When I caught up with professional kayak angler Wyatt Hammond on Wednesday, he was in Guntersville, Ala., preparing for a pretty big weekend at the Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) National Championship.
“I’ve won it the past two years. I’m trying to see if I can do it three years in a row,” Hammond told OutKick OutDoors.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated. This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE FROM OUTKICK OUTDOORS
Well, folks, mission accomplished.
Wyatt Hammond took home the 2026 KBF Challenge Series Championship on Lake Guntersville, Ala. (Mark Cisneros)
Not only did Hammond complete the historic three-peat on Friday, but he also claimed the 2026 KBF Challenge Series Championship, earned Angler of the Year honors and set a new KBF record for the highest three-day total.
Not too shabby.
Hammond, who also won the 2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series National Championship, now has four national titles on his résumé. And his latest victory might have been his most impressive yet.
Three days, three massive limits and one historic finish
Hammond wasted no time getting to work at the KBF Championships on Lakes Guntersville and Wheeler.
He opened Wednesday’s Challenge Series Championship with a 106-inch five-fish limit, building a commanding 9.75-inch lead over the rest of the field.
Watch Wyatt Hammond’s full interview with OutKick OutDoors here:
For those unfamiliar with competitive kayak fishing, anglers are scored by the total length of their five longest bass rather than weight. Fish are measured, photographed and released instead of being transported to a traditional weigh-in.
On Thursday, Hammond followed up with another impressive limit of 102.25 inches, bringing his two-day total to 208.25 inches.
That was enough to win the Challenge Series Championship by a whopping 15.75 inches over runner-up Jody Queen.
But the biggest prize was still up for grabs.
FISHING IS BIG BUSINESS, AND FXR FOUNDER SAYS THE SPORT’S GROWTH IS ONLY GETTING STARTED
For Friday’s KBF National Championship, the leaderboard reset to zero, meaning Hammond’s massive lead from the previous two days meant absolutely nothing. He would have to do it all over again.
And that’s exactly what he did.
Hammond landed another five-fish limit totaling 101.75 inches, narrowly edging out Rus Snyders, who finished with 100.50 inches. Abby Abbondanza took third with 99.25 inches.
Just 1.25 inches separated first and second place.
A 7 pound largemouth bass is held against a backdrop of cypress trees. (Getty: JLFCapture)
The victory made Hammond the first angler in KBF history to win three consecutive national championships.
And if that weren’t enough, his combined total of 310 inches over the three days established a new KBF record. That’s 15 scoring bass averaging more than 20 inches apiece.
From a heartbreaking two-inch loss to making history
What makes Hammond’s latest accomplishment even more remarkable is what happened just a few weeks earlier.
In October, he came within two inches of defending his Bassmaster Kayak Series National Championship at Lake Murray in South Carolina.
Hammond told OutKick OutDoors that a slow start on Day 1 ultimately cost him, despite recording the largest single-day limit of the tournament on Day 2.
“I kind of got in my own head and kind of spun myself out,” he explained.
Wyatt Hammond is a three-time kayak fishing national champion. (Mark Cisneros)
But after settling down and sticking to his game plan, he finished strong. It just wasn’t quite enough to catch eventual champion Ewing Minor.
During our conversation Wednesday, Hammond also opened up about the pressure that comes with being a national champion and how that pressure nearly burned him out on fishing altogether.
“I was really putting a lot of stress on myself. Like, I have to do well because, you know, I won a national championship,” he said. “I have to continue doing well.”
Eventually, Hammond realized he needed to stop worrying so much about the results and get back to enjoying the sport.
“I did a lot better whenever I enjoyed what I was doing,” he said.
Judging by this week’s results, that approach seems to be working out pretty well.
What’s next for the four-time national champion?
When I asked Hammond about his goals for 2027, he already had his sights set on another familiar rival.
“I’m gonna see if I can take something from Ewing [Minor] next year. I can’t let him win everything all over again,” he joked.
Hammond said winning Bassmaster’s Angler of the Year award would be a dream, and he’s particularly excited about upcoming tournaments at Lake Champlain and Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
Wyatt Hammond fishes from his Old Town Sportsman AutoPilot 136 motorized kayak. (Carson Krenske)
But first, he can enjoy making history.
SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY OUTKICK NEWSLETTER
Three consecutive KBF national championships. Four national titles overall. A Challenge Series championship, an Angler of the Year award and a new KBF record.
Bravo, Wyatt.
Love all things fishing and outdoors? Follow OutKick OutDoors on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube!