Jocumsen Crushes Field: Takes Commanding Day 1 Lead at Champlain
Aussie Angler Carl Jocumsen Takes Early Lead at Lake Champlain Bass Tournament
What Happened on Day 1
The Big News: Australian pro angler Carl Jocumsen caught the heaviest bag of fish on the first day of the 2026 SPRO Bassmaster Elite tournament at Lake Champlain. His five largemouth bass weighed 23 pounds, 2 ounces — putting him 1 pound, 6 ounces ahead of the second-place angler.
Quick facts about Day 1:
- Location: Lake Champlain (straddles New York/Vermont border)
- Leader: Carl Jocumsen from Toowoomba, Australia
- Winning weight: 23 lbs 2 oz (all largemouth bass)
- Margin: 1 lb 6 oz over 2nd place
- Date: August 14, 2026 (Day 1 of 4)
Why Largemouth Bass Won the Day
The Two Types of Bass in Lake Champlain
| Bass Type | Nickname | Behavior | Where They Hang Out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth | "Green ones" | Homebodies — stay near cover | Grass beds, rock points, fallen trees, docks |
| Smallmouth | "Brown ones" | Roamers — chase baitfish schools | Open water, deep areas, roam widely |
The Technology Twist
Important Point: This tournament banned forward-facing sonar (a high-tech fish-finding tool that works like underwater radar). A coin flip earlier in the year decided which 2026 events would allow this technology — Lake Champlain was not one of them.
Why this mattered:
- Without sonar, tracking roaming smallmouth in open water became much harder
- Largemouth, being "homebodies" near visible cover, became easier to target with traditional methods
- Most anglers expected heavy pressure on smallmouth spots, so Jocumsen pivoted to largemouth
Jocumsen’s Winning Strategy
Step-by-Step: How He Did It
- Started north, didn’t work — Began at the upper lake trying smallmouth tactics, but they weren’t biting early
- Made the long run south — Drove 1.5 hours to Ticonderoga ("Ti") at the lake’s south end
- Found the "motherlode" — Ti has the lake’s most concentrated largemouth habitat (thick underwater grass)
- Fished differently than everyone else —
- Targeted outside edges of grass beds (7-8 feet deep — deeper than most)
- Used slow presentations (letting bait sit longer)
- Focused on a half-mile stretch with several "sweet spots"
- Timed the bite window — Fish "switched on" later in the morning; he was there when it happened
Pro Tip from Jocumsen: "There are little nuances, little spots, little areas that just switch on. There are bite periods too, so tomorrow, I have to just put my head down and fish really methodically and just hope it happens again."
Other Top Contenders
2nd Place: Drew Cook (21 lbs 12 oz)
- Hometown: Cairo, Georgia
- Strategy: Mixed bag — 4 smallmouth + 1 big largemouth
- Smallmouth baits: Crankbaits and bladed jigs
- Big largemouth (5 lbs 13 oz — tournament’s biggest!): Wacky-rigged SPRO Wacky Snack in milfoil bed
- Approach: "I needed 17 pounds of smallmouth before I’d go largemouth fishing"
3rd Place: Chris Zaldain (21 lbs 10 oz)
- Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas
- Strategy: All largemouth, upper lake
- Secret sauce: Unique habitat feature + presentation nobody else was using
- Confidence: "I think this pattern could hold up for four days"
What Makes Lake Champlain Special
- Natural lake (not man-made reservoir)
- Diverse fishery — both largemouth AND smallmouth grow big here
- Geography matters:
- North/Upper end: More smallmouth water
- South/Ticonderoga: Best largemouth habitat (thick grass beds)
- History: Smallmouth have dominated recent tournaments — until now
Tournament Format & Technology Rules
The Coin Flip Decision
Early in 2026, B.A.S.S. flipped a coin to decide which Elite events would allow forward-facing sonar (FFS):
- 5 events: FFS allowed
- 4 events: FFS banned (Champlain is in this group)
FFS explained simply: Like a video game radar that shows fish swimming in real-time around your boat. Great for finding roaming smallmouth in open water. Without it, anglers rely on:
- Traditional 2D sonar (shows what’s directly under the boat)
- Mapping and GPS
- Visual cues (grass, rocks, baitfish)
- Experience and instinct
Angler of the Year Race (Season-Long Points)
| Rank | Angler | Hometown | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trey McKinney | Carbondale, IL | 640 |
| 2 | Drew Cook | Cairo, GA | 637 |
| 3 | Cory Johnston | Otonabee, Canada | 634 |
| 4 | Jason Christie | Dry Creek, OK | 566 |
| 5 | Brandon Cobb | Greenwood, SC | 566 |
Rookie of the Year Leader: Caleb Hudson (Lincolnton, GA) — 559 points
What’s Next
Schedule
- Day 2 (Friday, Aug 15): Takeoff 7:00 AM ET | Weigh-in 3:00 PM ET
- Day 3 (Saturday): Same schedule
- Championship Sunday (Aug 17): Top 10 anglers only | 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET
How to Watch
| Platform | When |
|---|---|
| Bassmaster.com | Live all days starting 8:00 AM ET |
| FS1 (TV) | Friday: 8:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET Sunday: 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET |
Summary
Carl Jocumsen stole the show on Day 1 by zigging when everyone else zagged. While most pros expected smallmouth to dominate (as usual at Champlain), the sonar ban changed the math. Jocumsen made a bold 90-minute run south to Ticonderoga, fished deeper edges of grass beds with slow presentations, and caught a 23-pound bag of largemouth — the heaviest of the day.
Drew Cook and Chris Zaldain are close behind with different approaches, setting up a fascinating largemouth vs. smallmouth showdown over the next three days. The Angler of the Year race is tight at the top (only 6 points separate 1st and 3rd), adding extra drama.
Bottom line: Day 1 belonged to the "green ones" and the Aussie who believed in them.
FAQ
What is "forward-facing sonar" and why was it banned here?
Forward-facing sonar (FFS) is like an underwater radar that lets anglers see fish swimming in real-time around their boat — not just under it. A coin flip before the season decided which tournaments allow it. Lake Champlain was not selected, so anglers couldn’t use this high-tech tool to find roaming smallmouth.
What’s the difference between largemouth and smallmouth bass?
- Largemouth ("green ones"): Bigger mouth, greenish color, stay close to cover (grass, rocks, docks). Easier to target because they don’t move much.
- Smallmouth ("brown ones"): Smaller mouth, bronze/brown color, roam open water chasing baitfish. Harder to find without sonar.
Why did Jocumsen drive 1.5 hours south to Ticonderoga?
The south end (Ticonderoga/"Ti") has the thickest underwater grass beds — prime largemouth habitat. He gambled that fishing pressure would be lower there, and the fish would be more willing to bite. It paid off.
What does "wacky-rigged" mean?
A wacky rig is a simple way to hook a soft plastic worm: you stick the hook through the middle of the worm (not the head). When it falls, both ends flutter — looking like a dying baitfish. Very effective for largemouth in grass.
How does the Angler of the Year race work?
Anglers earn points at every tournament based on where they finish. The angler with the most points at season’s end wins the title (and a big bonus). Right now, only 6 points separate 1st and 3rd — so every ounce matters this weekend!