Tournament breakdown // Lake Murray
Lake Murray Kayak Championship: Confirmed Baits and the Decisions Worth Studying
Ewing Minor won the 2026 Bassmaster Kayak Championship on Lake Murray with 292.75 inches over three days and secured Angler of the Year. That's the result. What I want to study is how these guys put themselves around fish they could actually catch.
The available coverage gives us an offshore fluke bite, shallow topwater action and a Coike in the mix. It doesn't give us a complete list of exact models and colors. I'm keeping this breakdown to what Bassmaster reported, with my take on what I'd carry into practice.
Minor's offshore fluke bite
Bassmaster's Day 1 tournament blog documented Minor using a fluke to target roaming bass on an offshore point with forward-facing sonar. The exact model wasn't named. That confirms tournament use; it doesn't establish his entire winning bait lineup.
My first question would be where those fish were traveling and how long they stayed within casting range. I'd want to know whether I could follow them, intercept them repeatedly or only get one useful shot before they moved.
That's the work behind a bait report. Buying the same plastic doesn't answer any of those questions. In practice, I'd record where the bite happened, what the fish were doing before the cast and whether I could repeat the presentation on another group.
Hammond made the shallow fish count
Wyatt Hammond led after Day 2. All his keeper bites that day came from less than five feet around vegetation. Topwaters produced three bass over 18 inches in the opening half hour. He used forward-facing sonar to find roaming largemouth before they saw his kayak.
That last detail is the one I'd underline. Shallow fish can be difficult to judge after you've already drifted through them. I'd rather make the first cast from far enough away that I haven't changed their behavior.
For my kayak preparation, that means thinking about approach angle before making another cast. Where will the wind push me? Can I hold outside the fish without constantly correcting? If I get a bite, can I land it without sliding through the rest of the group?
Those are decisions I can practice. They also cost less than another tackle order.
Holbert's Coike deserves attention
Carson Holbert was third after Day 2, using a topwater, Coike and minnow around herring eaters. He also caught key fish from brush on shallower shoals. The report didn't disclose exact models, sizes or colors.
I'd put that Coike on my testing list. Before I made it part of a tournament plan, though, I'd need to understand when I could present it effectively and what response would tell me to stay with it. Seeing a bait in a strong finish is a reason to investigate. My own repeatable results would determine whether it earns deck space.
What I'd take into my next practice
I'd give the offshore baitfish deal and the shallow roaming-fish deal an honest look before committing. The goal would be to find quality bites I could reproduce within the area my kayak could efficiently cover.
Once one approach started producing, I'd spend time learning its limits. How much unproductive water sits between groups? How does the approach change with wind? How long am I willing to go without a bite before checking the other option?
That's what I want Winner Watch readers to get from tournament coverage: something specific to test when they launch. A lure name helps. Knowing which question to ask on the water helps me more.
Reporting note: This article separates Bassmaster's reported tournament details from my practice analysis. Hammond's and Holbert's positions above are Day 2 standings. A complete final bait breakdown was not available in the coverage reviewed for this article.