By Jason Duran
The Alabama Bass Trail South Division stop at Lake Martin unfolded much like many expected for this time of year, but in one critical way, it stood apart. Anglers widely believed 15 pounds would be the winning number, and that prediction proved accurate. What no one could fully account for was the single fish that would ultimately define the entire tournament.
Josh Harrison and his 13 year old nephew Huck Harrison brought 15.69 pounds to the scales to claim the victory and the 15000 dollar first place prize. Their winning limit was anchored by a 7.49 pound largemouth, the Mountain Dew Big Bass of the event and the largest fish ever weighed in an Alabama Bass Trail tournament on Lake Martin. That one fish not only separated them from the field, but also accounted for nearly half of their total weight in a tournament where ounces determined everything.
The margins at the top were razor thin. Chip Bradley and Nick Harris finished second with 15.47 pounds to earn 7500 dollars, just 0.22 pounds behind the winners. Dashton Dawson, fishing solo, claimed third with 15.35 pounds to earn 6000 dollars, finishing only 0.34 pounds out of the lead. The tight spread reflected a lake that offered opportunities but demanded precision, where one lost fish or one key bite could completely change the outcome.
The win also marked a milestone moment for the Trail, as Huck Harrison became the youngest angler to ever win an Alabama Bass Trail event at just 13 years old. It was a significant step forward for a team that has steadily built momentum over the past year.
The win is not an isolated moment for the Harrison family. It builds on a story that has been developing over the past few seasons, one rooted in family, consistency, and time on the water together. After cashing two checks in the South Division last year, Josh and Huck have steadily progressed, and this victory marks a breakthrough moment that reflects both experience and growth.
For the Harrisons, the day centered around a single decision that carried both risk and reward. Harrison had located a large bed fish during the week and made the choice to start on it, knowing the time investment could dictate the rest of the day.
“I found that fish on bed,” Harrison said. “She’d been there for two days. We went straight to her first.”
The execution required patience and discipline. Harrison described the process as slow and deliberate, taking nearly an hour to position the boat and make the right cast.
“I think it took me an hour to go 100 yards to make that cast,” he said. “Caught her on the first cast.”
Even with that efficiency, nothing about the moment felt secure until the fish was in the boat.
“I was nervous until she was in the boat,” Harrison said.
That responsibility fell to Huck, whose net job ultimately secured the biggest fish of the tournament.
“My heart was pumping,” Huck said. “I just hoped it didn’t get off.”
Harrison and Harrison’s winning limit weighed 15.69 pounds and earned them 15000 dollars. They also added an additional 1000 dollars for Big Fish, anchored by the tournament defining 7.49 pound largemouth. From that point forward, the focus shifted to filling out a limit, a process that proved more challenging than expected.
The pair relied on a weightless wacky worm on light spinning tackle to generate bites throughout the day. While they anticipated a heavier overall bag after landing the giant, Lake Martin required a patient, methodical approach to complete their limit.
“I figured about 18 pounds with that fish,” Harrison said. “But we had to grind to finish out a limit.”
Rather than making long runs or chasing new water, they committed to working their way back through productive areas, maximizing each opportunity as it came. That decision to stay disciplined ultimately preserved their lead in a tournament where the margin for error was virtually nonexistent.
The win carried added meaning beyond the numbers. Huck not only won alongside his uncle, but did so while competing against his own parents, who finished 10th in the same event. It was a full circle moment that highlighted the family driven culture of the Alabama Bass Trail.
“It’s a family competition,” Huck said.
For Bradley and Harris, the story of second place was defined by missed opportunities that proved costly in such a tight field. After an inconsistent practice, the team committed to a mid lake area that offered the right balance of water clarity and activity.
“Practice was kind of up and down,” Bradley said. “We got in an area we felt comfortable with and stayed there.”
Their day began with a productive shad spawn bite and continued to build with a key mid morning fish that helped anchor their limit.
“We caught one close to five around ten o’clock,” Harris said.
Momentum shifted quickly after that. The team lost two quality fish in back to back casts, both of which could have significantly impacted the final standings.
“We lost two back to back,” Bradley said. “They were heavy bites. We’d stick them for a second and they were gone.”
Those missed fish loomed large in a tournament decided by ounces, reinforcing how little separation existed at the top.
“Oh yeah, they would have helped,” Harris said. “Those were legitimate fish.”
Their approach blended multiple techniques, including a wacky rigged Yamamoto Senko, a SPRO frog, a War Eagle spinnerbait, and a creature bait, allowing them to adapt to changing conditions throughout the day.
Dawson’s third place finish told a different story, one built on adaptability and a commitment to fishing in the moment. Competing solo, he relied on instinct rather than history, adjusting throughout the day as conditions evolved.
“Practice was interesting,” Dawson said. “Some days I caught them, other days I didn’t. Today was ten times better than practice.”
His strategy focused on locating fish in extremely shallow water, targeting postspawn females that were transitioning out of spawning areas. Dawson emphasized stealth, turning off electronics and minimizing disturbance to better approach cruising fish in inches of water.
“I was keeping everything quiet, looking for big cruisers and ambush spots,” he said.
He committed entirely to Blue Creek, trusting his familiarity with the area rather than covering water across the lake. His key baits included a large finesse worm on light line, a glide bait, and topwater presentations designed to trigger bigger bites.
Even with the right approach, execution remained the deciding factor.
“I had two big ones come unpinned,” he said.
That theme extended across the field. Lake Martin produced limits for much of the field, but finding quality proved to be the challenge. The result was a tournament where one big bite, or one missed opportunity, ultimately determined the outcome.
It also had a direct impact on the Angler of the Year race. Rutland and Carden maintain the lead with 665 points after their fifth place finish. Bradley and Harris remain close behind with 659 points, while Dawson’s strong showing moves him firmly into contention with 642.
With several events still remaining, the standings remain tight, and the importance of consistency continues to grow.
Lake Martin made one thing clear. There is no margin for error.
Fans can watch all the live coverage and follow every Alabama Bass Trail event by visiting www.alabamabasstrail.org, with on the water action streamed live on Facebook and YouTube, followed by weigh in coverage each tournament afternoon.
The Alabama Bass Trail Podcast continues to provide in depth coverage of each event, including angler interviews, tournament insights, and behind the scenes stories from across the Trail. New episodes are released each week and are available on all major podcast platforms.
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