Professional kayak angler Wyatt Hammond secured a victory on Friday at the Kayak Bass Fishing National Championship across Lakes Guntersville and Wheeler in Alabama, winning his third national title.
Hammond also claimed the 2026 KBF Challenge Series Championship, earning Angler of the Year honors, and setting a new organization record for the highest three-day total, OutKick OutDoors reported.
The champion finished the multi-day event with a combined total of 310 inches across 15 scoring bass, averaging more than 20 inches per fish. Unlike traditional boat tournaments that rely on weight, competitive kayak fishing scores anglers by the total length of their five longest bass, which are measured, photographed, and immediately released.
Hammond opened the week on Wednesday by winning the Challenge Series Championship with a 106-inch five-fish limit, establishing a 9.75-inch lead over the rest of the field. He followed up on Thursday with a 102.25-inch limit to win that portion of the event by 15.75 inches over runner-up Jody Queen.
Because the leaderboard reset to zero for Friday’s KBF National Championship, Hammond had to rebuild his standing from scratch. He successfully landed a five-fish limit totaling 101.75 inches, narrowly defeating Rus Snyders, who finished second with 100.50 inches, while Abby Abbondanza took third with 99.25 inches.
The victory adds to an already crowded trophy case for Hammond, who also won the 2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series National Championship. His latest run comes on the heels of an October tournament at Lake Murray in South Carolina, where a slow start cost him a chance to defend his Bassmaster crown against winner Ewing Minor.
Reflecting on the psychological toll of competitive angling, Hammond admitted that mounting expectations nearly drove him away from the sport.
“I was really putting a lot of stress on myself. Like, I have to do well because, you know, I won a national championship,” Hammond told OutKick OutDoors. “I have to continue doing well.”
Looking ahead to the 2027 season, Hammond already has his sights set on another familiar rival and upcoming tournaments.
“I’m gonna see if I can take something from Ewing next year. I can’t let him win everything all over again,” Hammond said.
