Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
The Epic Baits 2026 NPFL Championship is coming to a close with only the afternoon remaining on the final day. Showdown Saturday is live as Luke Dunkin and FatCat bring it home for the final hour. Weigh-in is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. CST at Smith Lake Park. The top anglers will weigh in last, so anyone making a late move will have to contend with the final flight featuring the leaders after two competition days.
Days One and Two were tight, with plenty of similar-sized limits hitting the scales. We saw significant movement on Day Two as weather conditions stabilized after a storm front moved through the area during Thursday’s competition and into the evening. More big fish showed up yesterday, with several 4- and 5-pound bass anchoring bags as anglers pushed toward the top.
Unofficially, according to the Fishing Chaos Weigh Live Tracker, big bites have been harder to come by today, with only a handful logged so far. Some anglers are dealing with limited cell service, and others may not be updating consistently, so it remains too close to call until everything becomes official.
Hank Cherry’s double-digit bag has him currently in the lead, just barely ahead of Patrick Walters. The South Carolina pro dropped 22-9 on Day Two to surge into the top spot. According to on-the-water reports, Walters’ tracker is extremely light, but word is he is likely in the 14- to 15-pound range today. If those reports hold true, Walters appears to be the favorite to seal the deal and potentially become the first NPFL angler to win the Triple Crown — NPFL Regular Season Champion, NPFL Angler of the Year, and NPFL Championship titles.
Several double-digit bags have been caught so far, and with the warmest afternoon of the week ahead, a lot could still change. That said, Walters looks to be the favorite to claim the Epic Baits Championship and the $100,000 prize.
On-the-water reports indicate bright sun and water temperatures climbing through the mid-50s. According to Twin Visuals, who have been running the lake capturing anglers at work, the bite has been slow overall. Most competitors are targeting docks and the backs of pockets. Common baits — as seen on Live Coverage — include jigs, bladed jigs, and spinnerbaits.
Catch the Live Weigh-In starting at 3:15 p.m. CST from Smith Lake Park with Big Al and the crew.
How to Watch
Tune in daily to watch the final day action from Smith Lake and the beautiful City of Cullman. Check out the daily LIVE Leaderboard, LIVE Blog, and on-the-water photo galleries and blogs of the anglers for the Epic Baits 2026 NPFL Championship.
Catch the LIVE Coverage with Luke Dunkin and FatCat at TNPFL.com will run all three days, starting today @ 8:00AM CST through Saturday.
Under the Go Live Tab, choose LIVE Broadcast or check out the real-time leaderboard on the Fishing Chaos Catch Track with estimated weights entered by the anglers on the water and join us for the LIVE Weigh-ins, here!
