LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Simon Her wasn’t sure how windy conditions would affect his bite on Day 1 of the 2026 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series at Clear Lake presented by Native Watercraft.

When the “bass started hitting like carp”, however, he had his answer.

Her, a 29-year-old medical information technology specialist from Oroville, Calif., caught a five-bass limit Saturday that measured 103.75 inches. That gave Her a 4.5-inch lead over his closest competitor (Matthew Brannon of Santa Rosa, Calif., 99.25 inches) heading into Sunday’s finale on the famed lake that is regularly listed near the top of Bassmaster Magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes.

As predicted, spawning threadfin shad meant forage was ample throughout the 44,000-acre freshwater lake, located approximately 120 miles north of San Francisco. Her said the amount of shad he found during Thursday’s practice was intimidating because it made choosing where to fish a more difficult decision than usual.

By Saturday, though, the shad spawn had slowed to a mild roar. It was a perfect balance, he said, at least during an impressive bite window that had him pulling impressive largemouths “pretty much one after the other.”

“I really did think a few of them were carp,” he said, laughing. “My biggest fish was only 21 3/4 inches, but she weighed 8 1/2 pounds. Her belly was full of shad. If I had to guess a total weight on the five bass I entered, I’d say between 29 and 31 pounds. The fish here weren’t very long, but when they hit, they were hitting hard.”

So much so that Her was content to leave his favored spot at noon Saturday, with about two hours of competition time to spare.

“I knew where I’d be heading the next day, so I wanted to leave some there for tomorrow,” Her said. “I’m not 100% sure I’ll catch them like I did today, but maybe 75% sure. I don’t know if what I’m doing is patternable tomorrow. It’s supposed to be warmer Sunday. It’s been in the mid-80s recently and then today, it was in the 70s, overcast with some pretty solid winds.”

Her wasn’t ready to discuss lures he’s using on Clear Lake or how he’s getting his biggest bites. He did note, however, that he’s been able to fish both on the banks and offshore.

“I caught fish in anywhere from maybe 5 feet to 30 feet,” he said. “What I’m doing is not unique, but a lot of people aren’t doing it, as far as I can tell. But by no means am I the only person who’s on big fish here.”

The trick now is to repeat Saturday’s successes on Sunday.

“Clear Lake is known for being feast or famine,” Her said. “You can smash ’em one day and the next, you can leave disappointed. I’ve been on both ends of it, so hopefully I’m on the good end tomorrow.”

Behind Her and Brannon are third, Oregon’s Brandon Hua, 94.25; fourth, California’s Aaron Hart, 93; and fifth, Arizona’s Andrew Martin, 91. Brannon caught the longest bass of the day — a 23.25-inch largemouth he hooked between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Saturday. The angler with the longest bass in the tournament will earn a $500 prize.

In all, 76 anglers are competing in the event on Clear Lake.  A total of $15,200 in prize money is up for grabs, the fourth of six regular-season stops on the Kayak Series this year. The winner will earn $4,500, as well as one of five spots in the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship presented by Native Watercraft, which will be held Oct. 14-16 on Lake Murray in South Carolina.

The second and final day of the Clear Lake derby will begin Sunday at 6 a.m. PT and end at 2 p.m. Fish must be entered into the TourneyX scoring system by 3 p.m. to count toward an angler’s total. The top finishers will be honored at an awards ceremony at 5 p.m. at Konocti Casino & Resort in Lakeport, Calif.

Follow all the action online at Bassmaster.com.

Jackson Family Wines and Trimyc Mechanical, Inc. are hosting this 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.