EUFAULA, Ala. — Cody Stahl has been looking forward to the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula presented by Battery Tender for several months. With balmy and stable conditions expected across southeastern Alabama, the Georgia pro is expecting this event to be a heavyweight title fight, one that could be won in several different ways.
“It is lining up to be a really good tournament. Everything is going to be right,” the 2026 Kissimmee Chain Open champion said. “The weather is going to be stable. The moon is right. The water clarity is right. You will be able to do just about anything under the sun and catch a bag.
“I think it will take 72 or 73 pounds to win. I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if it took closer to 75.”
Tournament days are scheduled for April 1-3. Anglers will launch from Lakepoint State Park beginning at 6:30 a.m. CT and return for weigh-in at 2:30 p.m. The full field will compete on Days 1 and 2 before the Top 10 compete on the final day. The winner will earn a spot in the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour if they fish each of the four tournaments in Division I.
Forward-facing sonar is permitted in this event.
Nicknamed the “Big Bass Capital of the World”, Lake Eufaula has certainly produced impressive numbers of quality largemouth over the last several years. The last time the Bassmaster Opens visited the Chattahoochee River impoundment, local angler Justin Barnes picked up the victory in the weather-shortened event with a two-day total weighing 48 pounds, 9 ounces.
That tournament was during the peak prespawn period. This go-round, Stahl is anticipating the bass being in all stages of the spawn and multiple different patterns coming into play. Any region of the lake could produce a competitive limit of bass.
“You can be so versatile on this lake this time of year,” he said. “You can catch them out to 30 feet of water all the way up to 4 inches of water and be a contender in this tournament. This time of year, anywhere from Columbus (Georgia) all the way to the (Eufaula) dam can be really good.”
Lake Eufaula has just about everything a bass fisherman could want. Up shallow, lily pads, shoreline grasses, cypress trees and hard clay banks all provide habitat for quality largemouth, all of which will likely come into play in this tournament for spawners and fry guarders.
“The spawn pretty early down there, but there will definitely be some spawning,” Stahl said. “Eufaula is one of the most diverse fisheries in the southeast. It has all types of cover. The only thing that is really lacking is the submergent vegetation.”
As anglers move further up the river, the water becomes more stained but can still be just as good this time of year. Stahl anticipates topwater frogs like a Berkley Swamp Lord to be popular bait choices as well as a Texas-rigged flipping bait.
“There are going to be some guys who catch them in the dirt who will be contenders and have a chance to win,” Stahl said.
Not only will the bass spawn be underway, but warm temperatures may also convince the shad and the bluegill to start their spawning process as well, giving competitors opportunities to fill out a quick limit.
There is also the chance for pollen to settle in certain areas, which will mess up the bite.
Anglers who prefer to fish offshore should also be able to find success around several structure elements, including ledges, standing timber, hard spots and shell beds. Brushpiles are also key pieces of cover for offshore savants. How productive these offshore spots will be depended on the current flow on the lake.
Deeper diving crankbaits, jigs and a jighead minnow have all been historically productive options on Lake Eufaula.
“They do tend to float there,” Stahl added.
After his win at the season-opener at the Kissimmee Chain, Stahl leads the Division I points race with 200 points. Arkansas veteran Stephen Browning is second with 199 points followed by Michigan’s Bo Thomas and Jonathan VanDam with 198 points and 197 points, respectively and Pennsylvania’s Jonathan Kelley in fifth with 196 points. Freddy Palmer (195), Terry Scroggins (194), Niko Romero (193), Cliff Prince (192) and Noah Winslow (191) round out the Top 10.
At the conclusion of the four events in Division I, the Top 50 in points will advance to the Nitro Boats Elite Qualifier Division presented by Bass Pro Shops, which will determine the 10 anglers moving on to the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series roster.
Full coverage of the 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula presented by Battery Tender will be available on Bassmaster.com. Live weigh-ins will begin at 2:30 p.m. CT each day while Bassmaster LIVE will carry final day coverage.
The event is being hosted by the Eufaula Chamber of Commerce.
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: Turtlebox
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: Battery Tender
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mountain Dew, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew’s, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama
