Pickering angler Evan Kung has delivered the biggest victory of his professional fishing career, winning the 2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at the St. Lawrence River and earning a berth in the 2027 Bassmaster Classic.
The Evan Kung Bassmaster win came with a record-setting four-day total of 109 pounds, 9 ounces of smallmouth bass.
The 27-year-old Durham College graduate entered the season-ending tournament facing the possibility of losing his Bassmaster Elite Series status. Instead, he left Clayton, New York, with his first Elite Series trophy, a place in next year’s Classic and his position on the professional circuit secured.
Kung sets Bassmaster smallmouth record
Kung’s 109-pound, 9-ounce winning total established a Bassmaster record for the heaviest tournament-winning weight consisting entirely of smallmouth bass.
The previous mark was the 105-pound total recorded by Patrick Walters during a 2023 tournament on the St. Lawrence River.
Kung also became a first-time member of the Bassmaster Century Club, which recognizes anglers who catch more than 100 pounds during an eligible four-day tournament.
He started the event in fourth place after bringing 26 pounds, 9 ounces to the scales on Day 1.
A 28-pound, 9-ounce limit moved him into second after the second day, and another 26 pounds, 11 ounces kept him in contention entering Championship Sunday.
Final-day catch delivers Pickering angler victory
Kung saved one of his strongest performances for the final day.
He brought 27 pounds, 12 ounces to the scales, including a 6-pound, 13-ounce smallmouth that earned Big Bass of the Day honours.
The final catch pushed him ahead of Trey McKinney, who finished second with 107 pounds, 9 ounces. Tucker Smith placed third with 107 pounds, 1 ounce.
Kung’s victory was particularly significant because he entered the tournament ranked 72nd in the season standings.
He needed a strong finish to move above the Elite Series retention line and keep his place on the circuit for 2027.
Instead of merely surviving, Kung won the tournament.
Victory earns 2027 Bassmaster Classic berth
The championship also gives Kung an automatic place in the 2027 Bassmaster Classic, one of competitive bass fishing’s most prestigious events.
The Classic is scheduled for next March at Lake Hartwell in South Carolina.
It will mark another milestone in a career that began when Kung started fishing as a child in Ontario.
Bassmaster lists Lake Simcoe as his home water and finesse fishing for smallmouth as his signature strength.
He began competing alongside his father as a teenager before progressing through increasingly competitive tournament circuits.
Durham College graduate pursued professional fishing
Kung’s connection to Durham extends beyond his Pickering hometown.
He graduated from Durham College in Oshawa in 2023 after studying small business entrepreneurship.
Following graduation, Kung chose to pursue professional fishing and eventually qualified for the Bassmaster Elite Series through the Elite Qualifiers division.
His route to the Elites included four top-20 finishes during qualifying competition.
Now, after a difficult 2026 season threatened his position on the tour, the Evan Kung Bassmaster win has transformed the end of his year.
The Pickering angler leaves the St. Lawrence River not only as an Elite Series champion, but as a Bassmaster record holder and a confirmed competitor in the 2027 Bassmaster Classic.
