Jacob Wheeler Earns 11th Bass Pro Tour Win at Suzuki Marine Stage 4

Reigning Angler of the Year catches 12 bass weighing 42-13 in final-day Championship Round on Lake Brownwood to earn top prize of $125,000

Mar. 30, 2026 at 1:04am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a bass fishing tournament, with overlapping planes of color and abstract shapes representing the competition and energy of the event.Jacob Wheeler's 11th Bass Pro Tour victory highlights his versatility and dominance as one of the top professional anglers in the sport.Guntersville Today

Jacob Wheeler, the reigning Angler of the Year, won his 11th Bass Pro Tour event at the Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano. Wheeler caught 12 bass weighing 42 pounds, 13 ounces on the final day's Championship Round on Lake Brownwood to top runner-up Justin Lucas by over 10 pounds and earn the $125,000 top prize.

Why it matters

Wheeler's victory showcases his versatility as an elite angler, as he caught his fish using three different techniques over the three-day event. The win also validates Wheeler's status as one of the top professional anglers in the world, as he continues to dominate the Bass Pro Tour circuit.

The details

Wheeler spent the first half of his practice time on Lake Brownwood, which proved to be a key decision. On Championship Sunday, he quickly found a stretch of docks where shad were spawning and used a bladed jig paired with a Rapala CrushCity Freeloader to boat six scorable bass for 23 pounds, 11 ounces in the first period, including a pair of 4-pound, 14-ounce largemouth. Though the bite slowed in the second and third periods, Wheeler was able to grind out three more keepers to seal the victory.

  • On the first day of official practice, Wheeler spent the first half of the day on Lake Brownwood.
  • On the Wednesday before the event, Wheeler spent three more hours practicing on Lake Brownwood.

The players

Jacob Wheeler

A professional angler from Birchwood, Tennessee who is the reigning Angler of the Year on the Bass Pro Tour. He has now won 11 events on the Bass Pro Tour.

Justin Lucas

A professional angler from Guntersville, Alabama who finished as the runner-up to Wheeler at this event.

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What they’re saying

“I really had my doubts in this scenario – new lake, not being out here on the water yesterday. I was worried about it, and it just worked out.”

— Jacob Wheeler, Professional Angler

“We both sort of came up about the same time. So, two young guys battling it out all the time, talking smack. We used to have like an arch-nemesis thing between him and I back in the day. It's nothing even close to that now. If I couldn't have won, I would have loved to see Lucas win.”

— Jacob Wheeler, Professional Angler

What’s next

The next event for Bass Pro Tour anglers will be REDCREST 2026 at Table Rock Lake, April 17-19 in Springfield, Missouri.

The takeaway

Jacob Wheeler's 11th career Bass Pro Tour victory showcases his versatility as an elite angler and solidifies his status as one of the top professional anglers in the world. His ability to adapt to changing conditions and find fish on a new lake demonstrates the skill and experience that have made him a dominant force on the circuit.