COLUMBUS, Miss. (June 15, 2026) – Boater Yancy Windham of Reform, Alabama, caught a five-bass limit Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the Bass Fishing League (BFL) tournament on the Columbus Pool. Saturday’s tournament was the first of a back-to-back BFL weekend on the Columbus Pool, and the third of five regular-season events for the BFL Mississippi Division. Windham earned $2,410 for his victory.
Windham said he kept his approach simple on a hot, tough day on the Columbus Pool, opting to stay in the same pool rather than lock through. From there, he leaned on a variety of homemade baits and put together a steady grind that produced his first career BFL victory.
“I caught them on a variety of lures,” Windham said. “I caught them on homemade spinnerbaits and homemade jigs and some homemade plastic. Pretty much just grinding all day. It was tough.”
The spinnerbait produced the bulk of his weigh-in fish, accounting for three of the bass he brought to the scale. Windham also caught two key fish on a homemade jig and added another keeper on a homemade soft-plastic bait, giving him the kind of versatility needed to stay productive throughout the day.
Windham said he would not be fishing the second event of the back-to-back weekend on Sunday, despite picking up the win Saturday.
“I’m a pastor,” Windham said. “I’ll be back home at church, preaching tomorrow.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Yancy Windham, Reform, Ala., five bass, 16-1, $2,410
2nd: Brandon Bolton, West Point, Miss., five bass, 13-12, $1,250
3rd: David Dupler, Columbus, Miss., five bass, 13-0, $870
4th: Kyle Shaw, Millport, Ala., five bass, 11-9, $520
4th: Jesse Steadham, Byram, Miss., five bass, 11-9, $520
6th: Ryan Lecompte, Picayune, Miss., five bass, 11-5, $1,030 (includes $500 Phoenix Bonus)
7th: John Anderson, Bay Springs, Miss., five bass, 11-0, $420
8th: Tim Fox, Meridian, Miss., five bass, 10-14, $660
9th: Randy Craft, Seminary, Miss., five bass, 10-11, $390
10th: Brandon Bell, Starkville, Miss., five bass, 10-7, $380
David Dupler of Columbus, Mississippi, earned the $200 Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass. Jeffery Reece of Guys, Tennessee, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,205 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 7 pounds, 12 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Jeffery Reece, Guys, Tenn., three bass, 7-12, $1,205
2nd: Sank Payton, Bay Springs, Miss., two bass, 7-3, $725
3rd: Cole Smith, Millport, Ala., three bass, 6-13, $335
4th: James Moffitt, Louisville, Miss., two bass, 6-12, $275
5th: Thomas Alexander, Austin, Ark., three bass, 6-0, $230
5th: Reggie Thornton, Columbus, Miss., three bass, 6-0, $230
7th: Jay Criddle, Flora, Miss., three bass, 5-14, $210
8th: Marian Hall, Hattiesburg, Miss., three bass, 5-9, $205
9th: Mitchell Bond, Collins, Miss., three bass, 5-8, $195
9th: Austin Conn, Cordova, Tenn., three bass, 5-8, $195
Sank Payton of Bay Springs, Mississippi, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a bass weighing 4 pounds, 7 ounces to earn the $100 prize.
https://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/bfl-columbus-61526.html
Bass Fishing League (BFL) News