SHREVEPORT, La. — Postspawn largemouth will likely be in play when the 2026 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft visits Caddo Lake and Lake Bistineau, according to Vinton, La., angler Jason Willis.

“Both lakes have really good bass populations right now,” he said. “Someone is going to hit the 200-inch mark.”

Tournament dates are scheduled for April 18-19, with tournament headquarters located in Shreveport. Competitors will be able to launch from any approved public landing on the two fisheries. The Top 5 finishers will punch their ticket to the 2026 Kayak Series Championship, details of which will be announced later.

Filled with cypress trees and vegetation, Caddo and Bistineau have been a combined favorite destination for kayak anglers across the country. Nationally, both lakes fly under the radar, but both have the capability of producing giant bags of largemouth.

The last time the Kayak Series visited these two fisheries, in October 2024, Georgia’s Gene Jensen earned the victory with a two-day total of 198.5 inches. Multiple single-day limits over 100 inches were measured in that tournament, and Willis (who finished sixth in that event) expects more impressive limits to be caught.

“Last time we were there, the Top 10 were split between Caddo and Bistineau,” Willis said. “It was a different time of year, but both groups of anglers were catching the same quality of bass, and the leaderboard was really tight.”

What stage the bass are in will greatly depend on weather patterns. Historically, the bass are usually in a spawn or postspawn phase by mid-April, which means a variety of tactics could come into play.

“When the dates were announced, my immediate thought was these bass will be postspawn,” Willis said. “You might have some fry guarders, but for the most part I would think the spawn would be over. But that depends on the weather. It all rides on the water temperature.”

Along with thousands of cypress trees, both lakes feature a variety of vegetation, including hydrilla, and Willis notes that Bistineau has more deep-water access than Caddo.

There are two potential X factors in this tournament: a shad spawn and wind. If the weather is right, the beginnings of a shad spawn could take place, giving anglers the opportunity to reach a quick limit. The wind will also play a role, but not because it is a nuisance.

“If it is a calm day, it is going to be tough for everybody,” said Willis. “I’m not sure what it is about those two bodies of water, but when you turn the wind off, it gets really tough.”

Willis believes a wacky-rigged stickworm will be a top choice among the field, as will shallow power baits like a squarebill or ChatterBait. Frogs, buzzbaits and other topwaters could also generate important strikes throughout the weekend.

 

Coverage of the 2026 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series at Caddo Lake/Lake Bistineau presented by Native Watercraft can be found on Bassmaster.com.

 

This event is being hosted by Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission.

 

2026 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Newport

2026 Bassmaster Kayak  Series Presenting Sponsor: Native Watercraft
2026 Bassmaster Kayak  Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Pro-Guide Batteries

 

About B.A.S.S.

B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.