Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
The 2026 season begins with only the best. The top 42 anglers from the 2025 campaign are set to compete as the National Professional Fishing League Championship kicks off February 26–28 on Lewis Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama. Launching from Smith Park Boat Launch and weighing in at Smith Lake Park, the field will battle in one of the South’s most technical spotted bass fisheries to open the new season.
Smith Lake is no ordinary lake. Its deep, with ultra-clear water, steep bluff walls, creeks and pockets, and healthy population of hard-fighting spotted bass. In late February, fish can be scattered between pre-spawn and the early stages of the spawn, and with no forward-facing sonar in play, anglers will be forced to make a decision — commit to chasing herring-oriented fish in main-lake pockets and ditches, or slow down around docks, rocks, and brush in shallower water. Or all of the above. With a smaller Championship field (42 anglers), Smith Lake is likely to fish big, spreading anglers out and reducing pressure on key areas. Every decision will matter, and someone will walk away with the $100,000 first-place prize and a share of the $250,000 total purse. What a way to kick off the 2026 season!
The 42-angler field consists of the top performers in the NPFL Angler of the Year points race, along with the six 2025 season champions and defending NPFL Champion Scott Hamrick. Hamrick topped a 41-angler field at Lake Hartwell last year to win the second-ever NPFL Championship with a three-day total of 45-12 — a razor-thin two-ounce margin that secured his title.
Also squeaking into this year’s Championship by finishing 40th in the AOY race — the final qualifying spot — is 2024 NPFL Champion Brandon Perkins, who won the inaugural Championship event in Texas on Lake Amistad. Perkins is stepping away from the NPFL after fishing the first five seasons, but he’ll have one more chance to add to an already impressive, record-setting career in ‘The League’.
What to Expect at Smith Lake
Who better to get realtime information than from a local ‘Bama’ angler with years in the fishing industry. William Davis, owner of Davis Bait Co., has fished Smith a lot over the last five years, but he’s been around the lake much longer than that. Living just an hour away and spending time on Smith with his son, professional angler Will Davis Jr., he’s has been following Alabama tournaments closely in 2026. His guess, similar to what happened at Lake Martin last week, is that Smith Lake could turn into a numbers game.
The “healthier” of the two fisheries, Smith Lake holds bigger spotted bass — plenty in the five-pound range. Davis expects to see that next week. The presence of blueback herring could group fish up and give the field solid access to quality bass. He expects heavier weights than Lake Martin, and lot of bites to be had.
“I think everyone is going to catch them next week. It’s been warm, and if it stays warm, things will be good,” Davis said. “I think there is going to be some sort of herring bite, which will be harder without forward-facing sonar. But with Humminbird MEGA 360 and Side Imaging, anglers are still going to be able to locate the pods of bait — and with that, schools of spotted bass.”
How far along the fish are in the spawn — and where the herring balls set up — will depend on the weather. If it stays warm, Davis could see anglers targeting spawning bass. If it gets cold, fishing ditches and rocky areas will be key, especially on the lower end of the lake.
“I guess the temperatures are probably in the 50s now, so it could be pushing 60 by the time the NPFL gets there,” Davis added. “Those spotted bass and largemouth will spawn in the low 50s, so if it stays stable, that could be a big deal. Between that, maybe some topwater shallow, and finesse baits like the Davis Bait Co. Urchin, could all be players.”
With the herring comes bigger bass. Smith holds big fish of both species, and Davis expects them to bite. He predicts 45-plus over three days to win. If the weather stays warm, maybe closer to 55 pounds or more.
“Regardless, guys are going to catch fish everywhere. With a smaller field and no forward-facing sonar, it’s going to give guys a lot more space to fish,” Davis said. “There are lots of pockets and ditches out there. Rocks could play. Points too, leading into those pockets. If it does get cold, they could be loaded on those points — we’ve seen Steve Kennedy fish that way recently with a big swimbait. Most of the field should have limits each day.”
Davis’ son agrees. Will Davis Jr. has been successful in Alabama and fishes professionally. He also knows Smith Lake very well. The first thing he would check next week would be 45-degree banks.
“Spotted bass are notorious for setting up on different types of rock each day and on different sloped banks,” he said. “I’d figure out what they’re using and go from there. Those fish are always chasing herring, and some of them don’t even spawn — they could care less. If someone can figure out which creek it’s going down in, and the smaller field takes some of that pressure away, they can do well.”
Davis said a Magdraft around docks or a floating worm in the backs of pockets could also be key. If it gets cold, he’d go all-in on spotted bass and focus on rocky banks.
“Those guys will have less people ‘disturbing the peace’ out there,” he added. “They’re going to catch more fish and bigger fish with that lack of pressure. My guess is 15 to 17 pounds a day to win. Somebody might bust 20 one day — this place is loaded.”
Davis Sr. agrees.
“There are more five-pound spots in Smith than any other lake in Alabama,” he said. “I think someone will catch over 20 pounds one of the days. It’s got a phenomenal population of striped bass too. But it’s all about the blueback herring — the spotted bass love them.”
