South Carolina pro Patrick Walters made history Saturday, February 28, overcoming a lackluster start to claim the 2026 Epic Baits NPFL Championship on Smith Lake. The victory solidified Walters as the first angler in National Professional Fishing League history to achieve the “Triple Crown,” holding a Regular Season shield, an Angler of the Year (AOY) title, and now a Championship trophy.
Walters finished the three-day event with a cumulative total of 44 pounds, 11 ounces, earning the $100,000 grand prize and a narrow two-pound margin over runner-up Kyle Welcher.
The Mid-Tournament Surge
The path to the podium was anything but certain for Walters. After day one, he sat in a distant 29th place with a disappointing 9- pound, 11-ounce bag. However, heavy overnight rains transformed the lake’s conditions for Friday’s session.
Capitalizing on newly formed mudlines where runoff met the main lake water, Walters went on a tear using a combination of crankbaits and jigs. He brought a massive 22-pound, 9-ounce limit to the scales — the largest bag of the tournament — to catapult himself into the lead.
“It was wild. I could see the mudline coming, and it pushed those fish right up on the bank. The water was rolling in, and I only had just over an hour of prime time and things happened fast,” Walters said of his performance. “I got them cranking a bit and pitching a Pulse Fish jig around and caught that big bag there. But as quick as it happened, it stopped.”
The HD All Purpose Jig is the exact bait Walters used. The jig features a streamlined head design that excels at cutting through heavy cover, around docks, and maintaining a natural tracking action in open water.
A Final Day Grind
On Saturday, the bite toughened. Walters was forced to abandon his previous day’s hotspots after they turned into dead zones. Relying on his instincts, he pivoted to fishing shallow docks and wood cover in new water.
The turning point came when he landed a 3.25-pound bass on a wacky rig — a technique he hadn’t used successfully all week. That single fish proved to be the difference-maker, allowing him to post a final-day weight of 12 pounds, 7 ounces and hold off a charging field.
“This week was all about trusting my gut and not questioning those decisions,” said Walters, at the trophy presentation.
The Leaderboard
Alabama local Kyle Welcher continued his streak of consistency, finishing second with 42 pounds, 11 ounces. Welcher, the 2024 Angler of the Year, has now finished directly behind Walters in two consecutive seasons.
“It was one of those weeks where you just had to adjust every day,” Welcher said. “I felt like I did a good job staying around the right fish, but I just couldn’t get a bigger bite today.”
Rounding out the top five were Florida’s John Cox (40-8), Todd Auten (40-3), and North Carolina’s Hank Cherry (40-2). JT Russell took home Big Bass honors for the tournament with a 5-5 kicker caught on the opening day.
Final Top 5 Standings
- Patrick Walters, 44-11
- Kyle Welcher, 42-11
- John Cox, 40-8
- Todd Auten, 40-3
- Hank Cherry, 40-2
