Evan Kung completed a remarkable comeback on the final day of the Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River to secure his first career Elite Series win, prevailing in a tournament that saw an unprecedented nine anglers surpass the 100-pound mark. The event concluded the 2026 Bassmaster Elite Series regular season.
Military veteran Jim ‘The Shark’ Dreyer plans to swim 22 miles across Lake Michigan, towing 1,500 pounds of cannonballs to honor combat veterans. IMAGE:
Kung entered the final day trailing leader Trey McKinney by 1.5 pounds. He weighed in early, presenting a final-day bag of 27 pounds, 12 ounces, bringing his total to 109 pounds, 9 ounces. This put the pressure on McKinney, who needed 26 pounds, 8 ounces to retake the lead but fell two pounds short, sealing the victory for Kung.
"I knew every day going in what I needed to catch just to stay in the Elites," Kung said. "Once I had that locked up, I went out today wanting the Century Belt. Once I had that, I just went looking for big ones." He described a last-minute gamble on Championship Sunday, moving to the river for the final 20 minutes of fishing and catching a key bass that secured his win.
Kung's primary pattern throughout the week involved a drop shot rig, with a significant number of his catches coming on a prototype Great Lakes Finesse bait set to be released soon. He credited his support system, including sponsors, friends, and family, for their presence during the tournament.
Despite finishing second with 107 pounds, 9 ounces, Trey McKinney secured the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year title. IMAGE:
Other notable performances included Tucker Smith (3rd, 107-1) and Cory Johnston (4th, 106-7), both achieving career-best four-day totals. Cole Sands (5th, 105-10) earned his first Century Belt, employing a tactic he described as similar to trout fishing, focusing on the river's current with a drop shot and minnow bait. IMAGE:
The remaining anglers who achieved Century Belts were Brandon Cobb (6th, 103-14), JT Thompkins (7th, 103-0), Bryant Smith (8th, 101-3), and Fisher Anaya (9th, 100-5). Easton Fothergill (10th, 99-8) narrowly missed joining the Century Club.
The nine Century Belts awarded at this event underscore the St. Lawrence River's reputation as a premier smallmouth bass fishery. The high number of anglers exceeding 100 pounds, combined with the competitive field, positions this event as one of the most significant and heavily weighed smallmouth tournaments in Bassmaster history. Kung's victory was the culmination of a week where the fishery's potential was on full display.