South's Trajectory Continues Upward With Bassmaster Open Win
Texas pro delivers a record-setting performance at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Feb. 24, 2026) – Abu Garcia and Fenwick pro Pake South captured a decisive win at the Bassmaster Open on Sam Rayburn Reservoir after a monster final two days on the Texas impoundment. South established early momentum and executed a steady game plan through changing conditions to close out the victory on Championship Saturday with a record-setting three-day total of 96 lb. 15 oz.
South opened the event with 28 lb. 1 oz. to sit in 5th place before surging to the top with 34 lb. 4 oz. on day two. He sealed the victory on Championship Saturday with his heaviest limit of the tournament at 34 lb. 10 oz., anchored by a 10 lb. 15 oz. largemouth. South's three-day total of 96 lb. 15 oz. secured the win by a commanding 15 lb. 14 oz., marking one of the largest margins of victory in Bassmaster Open history.
Coming into the event, South knew he would have a short practice window, fresh off a top 10 finish at the Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Martin the week prior. He later noted that the less than two days of practice helped him stay fluid in his approach and adjust as conditions changed day-to-day.
"I drove through the night and got into town around 4 a.m. Monday morning after fishing the Elite on Lake Martin the day before," South said. "The boat wasn't even charged, so I actually slept in until noon to let it charge up, which only left me about a day and a half of practice. I know where they like to live on that lake, but I didn't really have a great practice. I knew I was going to have to run some new water and figure it out on the fly."
Despite the limited preparation time, South leaned on experience and instincts, knowing he would need to stay flexible throughout the event. Rather than forcing areas that didn't materialize in practice, he remained open to adjusting as the tournament unfolded.
"The spot I ended up winning off of, I didn't have much success there in practice. They really seemed to show up overnight after that final day of practice. Because I wasn't fishing this event for points, I was able to fish loose."
Executing When It Mattered Most
The first day of competition landed South in 5th place with a strong bag of 28 lb. 1 oz. with the tournament leader holding nearly a 9-pound advantage. However, the Winnsboro, Texas pro knew this event would be won through consistency rather than a single standout day.
Day two saw South rocket to the top, bringing in the best limit of the day with 34 lb. 4 oz., giving him an even 5-pound lead heading into Championship Saturday.
As the tournament progressed and pressure increased, South relied on a disciplined approach, rotating through key areas and staying committed to his strengths, knowing he would need another solid day on Saturday to remain in contention for the top spot.
Photo by B.A.S.S.
On the final day, with the field well within striking distance given the large weights being brought to the scales, South stayed composed and executed when it mattered most, putting together his best day of the tournament with 34 lb. 10 oz, anchored by a true Texas giant weighing 10 lb. 15 oz. South's defining moment came midway through the final day when he located a pair of fish positioned in one of the key drains he had been fishing all week. Capitalizing on the moment proved to be a defining factor in his historic victory, helping secure a record-setting three-day total of 96 lb. 15 oz.
"I saw them cruising down the middle of the drain on forward-facing sonar. At first I thought it was about an 8-pounder with a five behind it, but after I made the long cast and the smaller one ate it, I realized they were much bigger than I thought. I didn't realize how big she was until she opened her mouth at the boatside, and that's when I got really excited. After I got her in the livewell, I couldn't locate the other one, but I'm guessing that one would have been somewhere in the mid-teens."
Confidence in the System
South leaned on two setups throughout his dominant Bassmaster Open victory. He relied on a Fenwick World Class 6'8" medium power moderate-fast action rod paired with a Berkley Stunna 112 jerkbait when fishing more open water away from the trees that make Sam Rayburn so famous. When he located fish in heavier cover, he opted for a power finesse approach with another Fenwick World Class, this time a 7'3" medium-heavy power fast action.
He paired each rod with an Abu Garcia Zenon X 8.3:1 casting reel, spooled with 20-pound Berkley 100% Fluorocarbon on his power finesse setup and 15-pound test of the same line for his jerkbait presentation.
"When you're competing at this level, confidence in your equipment matters," said South. "I knew what my plan was going into those final two days, and when you trust your setups it lets you focus on fishing instead of second-guessing yourself."
Photo by B.A.S.S.
Building Momentum
The victory marks a major milestone in South's career and positions him strongly for the remainder of the Bassmaster Elite Series season as he continues his rookie campaign.
"Watching Pake execute this week was impressive," said Marc Kempter, Vice President of Marketing for Pure Fishing. "He started strong, but what he put together on the final two days of competition was truly special. He once again proved he can compete against the best of the best. We're proud to have him representing our brands and are excited to see how he builds on this success for the remainder of the Bassmaster Elite Series season."
From South's perspective, the win represents both validation and momentum as he looks ahead to the rest of the season.
"It gives me a real boost of confidence. That top 10 at Lake Martin was great, but this last year I've felt like I've been right on the bubble of getting a win, so being able to close one out here was really special. I'm excited for the rest of the Elite season. I proved that I can catch them using forward-facing sonar, and I'm ready to keep it rolling and show that I can catch them without it, too," says South.
With momentum on his side, South now turns his attention back to the Bassmaster Elite Series season, looking to build on this performance and continuing to climb the Angler of the Year and Rookie of the Year standings as he carries confidence into the remainder of his rookie campaign.
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