By Editor , 3 September 2026
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Georgia Angler Caleb Hudson Claims Bassmaster Rookie of the Year by Two Points

Clayton, N.Y. – September 03, 2026 -- Georgia pro Caleb Hudson has won the 2026 Pro-Guide Batteries Elite Series Rookie of the Year title, finishing the season with 621 points and a $10,000 bonus.

The 24-year-old edged Alabama's Fisher Anaya by just two points, with Pake South of Texas finishing third at 569 points. Hudson took the points lead after the circuit's second stop and held it through the rest of the season, but the race stayed tight until the final day on the St. Lawrence River.

By Editor , 3 September 2026
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21-Year-Old Trey McKinney Becomes Youngest Angler of the Year in B.A.S.S. History

Clayton, N.Y. – September 03, 2026 -- Trey McKinney, a 21-year-old pro from Carbondale, Ill., has become the youngest angler ever to win the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year title, finishing the nine-event season with 735 points.

McKinney clinched the title with a second-place finish at the Lowrance Bassmaster Elite on the St. Lawrence River, edging Canadian pro Cory Johnston by four points, 735 to 731. The previous record for youngest AOY winner belonged to Kevin VanDam, who was 24 when he first won in 1992.

By Editor , 1 September 2026
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Evan Kung Breaks Smallmouth Record for First Bassmaster Elite Win

CLAYTON, N.Y. -- September 01, 2026 -- Evan Kung, a Canadian pro fighting to keep his roster spot on the Bassmaster Elite Series, won the 2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River on Aug. 30 with a four-day total of 109 pounds, 9 ounces. The catch set a new Bassmaster record for the heaviest winning weight made up entirely of smallmouth bass. The win also locked in Kung's berth at the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, set for next March.