04/01/2026
🎣 Mitch Nelson Takes on the Bassmaster Kayak National Championship! 🎣
This March, Mitch (WET-Sheridan, WY hydrogeologist) competed at the highest level of kayak bass fishing at the Bassmaster Kayak National Championship, held alongside the iconic Bassmaster Classic on Lakes Chickamauga and Nickajack near Chattanooga, TN.
After qualifying by winning a Kayak Bass Nation event last summer, Mitch went head‑to‑head with 145 of the best kayak anglers in the country in a two‑day, catch‑and‑release tournament scored by cumulative length of an angler's top five fish each day. 📏🐟
Day one was strong—an 85.25” total landed Mitch solidly in the mix. A sudden cold, rainy weather shift on day two made conditions tough, but he still battled through to finish his first National Championship appearance with an impressive showing.
An incredible experience and an even bigger motivation—Mitch is already gearing up to re‑qualify this May at Horsetooth Reservoir in Colorado. Good luck, Mitch!