Buchmann Goes Wire-to-Wire for Norfork EQ Win
The headline of the past week belongs to a 22-year-old who found a low-tech edge on a high-pressure lake. Kaden Buchmann of Troutman, North Carolina, went wire-to-wire to win the 2026 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Norfork Lake in Mountain Home, Arkansas, closing out the event on September 25 with a three-day total of 42 pounds, 7 ounces.
How Buchmann Won at Norfork
Buchmann built his cushion early, setting the pace with a Day 1 limit of 16-7, then adding 14 pounds even on Day 2 for a 30-7 halfway mark. Championship Friday was stingier, but his 12-pound closing limit was enough to hold on and edge runner-up Cody Stahl by 1 pound, 14 ounces. The win was worth a top prize of $71,317 and, just as importantly, an invitation to the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, March 19-21 at Lake Hartwell.
The wrinkle that made this one memorable: forward-facing sonar was not permitted at Norfork, one of three Elite Qualifiers used to hand out 10 invitations to the 2027 Elite Series. With more than 130 anglers carving up a relatively small reservoir, Buchmann leaned on an old-school way to gauge fishing pressure — he watched the shoreline for whitetail deer. His logic was simple: if deer were still relaxed near the water, another boat probably hadn't just ripped through that pocket and spooked everything.
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Pattern and baits: Buchmann fished the entire lake, covering water from about three miles off the Missouri line down to a pocket near Norfork Dam, and even ran fresh, never-fished spots on the final day. His key tools all three days were a black Berkley Choppo 105 topwater and a 1/2-ounce Queen Tackle skipping jig dressed with a Zoom Z-Craw Jr. trailer. On the final morning the topwater carried the load, giving him a 10- to 11-pound limit by late morning; on the earlier days he'd upgrade by skipping the jig around docks to fool a big bite or two.
The result also put Buchmann atop the Elite Qualifier points race with 127, ahead of Stahl (126), Dice (125), Brennan Flick of West Monroe, Louisiana (124) and Nathan Reynolds of Nashville (123). With two Qualifiers still to fish before those 10 Elite berths are awarded, there's plenty of season left — but Buchmann has both a Classic ticket and the points lead in hand.
MLF Watch: A Quiet Week, Eyes on The Champions
On the Major League Fishing side, it was a quiet week — we could not verify a completed Bass Pro Tour, Invitationals or Toyota Series event with a corroborated winner and weight in the past seven days, so we're holding off on reporting numbers rather than guess. The one storyline worth flagging is that MLF has set the field for the Bass Pro Tour's season-ending The Champions, with 30 qualified pros announced for the showcase. We'll cover it in full once results are official and can be cross-checked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Bassmaster event this week? Kaden Buchmann won the 2026 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Norfork Lake with 42 pounds, 7 ounces over three days, going wire-to-wire.
What did the win pay, and what does it qualify him for? Buchmann earned a top prize of $71,317 and secured an invitation to the 2027 Bassmaster Classic at Lake Hartwell (March 19-21).
What baits did Buchmann use? A black Berkley Choppo 105 topwater and a 1/2-ounce Queen Tackle skipping jig with a Zoom Z-Craw Jr. trailer.
Why did he watch deer during the tournament? Forward-facing sonar wasn't allowed, so with 130-plus anglers on a small lake, Buchmann used relaxed shoreline deer as a sign that a pocket hadn't recently been fished and pressured.
Was there a Major League Fishing winner this week? Not one we could confirm. We could not corroborate a completed MLF event result across two sources in the past week, so we're waiting on official numbers before reporting.
That's the week — one clean, old-school wire-to-wire win, and an MLF slate that's about to heat up. We'll be back with the next results as soon as they're official. Tight lines. — BassFishing.World