CLEWISTON, Fla. — Day 2 of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Okeechobee presented by Bass Pro Shops is a day Caleb Hudsonwon’t soon forget.
The Lincolnton, Ga., native caught a five-bass limit weighing 25 pounds, 7 ounces, adding to his 10-9 limit from Day 1 to take the tournament lead with a two-day total of 36 pounds. After starting the day in 25th, Hudson now has a 1-9 advantage over Ryan Lachniet and Austin Cranford who are tied for second with 34-7.
Not only did Hudson jump into the lead, but he also launched himself into eighth in Elite Qualifier points.
“This place is one of my favorites now,” he said. “Today was crucial. I got sick several times on the boat today thinking about the points.”
It’s been a challenging week on Lake Okeechobee as anglers struggled with the remnants of a powerful cold front that swept through the country earlier in the week. The field of 75 weighed in 47 limits on Day 1, while only 40 limits were caught on Day 2.
Hudson, a former Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops competitor with USC-Union, is fishing one of the canals surrounding Lake Okeechobee. Using his forward-facing sonar, he has located individual bass swimming just under the surface.
“I think they are trying to absorb some heat,” he explained.
Two things make his bite unique. For one, the water in his area is murky, an unusual occurrence for productive Florida fishing. Because of this, the bass can’t see Hudson’s baits as well, and he has gotten plenty of bites close to his boat.
A Spro McDart and a jighead minnow with either a 1/16-ounce or 1/8-ounce head.
“They are biting it so close to the trolling motor and so high in the water column, they are hard to see because the numbers on my Garmin block the picture,” Hudson explained. “I caught three today I didn’t have to reel on.
“I don’t think the bass have good coordination (in murky water). I float around until I see a bunch of them and then I slow down and pitch on them from there.”
After practice, Hudson had confidence in two areas of the lake, but Day 1 didn’t unfold how he hoped. Still, his limit kept him in the Top 25, giving him the chance to make the comeback he did today.
“I’m not going to say I had a chance at 25, but in practice knew what I was on. Yesterday it didn’t happen. I made up for it today,” Hudson said.
Hudson opened the day with a 7 1/2-pounder, a bass he initially thought was a different species of fish.
“He followed (my bait) all the way to the boat. It was basically head-butting my trolling motor,” he said. “He jumped immediately. I toted him around for 4 or 5 hours before I had any more luck.”
It took most of the day, and throwing at more than 50 bass that didn’t bite, but Hudson went on an impressive 45-minute flurry in the afternoon that included a 6-pounder to reach his daily total. He isn’t sure he can repeat his performance, but he knows there are still plenty of bass in the area.
After weighing 7-6 on Thursday, Lachniet landed the tournament’s biggest bag on Day 2, a 27-1 limit with three bass weighing 6 pounds or better, a 5-pounder and a 1-8. Those five bass lifted him from 44th all the way into the second-place tie.
“I knew I needed a big bag, so I started on the main lake thinking that was my best chance. After an hour and a half, I knew it wasn’t going to work,” the Campbellsville University angler said. “I want to make the Elite’s more than anything. I’d rather do that than win the tournament, honestly.”
Lachniet proceeded to lock into Taylors Creek, hoping to catch 10 pounds, and immediately had several bass follow his jerkbait. Soon after, he pitched a jighead minnow at a 4-pounder that didn’t bite. But those fish gave him all the clues he needed.
“10 minutes later, I catch a 7-pounder. Not long after I catch a 5,” Lachniet explained. “I thought it was an area thing, but I ran to a known spot and caught a 6. Ran to another spot and caught another 6.”
The minnow was not something he intended on throwing at all this week at Okeechobee. In fact, he tied on the minnow he used while he was waiting in the lock, which proved to be a critical decision.
“I was kind of done with it,” he said. “It got good quick. I think they were prespawn. Three of them were pretty fat. They were all over the place.”
Cranford, meanwhile, almost certainly secured his spot in the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series field with four bass that weighed 15-6 on Day 2. The Norman, Okla., pro has been fishing the lower end of the J&S canal on the lakes east side all week.
“I gave myself two hours to get back,” he said. “We were worried about making the Elites today, we’ll worry about winning tomorrow.”
Each day the bass in the area have changed. One small area produced his 19-1 Day 1 limit, but it took most of the morning for Cranford to unlock the bite. On Day 2, that small area received much more fishing pressure, and he struggled to generate bites.
“I spent four hours in there knowing they weren’t going to bite. Luckily, I caught one 4-pounder,” Cranford said. “At noon, I pulled the plug. I had another group of bass that I hadn’t been to yet and no one else has been on it.”
When he arrived, he landed a 3-pounder, 6-pounder and finished the day with a 12-incher. Cranford believes the majority of those bass are either spawning or getting ready to spawn. A certain 6-inch jighead minnow presentation generated all his bites in the afternoon.
“These are giant ones. I’m starting there in the morning,” Cranford said. “These fish might be spawning. The 6-pounder came out of 4 feet of water and the 3-pounder looked like it was sitting on a bed. I just figured it out in the last hour.”
Georgia’s Brady Vernon caught the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day, an 8-6 largemouth. Alabama’s Fisher Anaya holds the Big Bass of the Tournament, an 8-13 he landed on Day 1.
Anaya leads the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops points with 259 points, followed by Alabama’s Russ Lane with 244 points and Aaron Jagdfeld in third with 242 points. Cranford is fourth with 240 points and Tennessee’s Sam Hanggi is fifth with 238 points. Kentucky’s Matt Messer is sixth with 237 points; Tennessee’s Tristan McCormick is seventh with 229 points; Hudson is eighth with 228 points; Texas’s Pake Southis ninth with 226 points; and Missouri’s Brock Reinkemeyer is 10th with 222 points.
Jaden Parrish, Lachniet and Bailey Gay are the first three anglers out of the cut currently.
The Top 11 anglers will launch from Roland Martin Marina at 7 a.m. ET and return for weigh-in at 3 p.m. The winner will earn a spot in the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. The Top 10 finishers in EQ points will earn a spot in the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, and those anglers will be revealed during weigh-in.
Bassmaster LIVE will carry coverage of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Okeechobee presented by Bass Pro Shops on Bassmaster.comand ROKU from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Visit Hendry County and Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina and Resort are hosting the tournament.
Tournament note
An angler in the Top 10 is advancing to tomorrow’s final round under appeal of the results of a polygraph administered at the event. In accordance with tournament rules, an 11th angler will also compete Saturday while B.A.S.S. officials continue to carry out the appeals process.
