PARIS, Tenn. — Adam Nieman and Charlie Mcmahon were randomly chosen to fish as partners during the Colorado B.A.S.S. Nation Junior qualifying tournament last September. It turned out to be the perfect stroke of luck. Nieman and Mcmahon won the 2026 Bassmaster Junior Championship tournament at Kentucky Lake with a two-day total weighing 26 pounds, 2 ounces, earning $2,000 in total scholarship money.
“It means the world (to win). This has been a dream for me since I first started fishing,” Nieman, a rising high school freshman, said. “I worked so hard to do this and this is the best thing ever. I’m so happy.”
Mcmahon, a rising seventh grader said, “I couldn’t be here without Adam and (boat captain) Sam (Ausbrooks). I can’t believe we won it. We had a rough start a couple of days, but it all ended well.”
The Front Range Bass Club duo caught 13-11 on Day 1 before landing 12-7 the final day to unseat Day 1 leaders Brooks Beaty and Caleb Coburn.
None of three teams that qualified for Colorado had boats of their own, so several student-anglers from Wabash Valley College’s fishing team volunteered to be their boat captains. Ausbrooks, a recent graduate, said it was an eye-opening experience.
“This was super cool. They put in the work all week,” Ausbrooks said. “I had to drag them off the water every day right before dark. It was super fulfilling on my part. I’m not that much older than they are and it was awesome to see how much the next generation loves this sport. It reassures me that tournament bass fishing isn’t going anywhere.
“You’ll see (these two) very soon at the higher levels.”
Hailing from the Denver metro area, Nieman and Mcmahon had never been to a lake this big and so well.
“This week has been the best bass fishing I have ever (experienced),” the 14-year-old Nieman said.
Donovan’s Pond, the fishery that hosted the qualifying event, was small enough that parents and adults could watch their kids from the bank as they made circles around the lake. Taking on the massive Tennessee River reservoir was a daunting challenge, but their home state prepared them for a potentially tough late summer bite.
“Colorado is tough fishing. We are used to catching one 1-pound bass every five hours,” Mcmahon, 12, said. “So, this week was absolute madness.”
After practicing daylight to dark every practice day they could, Nieman and Mcmahon moved between shallow and deep sections of Kentucky Lake during the tournament, but their best spot was a shallow shellbar located in 4 feet of water.
Along that bar, the duo threw ChatterBaits and mixed in a 6th Sense Bodega as well as a football jig.
“We really adapted to the conditions. We threw the ChatterBait when it was raining and then threw slower baits when it was sunny,” Nieman said.
On Day 1, the duo caught the bulk of their weight during the morning hours. On the second day, they only caught two keeper bass during the morning. With a little under two hours to go before check-in, they moved back to the shallow bar, caught their third keeper, and culled out several times before weigh-in time.
“We did terrible to start. We caught a 3-pound largemouth and a 2 1/2-pound smallmouth, but couldn’t catch any keepers after that,” Nieman said. “The decision that saved our day was going back to that bar and throwing the ChatterBait.”
Beaty and Coburn wrapped up the tournament with a two-day total weighing 24-9. The Northwest Louisiana Bassmasters opened the tournament with a 15-3 limit before catching 9-6 on the final day.
“It feels good to bring home a trophy,” Beaty said. “I wish we could have gotten first, but second is a start. Maybe we will get it next year.”
Targeting offshore bars in 6 to 10 feet of water, Beaty and Coburn tossed the Alpha Angler Ouchie, an urchin-style bait, as well as a drop shot with a morning dawn Roboworm and a magnum worm at isolated stumps.
A change in conditions hurt their bite on Day 2, Beaty said.
Griffin Wilson and Aiden Alexander from the Denver Bassmasters finished third with 21-5 followed by Anderson Weaver and Lawton Cantrell from the Blue Ridge Tiger Fishing Team in fourth with 21-1 and Parker Smith and Cooper Anderson from the Scotts Hill High Junior Team in fifth with 20-12.
Camden Baker and Asher Hart from the Hartley’s Hawgs Piglets fishing team caught the Big Bass of the Tournament, a 6-9 largemouth they caught on Day 2.
2026 Bassmaster Junior Championship 7/24-7/25
Tournament on Kentucky Lake, Paris TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Adam Nieman - Charlie Mcmahon Front Range Bass Club Hs Distr 0
Day 1: 3 13-11 Day 2: 3 12-07 Total: 6 26-02
2. Brooks Beaty - Caleb Coburn Nwla Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 3 15-03 Day 2: 3 09-06 Total: 6 24-09
3. Griffin Wilson - Aiden Alexander Denver Jr Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 2 09-02 Day 2: 3 12-03 Total: 5 21-05
4. Anderson Weaver - Lawton Cantrell Blue Ridge Tiger Fishing 0
Day 1: 3 08-07 Day 2: 3 12-10 Total: 6 21-01
5. Parker Smith - Cooper Anderson Scotts Hill High School Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 12-01 Day 2: 3 08-11 Total: 6 20-12
6. Kase Cribbet - Easton Stahley Cincinnati Youth Bass Club Jr 0
Day 1: 3 11-09 Day 2: 3 08-15 Total: 6 20-08
7. Jacob Deane - Knox White Mt. Juliet Fishing - Juniors 0
Day 1: 3 08-12 Day 2: 3 11-08 Total: 6 20-04
8. Cannon Spilka - Lucas Vance Sumner County Junior Bass Team 0
Day 1: 3 12-05 Day 2: 3 07-01 Total: 6 19-06
9. Lliam Crisman - Cole Puryear Buggs Island Elite Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 09-04 Day 2: 3 09-05 Total: 6 18-09
10. Brycen Moriarty - Seminole Junior Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 09-13 Day 2: 3 08-08 Total: 6 18-05
11. Ty Cornell - Beckett Lady Longhorn Fishing 0
Day 1: 3 11-01 Day 2: 3 06-11 Total: 6 17-12
12. Isabella Sigmon - Jaxon Schmidt Southern Wv Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 3 08-08 Day 2: 3 08-14 Total: 6 17-06
13. Cullen Simon - Easton Stanley Little Cypress Mauriceville Jr 0
Day 1: 3 11-00 Day 2: 3 05-12 Total: 6 16-12
14. Camden Baker - Asher Hart Hartley's Hawgs Piglets 0
Day 1: 3 06-15 Day 2: 2 09-10 Total: 5 16-09
15. John David Harmon - William Harmon Notre Dame Junior Bass Team 0
Day 1: 3 09-02 Day 2: 2 07-03 Total: 5 16-05
16. Coop Caldwell - Konnor Macoubrie Team Fishing 4 Life 0
Day 1: 3 07-09 Day 2: 3 08-11 Total: 6 16-04
17. Kase Nobile - Nathaniel Watts Jr. Southwest Bassmasters-Denham 0
Day 1: 3 09-13 Day 2: 2 06-04 Total: 5 16-01
18. Owen Mcdaniel - Mitchell Mcdaniel South Beauregard Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 3 09-09 Day 2: 2 06-02 Total: 5 15-11
19. Robert Chase Taylor - Jonathan Luke Hall Baldwin County Hs Juniors Fishin 0
Day 1: 3 10-03 Day 2: 3 05-05 Total: 6 15-08
20. Gideon Fleisher - Dawson Sult Cincinnati Youth Bass Club Jr 0
Day 1: 2 05-05 Day 2: 3 10-03 Total: 5 15-08
21. Colin Nicholson - Jaxon Mcdaniels Mon Valley Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 3 09-10 Day 2: 2 05-11 Total: 5 15-05
22. Fisher Holloway - Ty Crosby Fort White Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 3 09-06 Day 2: 2 05-15 Total: 5 15-05
23. Jordyn Kirwan - Ainsley Gustad Winner Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 2 07-03 Day 2: 3 08-01 Total: 5 15-04
24. Tucker Burr - Logan Herbst St. Francis Fighting Saints 0
Day 1: 2 05-14 Day 2: 3 09-01 Total: 5 14-15
25. Trace Carstens - Payton Lawrence Jefferson Bass Club 0
Day 1: 3 07-01 Day 2: 3 07-09 Total: 6 14-10
26. Lawson Albright - William Gaines Roco Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 11-03 Day 2: 2 03-06 Total: 5 14-09
27. Talin Hawkins - Carter Smith KAWARTHA BASS MASTERS 0
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 3 09-10 Total: 5 14-04
28. Tristin Liccardo - New Jersey BASS Nation Juniors 0
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 3 07-06 Total: 6 14-00
29. Maddox Shaffer - Myles Shaffer Junior Garrett Bass Slayers 0
Day 1: 2 04-05 Day 2: 3 09-09 Total: 5 13-14
30. Trey Herrman - Reid Currie Topeka Jr Hawgs 0
Day 1: 3 08-08 Day 2: 3 05-05 Total: 6 13-13
31. Piers Picou - Paxton Picou Central Catholic - LA 0
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 3 07-04 Total: 6 13-12
32. Kinsley Montgomery - Liam Price Gaffney Jr High School Fishing T 0
Day 1: 3 06-07 Day 2: 3 07-03 Total: 6 13-10
33. Nicholas Crigger - Colin Crigger Hooked On Freedom 0
Day 1: 3 05-14 Day 2: 3 07-11 Total: 6 13-09
34. Kaleb Everhart - Jacob Murphy Roco Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 09-07 Day 2: 2 03-12 Total: 5 13-03
35. Alden Breland - Darren Land Vancleave High School 0
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 3 08-14 Total: 5 13-00
36. Parker Betts - Kamarion Tullis Galatia Jr Basscats 0
Day 1: 3 08-13 Day 2: 2 04-02 Total: 5 12-15
37. Cole Hutto - Jack Bolin Bandys Fishing Team Juniors 0
Day 1: 3 07-10 Day 2: 3 05-05 Total: 6 12-15
38. Jaxon Berry - Gunner Valdez Nmbn Junior 0
Day 1: 3 09-06 Day 2: 2 03-07 Total: 5 12-13
39. Brooks Higginbotham - Rigg Mccrary Oxford Student Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 2 05-09 Day 2: 3 07-04 Total: 5 12-13
40. Hudson Williams - Spence Gilchrist Riley's Catch 0
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 3 06-01 Total: 6 12-11
41. Kole Wingfield - Kline Wingfield Arkansas Youth Anglers Junior 0
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 3 10-13 Total: 4 12-08
42. Luke Mcandrew - Brody Witmer Sml Junior Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 3 05-11 Total: 6 12-07
43. Kipton Vipperman - Trenton Miller Patrick County Junior Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 08-04 Day 2: 2 04-00 Total: 5 12-04
44. Cade Fisher - Grady Dawson Strafford Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 3 06-04 Day 2: 2 05-14 Total: 5 12-02
45. John Brown - Blaine Summers Indiana Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 2 04-05 Day 2: 3 07-10 Total: 5 11-15
46. Easton Trotter - Cooper Thomas Rehobeth Jr High School Team 0
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 2 05-04 Total: 5 11-12
47. Bennett Bullard - Kei Blaylock Trader Bills 0
Day 1: 3 06-03 Day 2: 3 05-09 Total: 6 11-12
48. JT Tumoszwicz - Trevor Schwier Highlands County Anglers Club 0
Day 1: 3 05-11 Day 2: 3 06-00 Total: 6 11-11
49. Henry Sullivan - Laken Pack Junior Keystone Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 2 04-11 Total: 5 11-07
50. Deagan Gross - Colton Yockey Cassville 0
Day 1: 2 04-14 Day 2: 3 06-07 Total: 5 11-05
51. Jace Gilliam - Jett Gilliam Wayne Pioneers Junior Team 0
Day 1: 1 03-04 Day 2: 3 07-15 Total: 4 11-03
52. Jayden Savino - Kolbe Fletcher Tyrone Area Junior Bassers 0
Day 1: 3 09-01 Day 2: 1 02-01 Total: 4 11-02
53. Austin Bradley - Reeves Ballard Chapman Ms Bass Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 2 08-15 Total: 3 11-02
54. Hunter Harris - Hudson Harris Junior Keystone Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 3 06-09 Day 2: 2 04-04 Total: 5 10-13
55. Carsen Feinberg - Grant Klein New Hampshire Jr. Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 2 04-09 Day 2: 3 05-14 Total: 5 10-07
56. Brantley Broussard - Cole Watkins Jr. Southwest Bassmasters-Denham 0
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 3 06-07 Total: 5 10-06
57. Bryson Dockery - Elijah Masssey Dawson Middle School 0
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 3 08-00 Total: 4 10-01
58. Gunner Robbins - Drew Smith Livingston Academy Junior Bassma 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 09-12 Total: 3 09-12
59. Tristan Shouse - Paxton Sparks Jessamine County Junior Team 0
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 3 07-07 Total: 4 09-11
60. Wyatt Roberts - Brooks Henderson Honey Creek Mafia Jr 0
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 3 05-09 Total: 5 09-11
61. Kollin Brown - Cord Shook Haywood Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 06-00 Day 2: 2 03-09 Total: 5 09-09
62. Will Crisman - Reed Crisman Buggs Island Elite Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 09-08 Total: 3 09-08
63. Bill Young - Kaleb Meyer Eau Galle Valley Youth Fishing J 0
Day 1: 1 03-07 Day 2: 2 05-15 Total: 3 09-06
64. Shawn Peer Jr. - Wally Peer Iv Bass Nation Juniors 0
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 2 04-13 Total: 4 09-05
65. Brody Bible - Sawyer Mynatt Karns Jr High School 0
Day 1: 2 04-12 Day 2: 1 04-09 Total: 3 09-05
66. Grayson Bentley - Jacob Genaro Jefferson High School 0
Day 1: 3 06-15 Day 2: 1 02-05 Total: 4 09-04
67. Kai Tankersley - Gage Green GERMANTOWN HIGH SCHOOL 0
Day 1: 1 02-14 Day 2: 3 06-06 Total: 4 09-04
68. Korben Burgess - Mack Josey Cleveland County Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 09-01 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 09-01
69. Conner Sowers - Ryan Mclaughlin Batesville Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 3 09-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 09-00
70. Isaac Wilson - Camden Crow Honey Creek Mafia Jr 0
Day 1: 2 04-12 Day 2: 1 04-02 Total: 3 08-14
71. Maddox Mustian - Lipan Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 08-10 Total: 3 08-10
72. Grayson Spagnuolo - Cashius Wyman Howell BASS Nation 0
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 1 01-14 Total: 4 08-08
73. Laith Lewis - Aybn Northern High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 08-06 Total: 3 08-06
74. Nolan Bittner - Owen Amiot St. Francis Fighting Saints 0
Day 1: 3 06-11 Day 2: 1 01-11 Total: 4 08-06
75. Colton Burgess - Logan Pitsios NH JUNIOR BASSMASTERS 0
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 3 05-00 Total: 5 08-05
76. Carson Terrell - Cameron Terrell Port City Junior Bass Masters 0
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 1 01-14 Total: 4 08-04
77. Jed Butler - Jameson Ray Woodford County Bass Jackets 0
Day 1: 2 06-07 Day 2: 1 01-12 Total: 3 08-03
78. Hunter Beach - Austin Jefferson Fighting Fishsticks Jr. Bass Clu 0
Day 1: 2 07-08 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 07-08
79. Clayton Jewart - Cody Moran Pa Bassin Juniors 0
Day 1: 3 05-14 Day 2: 1 01-10 Total: 4 07-08
80. Hunter Lawrence - Bam Kendrick Jefferson Youth Bass Fishing 0
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 2 04-13 Total: 3 07-05
81. Tommy Richards - Syrus Jones Denver Jr Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 2 05-09 Day 2: 1 01-10 Total: 3 07-03
82. Trig Mchone - Tripp Jackson Meigs Middle School Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 2 05-04 Total: 3 07-03
83. Liam Johnson - Drake Penrod Southern Illinois Future Jr Angl 0
Day 1: 2 07-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 07-00
84. Mason Showers - Brock Frye Junior Wildcats 0
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 1 02-06 Total: 3 07-00
85. Ethan Rhinehart - Blane Davenport Byrnes Rebels Jr Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 03-09 Day 2: 1 03-03 Total: 2 06-12
86. Liam Monahan - Madyx Popel Off The Hook Jr. Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 06-10
86. Preston Phillips - Ben Langley Aybn Southern High School 0
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 06-10
88. Aiden Phillips - Weston Mullins Scotts Hill Student Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 2 04-09 Total: 3 06-08
89. John-Andrew Moss - Ethan Dover Pac Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 2 04-02 Total: 3 06-07
90. Brady Crigger - Jarek Connell Hooked On Freedom 0
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 05-15
91. Noah Shuman - Grayden Kobeska Eau Galle Valley Youth Fishing J 0
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 1 01-07 Total: 3 05-11
92. Denton Dearman - West Harrison High School 0
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 2 04-01 Total: 3 05-08
93. Grant Martin - Houston Reichle Junior Keystone Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 1 03-07 Day 2: 1 01-15 Total: 2 05-06
94. Brayden Bontrager - Creek Bradtmiller Track And Channel Youth 0
Day 1: 1 03-05 Day 2: 1 02-01 Total: 2 05-06
95. John Nathan Abbott - Hunter Gayheart Woodford County Bass Jackets 0
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 1 02-08 Total: 2 04-06
96. Benjamin Gue - William Gue Mountaineer Bass Masters 0
Day 1: 1 04-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 04-00
97. Bowden White - Bryson Gunter Cannon County Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-13 Total: 2 03-13
98. Parker Werner - Ledger Coufal Salado Jr 0
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 1 01-14 Total: 2 03-13
99. Andrew Young - Landon Wiberg Eau Galle Valley Youth Fishing J 0
Day 1: 1 02-11 Day 2: 1 01-01 Total: 2 03-12
100. Colton Willging - Brody Heacock Dubuque Bass 0
Day 1: 1 03-11 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 03-11
101. Rodee Owen - Case Thorn Lone Star Jr Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 1 02-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 02-14
102. Garrett Haynes - Logan Arnold Franklin County Jr Bass Team 0
Day 1: 1 02-11 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 02-11
103. Jackson Moss - Charlie Backaitis Hoover Youth Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-03 Total: 1 02-03
104. Carter Edwards - Jonas Doyle Brunswick Academy Junior Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-02 Total: 1 02-02
105. Conner Shaffer - William Sandel Severna Park Junior Division 0
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 02-00
106. Drake Letterman - Joshua Letterman Fordland Junior Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-14 Total: 1 01-14
107. Coleton Bradley - Kendal Ward Nmbn Junior 0
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-12
108. Hudson Shabro - Ethan Hillis Michigan A1 Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-11
109. Camden Bailey - Nathan Mcclintick New Hampshire Jr. Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
109. Tristan Beckum - Colton Wilson Lee County Middle Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
109. Mason Chamberland - Logan Ward REEDS BROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
109. Liam Jeddry - Garret Bertuzzi Team Outcast Juniors 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
109. Hudson Kirby - Mattex Horton Bhp Jr Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
109. Xander Moore - Nmbn Junior 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
109. Sean Turkowski - Nash Utes Rogers High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 52 227 619-10
2 48 215 558-14
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100 442 1178-08