The Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series will hit the lakes this weekend (Feb. 7-8)
The Turtlebox Bassmaster Open on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes finished up on Saturday, luckily for the anglers, but winner Cody Stahl of Barnsville, Ga. could’ve slept in Saturday morning and still won the event.
He tallied a three-day total of 74 pounds, 6 ounces and earned the wire-to-wire victory.
“That is one heckuva way to start the season,” Stahl said. “It was just an unbelievable week.”
As an encore, the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series will hit the lakes this weekend (Feb. 7-8), launching from any approved public landing on the chain in this catch-weigh-release event. The Top 5 finishers will punch their ticket to the 2026 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series Champion, , and all anglers will earn points toward the Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year race.
How good fishing is will depend on the weather. Early February is prime time to catch bass that have moved up to spawn in warm Florida waters, but recent cold fronts have chilled the waters, but a warming trend should get the bass moving toward the shallows and their spawning grounds, the pro fishing experts say.
This will be the third time the Kayak Series has visited Central Florida. Last February, the weather worked in the anglers’ favor. Multiple 100inch bags were recorded both days of the event, and Sherman Bishop took home the title with 204.75 total inches.
Last week, Sthal took the Day 1 lead with the event’s heaviest bag—a limit of 28 pounds, 9 ounces. He’d back up that strong performance with an even 28 pounds to hold the lead and head into the final round with a 19-pound, 7-ounce advantage. He caught a Championship Saturday limit of 17-13 and finished with a 22-1 margin over second-place Stephen Browning.
“If you would’ve told me I’d be sitting in first place with a 19-pound lead going into the third day, I’d put every single dollar in my bank account on saying that’s not possible,” Stahl said. “Ultimately, things just worked out and God blessed me with an amazing week.”
Stahl would’ve lost that bet, but being wrong meant adding $38,731 to his account—and receiving an invitation to fish the 2027 Bassmaster Classic. Adding another trophy to the one he earned in the 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River, Stahl said he’s delighted to start the year qualified for the sport’s most prestigious event.
“I’m excited to get back to the Classic,” Stahl said.
Taking a tip from local pro Terry Scroggins, who finished seventh with 46 pounds, Browning spent most of his time fishing within eyesight of the tournament site at Lake Front Park—Big Toho Marina.
“Scroggins told me, ‘Somebody will make the Top 10 right here,’ and I said, ‘There’s no better person in the world to make the Top 10 right here than me!’”
