KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Adam Riser can’t remember many practices less productive than the ones he had leading up to the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series at Kissimmee Chain presented by Native Watercraft.

But fortune changed for the 41-year-old Riser in the final minutes of Friday’s practice when he found an area in the north end of Lake Tohopekaliga that had a steady stream of pre-spawn bass swimming through it. He caught a few sizable fish, then slipped away, carrying high hopes into the start of competition on Saturday.

Riser found the fish again on Day 1, catching a limit of five bass that measured exactly 100 inches. That put the Knoxville, Tenn., resident in the lead on the Kissimmee Chain — the first of six regular-season Kayak Series events in 2026. A total of 242 anglers from around the U.S. are competing this weekend in central Florida for a total of $48,400 in prize money, including $11,500 guaranteed to the winner.

Riser was, without a doubt, pleased with Saturday’s catch. He said the difference between nearly three days of practice and Day 1 of competition was “night and day”.

“As difficult as practice was, it wasn’t surprising,” he said, referencing the massive cold front that buried much of the East Coast a few days before anglers arrived for the tournament. “Freezing cold weather and Florida bass do not go hand in hand. But what I stumbled upon really set up the way I like to fish.”

Riser said he found an inconspicuous area of Toho that was an ideal pre-spawn staging area. He quickly caught bass there measuring 22 and 19 inches to close Friday’s practice and arrived again Saturday morning to find more bass funneling into the same area.

“I got on the LiveScope and I could see the fish, in a single-file line, loading into this area,” he said. “About a half-dozen would come in at a time. I’d fish for them, catch a few nice ones, and then there would be a lull of about 30 minutes to an hour. But then, here comes another group of half-dozen sliding into the same corridor. I was able to take advantage of that and put some in the boat.”

Riser caught 11 keepers on Saturday, according to TourneyX results. That was a remarkable feat, considering only 40 anglers among the 242 entered managed a limit on Day 1 of the derby. The Florida bass seem to be stunned by air temperatures near freezing at sunrise and water temperatures yet to climb back above 60 degrees this week.

Riser used a variety of JDM baits to trigger his best bites, but offered few specifics.

“I’m thinking a little outside the box,” he said. “Each bait I used had a different look and sound, but the bass responded positively to all of them. Honestly, I don’t think it would have mattered what color lure I threw.”

Now, he awaits the second and final day of the tournament, and hopes good fortune finds him again.

“I realize how valuable this spot is,” Riser said. “I know how hard it has been to find bass this week. That gives me every reason to go back there tomorrow.”

Rounding out the Top 5 after Day 1 are, second, Pennsylvania’s Ryan Matylewicz, 98.75 inches; third, Connecticut’s Ryan Nye, 94.5; fourth, North Carolina’s Wyatt Hammond, 94; and fifth, Pennsylvania’s Greg Polec, 91.25.

The Top 5 anglers in each of this year’s kayak tournaments will advance to the 2026 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship presented by Native Watercraft, to be held later this year at a location not yet announced. The Bassmaster College Kayak Series will be held in conjunction with that championship.

Garin Butler, of Duluth, Ga., caught a 24.75-inch bass on Saturday, the longest of the day.

A Big Bass Award of $500 will be presented, and for the first time in the Bassmaster Kayak Series, a $100 Hourly Big Bass prize is being awarded to the competitor who catches the longest bass in each hour of the tournament.

The second and final day of the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series at Kissimmee Chain presented by Native Watercraft will begin Sunday with a 6:15 a.m. ET launch. Fishing time is from 6:45 a.m. ET to 2:45 p.m. ET, and there’s a 3:45 p.m. ET deadline to enter bass into the tournament scoring system. Awards will be presented at 4:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on Bassmaster.com.

Scoring for the week will be available via TourneyX.

The Kissimmee Sports Commission is hosting the event.

 

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.