1:38 p.m. — The EQ points race is going to be fun to watch. After jumping into the unofficial lead earlier today, Brennan Flick has now fallen into the fourth position. Noah Winslow now leads, with Bailey Gay unofficially in second.
Nathan Reynolds has unofficially jumped from 14th in the EQ points after Toledo Bend into third if BassTRAKK is accurate, with Kollin Crawford sitting in fifth.
Of course, all those positions are certain to change — but it proves how compelling the storylines for this event are.
As a reminder, the Top 10 in the points after this event receive invites to the 2027 Bassmaster Elite Series.
1:08 p.m. — The first 20-pound limit has popped onto BassTRAKK. Grant Neubauer just jumped to the unofficial lead on the strength of his estimated 20-pound, 5-ounce stringer.
There are currently three 18-pound stringers, and lots of anglers who haven't input their catches into BassTRAKK — so it'll be interesting to learn how many other anglers reach that 30-pound threshold.
Tune in for weigh-in at 3 p.m.
12:25 p.m. — Blog from Solomon Glenn:
Freddy Palmer is making a fall Guntersville staple work very well for him. He’s punching grass mats to have himself in the Top 10 after this 4-3.
Bites are not fast and furious, but he is getting some good quality. Only Darold Gleason and a local boat are in his area currently.
11:51 a.m. — Brody Robinson began this event in second place in the Elite Qualifier points, just a continuation of an impressive run dating back to the Strike King College Series event on Smith Lake in February 2025.
Robinson finished second in that event, and hasn't placed less than 35th place in the 17 Bassmaster events he's fished since then. And he's only been out of the Top 10 six times during that time.
Here are highlights from his stats:
- Wins: 2 (2026 College Series Championship, 2026 College Classic Cup)
- Top 5 finishes: 9
- Top 10 finishes: 12
11:35 a.m. — A blog from Solomon Glenn:
Fred Roumbanis is doing what he does best, and is having a solid morning with roughly 17 pounds in the box. He’s covering grass mats on the lower end of the lake. He’s switching between a frog and a rat around the mats, and then picks up a swimbait for the more open areas.
For the last little bit he’s only had a couple small bites and some boil on his bait. Basstrak seems to have slowed down in general over the last couple hours.
11:15 a.m. — There's a lot going on this week at Guntersville. Sure, someone will win this event — but there also are Elite Series qualifications on the line. Louisiana's Brennan Flick started today sitting in third place in the EQ points race, but he's jumped into the unofficial lead. BassTRAKK shows he has 13-12, enough to push him past Brody Robinson and Kaden Buchmann.
Noah Winslow, who logged a 20th-place finish at the 2026 Bassmaster Classic, has made an even bigger jump. BassTRAKK shows him with 15-10 this morning, which unofficially pushes him from 9th in the EQ points to second.
11:05 a.m. — Former Elite Series pro Mike McClelland predicted yesterday that it would take 20-pounds a day to make the Top 10, but halfway through Day 1 it looks like Guntersville might be more stingy than he anticipated.
Currently no angler has reached that mark — at least according to BassTRAKK. Trip Berlinsky is in the unofficial lead at 18-6, with Ryan Salzman holding the unofficial 10th place at 14-4.
Of course, there's still a lot of fishing time, so perhaps the afternoon bite will be better. Or maybe there are some of the anglers who haven't entered their weights into BassTRAKK have 20-pounds riding in their livewells.
10:32 a.m. — Blog from Dalton Tumblin:
“It’s certainly got some weight to it, just not the kind of weight we’re looking for,” said Trey Schroder after boating this massive drum.
The Missouri angler is having a slow morning so far with only two small keepers in the live well. He’s battling a slow bite and running into the wrong species. He told me he’s looking for the afternoon bite to pick up a lot.
Schroeder has kept a jerkbait in his hand most of the time, fishing it over the top of large grass flats.
10:27 a.m. — Blog from Chase Sansom:
“You missed it.”
We hear that often as camera guys as Falardeau said he caught nine fish on back-to-back casts before I got to him. But nonetheless I stuck it out with him for awhile and finally saw a couple fish catches and that keeps him steady culling.
Not big culls at the moment but he’s just hunting and picking around for a great big after he’s got a solid limit of fish to start the day.
9:52 a.m. — Blog from Solomon Glenn:
Wyatt Marler is the current leader on Basstrak but even that is a little light. He has 18.60 on his scales after this near 4 pounder and is very happy with how the morning has gone.
Marler said his practice was not great and he had one bite on the last day of practice doing what he’s doing now. He’s had eight bites this morning and has missed a couple real big ones.
He’s focusing on docks and grass mats that are super shallow. Some of his bites have been in inches of water on a buzzing frog. Another big bite and he will be sitting very solid today.
9:41 a.m. — Blog from Dalton Tumblin:
“You know you shouldn’t have started on me. You know I never catch anything until after 11:00,” said Brody Robison.
Robinson is in good spirits, but still looking for his first keeper of the day. So far I’ve seen him swap between a jerkbait, rattletrap and a bladed jig.
Robinson is still working down the edges of main creek channels and throwing over into large grass flats in around 4-6 feet of water.
9:35 a.m. — Forward-facing sonar isn't allowed in this event, which means there were lots of different baits on anglers' decks this morning as they headed out for the first day of competition. Topwaters, crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, frogs — all promising this wouldn't be a one-dimensional event.
There were still a LOT of spike balls rigged and ready to go, however. So even without FFS it's apparent these baits have become go-to choices.
8:50 a.m. — Blog from Chase Sansom:
Dillon Falardeau is working super shallow this morning down towards the state park. He’s working shallow clumps of milfoil and some lily pads. Top water spook and frog are the ticket, we’re just waiting to see a catch now.
8:36 a.m. — Blog from Solomon Glenn:
Peyton Harris is having a good start to the morning. He is currently in 7th with four bass after he landed this three pounder. Harris is working shallow grass points in a large creek. His bladed jig was balled up in grass and this fish ate it as he was ripping it out.
If he keeps this up the young Alabama angler is on his way to staying in the Top 10 in points and qualifying for the 2027 Bassmaster Elite Series.
8:30 a.m. — Blog from Chase Sansom:
Winslow has landed a couple early. He’s still working this flat around the waterfront area with an urchin and he’s put a couple good ones in the box. He’s got three fish now for almost 10 pounds which has him in 5th on BassTrakk.
8:20 a.m. — Blog from Dalton Tumblin:
Brody Robison made quite a haul up the lake to start the morning, eventually ending up in the South Sauty area. He started out throwing a jerkbait, and has now moved on to throwing a rattletrap in submerged grass along the edge of a creek channel.
Robison has been on an incredible run this year. Let's see if he can keep the momentum and qualify for the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.
8:10 a.m. — Blog from Chase Sansom:
Starting the morning with Noah Winslow right above Waterfront. Driving up here this morning I saw a ton of guys over top of the main river flats and so is Winslow. From where we are sitting now I can count 14 boats within eye sight. Winslow is jerking an urchin bait around over top of the flat.
7:52 a.m. — A compliment of live camera operators are on the water today to feed action for the live show. Click here to watch!
7:15 a.m. — On most days you could absolutely argue that B.A.S.S. is lucky to have the hardest working crew of photographers and storytellers in the business. However, on days like today, we see Chase Sansom spending his morning shopping for tackle and chowing down on a sausage, egg and cheese from legendary Waterfront during competition.
Hopefully Sansom will get around to covering the action from out on the water shortly!
5:30 a.m. — Cooler weather has moved into North Alabama, and anglers told Bassmaster photographer Andy Crawford that's made the bite on Guntersville a bit tougher. That doesn't mean there won't be hefty sacks weighed in, however.
"I think it'll take 17, 18 (pounds) a day just to get paid," Missouri's Mike McClelland said. "It'll take 20 (pounds a day) to make the Top 10."
So it could be a tournament of haves and have nots — but definitely be looking for some fireworks.
"It's still Guntersville," Virginia's Jack Dice said.
5:40 a.m. — Day 1 of the 2026 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Guntersville presented by Bass Pro Shops begins this morning when the first flight of anglers head out at 7 a.m.
Be watching for the morning Launch Photo Gallery, showing all the last-minute activities as anglers prepare for the final EQ of the season. That's followed by a Run and Gun photo gallery showing the anglers heading out.
Weigh-in begins just after the 3 p.m. first-flight check-in.