winner caught approximately 2 pounds more than he did yesterday and made it to Saturday in 44th.
Fruit Bat Free-For-All – After a miserable Day 1 where he landed three squeakers and found himself in 95th place, New York pro Kyle Patrick bounced back with 17-7 today and jumped up 13 spots to 82nd. It didn’t get him paid, but it salvaged valuable points that may mean a Classic berth at season’s end. Last year he was on track to qualify for the big show again before a health scare forced him to take a medical hardship. His heart might have been beating too fast yesterday. “I was in the right areas, just fishing too fast,” he said. “I don’t think color matters nearly as much as speed. When the water is this cold, they can’t catch up to it.”
Experience May be Overrated – Several Guntersville veterans and locals looked befuddled by the hand that Guntersville dealt them. “It’s better not to know anything or ever fish here and just show up and have an open mind,” said two-time Bassmaster Classic winner Jordan Lee, who caught less than half his Day One weight today and fell from 42nd to 83rd, an expensive shortcoming. On the flip side, John Crews figured out what he was doing wrong and rebounded. “I was trying to fish memories all three days of practice and the first day of the tournament,” the Virginia pro said. He caught 20-8 today, but added to the 12-10 he sacked yesterday it left him short of the cut.
Negative Nancy – John Cox may have set a record yesterday, when his one fish was short, and the resulting penalty left him with a negative daily weight. His stereo may go to 11, but his scale measured less than zero. Today he came back with 17-12, and jumped from last place (is there such a thing as below last place?) to 95th.
Bill Lowen – “This is without a doubt the most humbling sport there is.” Last year, when FFS was allowed, the shallow water master won to start the season at the St. Johns. This year, when it was prohibited in the first tournament of the year, he came in 100th which perhaps explains why Fantasy Fishing is the second most humbling sport there is.
Twenties – Yesterday there were 20 bags of 20 pounds or more. Today there were 10. Six anglers made it to 40 pounds without catching 20 or more pounds both days and no one had over 21 both days. Six anglers caught 20 one day or the other but failed to make the fifty cut, including Buddy Gross who blanked yesterday but had 20-7 today.
Ups and Downs – Six members of today’s Top 10 produced more weight today than yesterday, while four saw their daily tally go down. Cooper Gallant had the biggest leap, going from 17-3 yesterday to 21-10 today. That catch included an 8-4 giant which left him shaking onstage. “That’s why we all fish right there,” Dave Mercer said about Gallant’s late-in-the-day catch.
Biggest Bags – Yesterday, Cory Johnston, Bryan Schmitt and Bryant Smith all topped 24 pounds and four others topped 23. Today, Kyle Welcher’s 24-9 matched Cory Johnston for best bag of the event so far, but no one else topped 24. Jamie Hartman and Cooper Gallant both had 23-plus.
Coming Up Short — Zero anglers made the Top 50 cut without catching limits each day. Carl Jocumsen, who only caught three today, missed fishing on Saturday by 1-2. John Crews and Wesley Gore, who each weighed in nine over two days, missed by 1-7 and 2-2, respectively.
Brock Mosley – “I’m not good at being patient. I’m not good at fishing slow. We’re going to make it work.”
Just a Bit Outside – Four anglers missed the cut to Saturday by a pound or less while eight more missed it by 2 pounds or less.
Expect things to change again tomorrow. They seemingly always do. That’s why they play the games.
