A breathtaking 98-pound, 11-ounce Championship Round performance delivers Lucas his second Bass Pro Tour title and $125,000 payday
Justin Lucas returned to Lake Erie carrying memories of his last national victory and left with another trophy after producing one of the finest smallmouth bass performances in recent Bass Pro Tour history.
Six years after narrowly defeating Jacob Wheeler by just one ounce at the 2020 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournament on Lake Erie, Lucas once again stood atop the leaderboard at the same fishery. This time, there was no one-ounce margin. Lucas dominated the Championship Round of Suzuki Marine Stage 7 Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches, catching 25 scorable bass weighing an incredible 98 pounds, 11 ounces to claim his second Bass Pro Tour title and the $125,000 first-place prize.
The victory ended a frustrating six-year stretch without a tour-level win for the Alabama pro, despite numerous close calls and high finishes. After four runner-up finishes and 18 Top 10 appearances during that span, Lucas admitted he had begun wondering whether another championship would ever come.
Lake Erie provided the answer.
Lucas took control of the final day almost immediately. On his first four casts, he caught three scorable bass, including a 4-pound, 6-ounce smallmouth. Soon afterward, he added his first fish over five pounds, followed by the biggest bass of the event - a massive 6-pound, 11-ounce smallmouth that earned Berkley Big Bass honors.
By the end of the opening hour, Lucas had already surpassed 40 pounds. He continued piling on quality fish and finished the first period with 54 pounds, 6 ounces, building an advantage of more than 18 pounds over Wheeler.
The key to his success was remarkably simple: a drop-shot rig and Lake Erie smallmouth bass.
Lucas caught nearly all of his weight using a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm on a drop-shot setup, the same presentation that helped him win on Lake Erie six years earlier. He also mixed in a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Tube, but his confidence remained with the drop-shot throughout the event.
“Whenever I put my boat in Lake Erie and pick up a drop-shot, I feel like I should be able to find smallmouth,” Lucas explained after the victory.
Finding the right fish, however, required more than simply choosing the right lure.
None of Lucas’ productive spots from 2020 held fish this week, forcing him to search new water. During the Qualifying Round, after reaching the weight he believed would be enough to advance, Lucas spent valuable time exploring instead of protecting his position.
That decision changed the tournament.
He discovered a shipping channel marker surrounded by an enormous school of smallmouth bass. Within minutes of arriving, he caught three fish over four pounds, and his sonar revealed an unbelievable number of bass gathered around the structure.
Lucas believed the marker acted much like an offshore oil rig, offering one of the only sources of shade and structure in miles of open water. Baitfish gathered around it, and the smallmouth followed.
The spot carried him through the Knockout Round and into Championship Sunday.
Although Lucas experienced a difficult second period on the final day, catching only two scorable bass, he never lost faith in the afternoon bite. Wheeler and fellow contender Floyd closed the gap, and at one point Wheeler trimmed the lead to just eight pounds.
Lucas admitted he felt the pressure.
But when the third period began, the bite returned.
He caught a 2-11, then quickly added a 3-5 and a 5-13. Returning to his best channel marker, Lucas landed six more scorable bass, including three consecutive fish over five pounds. He added 38 pounds, 4 ounces during the final period to seal the championship.
What separated Lucas from the rest of the field was not the number of fish but their size. While Wheeler actually caught two more scorable bass and Floyd matched Lucas’ total, Lucas landed all six smallmouth over five pounds caught by the entire Championship Round field. He finished with nine bass over four pounds, six over five pounds and one over six pounds.
His best five fish weighed an astonishing 28 pounds, 7 ounces.
Perhaps even more impressive, Lucas accomplished the feat without relying on forward-facing sonar to catch his biggest fish.
The win also carried personal significance because of his friendly rivalry with Wheeler. Earlier in the 2026 season, Lucas held an early lead during the Championship Round at O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood before Wheeler rallied to win. This time, Lucas turned the tables, defeating the world’s top-ranked angler by 19 pounds, 6 ounces.
After years of near misses, Lucas said this championship meant more than many of his previous victories.
The triumph proved that he could still win at the highest level and erased the doubts that had grown during his six-year drought.
Winning on Lake Erie again made the moment even more meaningful. The same lake that produced his last national victory in 2020 had now delivered another career-defining performance.
For Lucas, it was more than a tournament win. It was a reminder that patience, confidence and persistence can eventually turn years of frustration into one unforgettable championship day.
