 What a way to kick off the 2026 Hook & Paddle Bass Series in Woodstock, West NB Tourism and a huge thank you to Woodstock Tourism & Events for being such a generous host. It was awesome to have Mayor Jones and Tobi on hand to help present the awards and welcome anglers from across the region. Despite early forecasts calling for cold, wet conditions, anglers were treated to one of the calmest days we’ve seen on the Saint John River and Meduxnekeag. But don’t let the sunshine fool you—this was no easy bite. Post-frontal conditions, shared water, boat traffic, and shoreline pressure made it a true mental grind. Anglers had to slow down, adjust, and out-think the field. And once again… HP anglers proved that they can still find ‘em. COMEBACK OF THE DAY – Ben Woo Everything that could go wrong early… did. A late start put Ben hours behind the field—but he didn’t panic. He locked in, adjusted, and clawed his way back to an incredible 6th place finish (85.75”). That’s grit. That’s tournament fishing. With 32 anglers and 168 fish submitted, it came down to inches at the top… 1st – Peter Nyenhuis (88.50”) $720.00 Peter wastes no time making a statement in 2026. Anchored by a 20” tank, he put together the most complete bag of the day. In a tournament where bites were hard-earned, Peter separated himself with consistency and execution when it mattered most. 2nd – Ivan Khimich (88.25”) $432.00 Just a quarter inch back, Ivan put together one of the most balanced limits we’ve seen—five fish all in the 17–19” class. No giants needed—just pure efficiency and dialing in a repeatable pattern under pressure. 3rd – Ryan Whalen (88.25”) $288.00 Matching Ivan inch-for-inch but edged out on tiebreakers, Ryan proved he’s always a threat. His bag featured multiple high-17s and 18+ fish, showing he was around quality all day long. 4th – Matthew Fast (88.00”) $75.00 Matthew tied for the biggest fish of the tournament (20”), proving he found the right ones—but just needed a touch more to climb the leaderboard. Still, a powerhouse performance and a warning shot to the field. 5th – Gage Nyenhuis (87.25”) $75.00 Keeping it in the family, Gage rounds out the Top 5 with one of the most consistent limits of the day—five solid fish all hovering around the 17” mark. No wasted casts, no wasted opportunities. FULL RESULTS HERE https://live.tourneyx.com/?id=26439 THE STORY OF THE DAY Tight quarters. Shared water. Boat traffic. Tough conditions. Late starts. Adjustments. Mental battles. And still… the best rise to the top.
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