IBNKS 2026 season opener at Newton Lake delivered right out of the gate on April 11, with 40 anglers combining for 267 fish caught. Newton showed out in a big way, producing quality all through the field and making for a tight race at the top.

When the measuring was done, Kevin Cox claimed the first win of the season with an impressive 93.00 inches. Jonathan Kessler finished close behind in second with 91.50 inches, followed by Robert Schuster in third with 91.25 inches. Steve Glinka took fourth with 91.00 inches, and Ty Bartholomew rounded out the top five with 91.00 inches. It was a stacked leaderboard, with just 2 inches separating 1st through 5th.

Newton also gave up a true giant, with Bernard Campos landing Big Bass of the event at 21.75 inches.

The numbers show just how strong the bite was. 37 of the 40 anglers brought in a full 5-fish limit, and the leaderboard alone accounted for 3,201.00 inches of scoring bass. That comes out to an average of 80.03 inches per angler and 16.76 inches per scored fish. On top of that, 27 anglers broke the 80-inch mark, showing just how deep the field was from top to bottom.

Top 5 – Newton Lake – April 11, 2026

1. Kevin Cox – 93.00" 
2. Jonathan Kessler – 91.50" 
3. Robert Schuster – 91.25" 
4. Steve Glinka – 91.00" 
5. Ty Bartholomew – 91.00" 

Quick stats

• 40 anglers 
• 267 fish caught 
• 37 limits 
• 3,201.00" total scoring inches 
• 80.03" average bag 
• 16.76" average scored fish 
• Big Bass: Bernard Campos – 21.75"

IBNKS Event #2 at Lake Geneva delivered a challenging day on the water as anglers faced tough conditions driven by an east wind and early-season patterns. With 29 anglers competing and 40 fish submitted, every bite had to be earned, and adjustments throughout the day proved critical.

Despite the grind, a tight race developed at the top of the leaderboard.

When the measuring was done, Todd Martens secured the win with 86.25 inches, putting together a strong 6-fish limit to edge out the field. Bernard Campos followed closely in second with 84.25 inches, while Josh Turner claimed third with 83.00 inches. Cody Wenger finished fourth with 77.50 inches, and Zac Geist rounded out the top five with 57.00 inches.

It was a competitive finish, with just over 3 inches separating the top three anglers in tough conditions.

Top 5 - Lake Geneva - April 26, 2026

1. Todd Martens - 86.25"

2. Bernard Campos - 84.25"

3. Josh Turner - 83"

4. Cody Wenger 77.5"

5. Zac Geist - 57"

The fishery showed a mix of both smallmouth and largemouth bass contributing to the leaderboard, reinforcing the need for versatility and the ability to adjust on the fly at Lake Geneva.

Quick stats:

• 29 anglers competed 
• 40 fish submitted 
• 16.5” average fish 
• 2.00” margin of victory 
• Mixed bag fishery (smallmouth & largemouth both in play) 

The Mississippi River lived up to its reputation during Event #3 of the Illinois B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series, challenging anglers with ever-changing conditions, current, and countless miles of fishable water. Competitors had to make key decisions on where to fish and when to make adjustments, with productive water ranging from the main river to shallow backwaters and sloughs.

When the measuring was complete, Cody Wenger claimed the victory with an impressive 93.75-inch limit, anchored by a tournament-best 21.00-inch largemouth bass. Mike Husar finished second with 87.25 inches, while Kevin Swan rounded out the top three with 86.50 inches. Jake Schultz placed fourth with 81.50 inches, and Landon Dalaska completed the top five with 79.25 inches.

The Mississippi proved to be a healthy fishery, with anglers submitting 63 bass throughout the day. Quality largemouth bass dominated the leaderboard, and several anglers broke the 80-inch mark despite the challenges presented by the river.

1. Cody Wenger – 93.75" 
2. Mike Husar – 87.25" 
3. Kevin Swan – 86.50" 
4. Jake Schultz – 81.50" 
5. Landon Dalaska – 79.25" 

• 18 anglers competed 
• 63 bass submitted 
• Average of 3.5 fish per angler 
• Winning bag: 93.75" 
• Big Bass: Cody Wenger – 21.00" 
• Four anglers eclipsed the 80-inch mark 

With the regular season continuing to unfold, the Mississippi River event produced another shake-up in the Angler of the Year race. As the series moved toward the final regular-season event, every point became increasingly important for anglers looking to qualify for the Championship at Crab Orchard Lake and position themselves for a run at the 2026 AOY title.

The Illinois B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series concluded its regular season at Coffeen Lake on June 7 with 20 anglers competing in the final stop before the championship.

While the weather cooperated and kept anglers dry throughout the day, Coffeen’s bass proved challenging. Rising temperatures and a tough bite forced competitors to adjust throughout the event, making every fish count. Despite the difficult conditions, anglers still managed to submit an impressive 112 bass during competition.

With all the inches tallied up, Susie Roloff claimed the victory with an outstanding 89.25 inches, edging out a strong field of competitors.

Brandon Neuzil finished in second place with 87.75 inches, while Jonathan Kessler rounded out the top three with 83.75 inches.

Top 3 Finishers

🥇 Susie Roloff – 89.25”

🥈 Brandon Neuzil – 87.75”

🥉 Jonathan Kessler – 83.75”

Big Bass

🐟 Dustin Fugitt earned Big Bass honors with a Coffeen Lake giant measuring 21.25 inches.

As the regular season comes to a close, the Angler of the Year race sponsored by KastKing remains alive heading into the championship. Every inch and every point earned throughout the season has led to this moment, and the championship will ultimately decide who takes home the AOY title.

Most importantly, we’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to every angler who participated in the 2026 regular season. Whether you fished one event or every stop on the schedule, your support continues to grow competitive kayak fishing throughout Illinois. We appreciate the early mornings, long drives, friendly competition, and sportsmanship that make this trail special.

We would also like to thank our sponsors, tournament directors, and everyone working behind the scenes to make each event possible. The Illinois B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series continues to grow because of the people who believe in what we’re building together.

Now, all eyes turn toward the championship. We look forward to see all the qualifiers on the water as we crown our champions and conclude our inaugural season.