COLLINS $10K CHAMPIONSHIP - AUG 8-9
Plymouth, NC – The 2026 NC Bass Challenge season got off to a strong start this past Saturday on the Roanoke River, where 113 teams launched for the first event of the year and brought plenty of big fish to the scales.
When weigh-in was complete, Adam Baldwin and Jason Tripp claimed the victory with a five-bass limit weighing 21.82 pounds, narrowly edging out Dean Thompson and Steve Vann, who finished second with 21.68 pounds. The winning margin was just 0.14 pounds, showing just how competitive the Roanoke River can be this time of year.
Rounding out the top three were Kenneth Mayton and Paul Stevens with 21.33 pounds.
Baldwin and Tripp put together an impressive bag in tough post-front conditions and shared how their day unfolded on the water.
“We targeted pre spawners out on stumps in staging areas adjacent to spawning flats with a mix of moving baits/plastics,” said Jason Tripp. “Our best bites came later as we were following a cold front that seemed to have the bigger females backed off waiting for the conditions to stabilize.”
The event also produced an outstanding Big Fish. Buster Seabolt and Scott Mooneyham brought an 8.24-pound bass to the scales, the largest fish weighed in during the tournament.
The Roanoke River showed out for the season opener, with multiple teams breaking the 20-pound mark and a strong overall weigh-in field. A total of 89 teams weighed in fish, and 63 teams brought five-bass limits to the scales, a strong sign of the fishery’s health and the quality of competition in the NC Bass Challenge.
Top 10 Results
1. Adam Baldwin / Jason Tripp – 21.82
2. Dean Thompson / Steve Vann – 21.68
3. Kenneth Mayton / Paul Stevens – 21.33
4. JT Denton / Stephen Denton – 18.98
5. Tony Coats / Ronald Straughn – 18.82
6. Raymond Jones III / Braxton Chase – 18.35
7. JA Williford / Mike Layton – 17.97
8. Cody Matthews / Marty Matthews – 17.77
9. Tyler Little / Chase Crocker – 17.58
10. Al Kennedy / Justin Kennedy – 17.55
Several other notable catches highlighted the day, including JT Denton and Stephen Denton’s 7.84-pounder, JA Williford and Mike Layton’s 7.18-pound bass, and Fred Stancil and Clayton Boyette’s 7.20-pound fish, proving that the Roanoke River continues to produce heavyweight largemouth in early spring.
The 2026 season is now officially underway, and if the first stop is any indication, anglers and fans alike are in for another exciting year of NC Bass Challenge competition.
Points standings from the Roanoke River event are available through NC Bass Challenge.
Full Tournament Results
| POS | TEAM | FISH | BF | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adam Baldwin / Jason Tripp | 5 | 6.19 | 21.82 |
| 2 | Dean Thompson /Steve Vann | 5 | 6.37 | 21.68 |
| 3 | Kenneth Mayton / Paul Stevens | 5 | 6.59 | 21.33 |
| 4 | JT Denton / Stephen Denton | 5 | 7.84 | 18.98 |
| 5 | Tony Coats / Ronald Straughn | 5 | 18.82 | |
| 6 | Raymond Jones, III / Braxton Chase | 5 | 5.32 | 18.35 |
| 7 | JA Williford / Mike Layton | 5 | 7.18 | 17.97 |
| 8 | Cody Matthews / Marty Matthews | 5 | 6.42 | 17.77 |
| 9 | Tyler Little / Chase Crocker | 5 | 17.58 | |
| 10 | Al Kennedy / Justin Kennedy | 5 | 4.61 | 17.55 |
| 11 | Chris Turner / Ricky Mize | 5 | 5.53 | 17.49 |
| 12 | Maitland Howard / Shawn Howard | 5 | 4.98 | 17.00 |
| 13 | Buster Seabolt / Scott Mooneyham | 5 | 8.24 | 16.93 |
| 14 | Derek Goodman / Chad Chappell | 5 | 6.3 | 16.78 |
| 15 | Blake Eatmon / Jeff Price | 5 | 4.83 | 16.07 |
| 16 | Mike James / Will James | 5 | 15.92 | |
| 17 | Brian Stalls / Kyle White | 5 | 4.77 | 15.82 |
| 18 | Jeremy Ives / Tremain Newton | 5 | 6.5 | 15.64 |
| 19 | Carroll Ward / Steve Brinkley | 5 | 15.60 | |
| 19 | Daniel Boseman / Jordan Hughes | 5 | 15.60 | |
| 21 | Austin Hughes / Holden Northcott | 5 | 4.58 | 15.48 |
| 22 | Wayne Hoskins /William Hoskins | 5 | 5.48 | 15.39 |
| 23 | Kenneth Moore / Joseph Eure | 5 | 15.31 | |
| 24 | Doug White / Mike Cathcart | 5 | 15.28 | |
| 25 | Bobby Lassiter / Johnny Morton | 5 | 4.15 | 15.14 |
| 26 | Shane Burns / Jody Campbell | 5 | 14.93 | |
| 27 | Brian Briesemeister Jr. (sub Steve Pierce) / Brian Briesemeister Sr. | 5 | 14.75 | |
| 28 | Thomas Craft/ Spencer Barrow | 5 | 14.73 | |
| 29 | Brandon Johnson / Wilson Johnson | 5 | 14.60 | |
| 30 | Kirk Nixon / Trent Nixon | 5 | 14.53 | |
| 31 | Luke Edwards / | 5 | 6.74 | 14.47 |
| 32 | Jimmy Roughton / Wilbur Westbrook | 5 | 14.24 | |
| 33 | Justin Coley / Tony Coley | 5 | 4.37 | 14.21 |
| 34 | Kris Rabon / Nathan Nobles (sub Chris Savage) | 5 | 6.68 | 13.74 |
| 35 | Brandon Sykes / Kevin Sutton | 5 | 13.50 | |
| 36 | Mac Barnette / Taylor Barnette | 5 | 13.46 | |
| 37 | Fred Stancil / Clayton Boyette | 4 | 7.2 | 13.45 |
| 38 | Kevin Jones / Tyler Jones | 5 | 13.34 | |
| 39 | Drew Matthews / Ira Matthews | 5 | 13.23 | |
| 40 | Keith Roberts / Billy Owens | 5 | 12.99 | |
| 41 | Adam Harris / Timothy Harris | 5 | 12.63 | |
| 42 | Jason Pittman / Jeremy Hodge | 5 | 12.54 | |
| 43 | Andrew Pittman / Kolton Stotesbury | 5 | 12.27 | |
| 44 | Dennis Boykin / Jimmy Hipkiss | 5 | 12.21 | |
| 45 | Antwan Moore Jr. / Antwan Moore Sr. | 5 | 12.18 | |
| 46 | Ethan Howard / Jon Williams | 5 | 4.41 | 12.11 |
| 47 | Jerry Langley / Daryl Peele | 5 | 12.04 | |
| 48 | Brody Brown /Carl Whittington | 5 | 11.87 | |
| 49 | Vincent Povazsay / Hunter Capps | 5 | 11.84 | |
| 50 | Craig Goess / Matthew Oakley | 5 | 11.64 | |
| 51 | Walt Goff / Phillip Gibson | 3 | 6.24 | 11.54 |
| 52 | Hunter Jones / David Jones | 5 | 11.52 | |
| 53 | Scott Combs / Sammy Barrow | 5 | 11.45 | |
| 54 | Joe Lybrand / Craig Blizzard | 3 | 6.25 | 11.12 |
| 55 | Paul King / Brad Stain | 5 | 10.94 | |
| 56 | Bucky Bass / Robbie Nanney | 5 | 10.92 | |
| 57 | Matthew Watkins / Avery Watkins | 5 | 10.86 | |
| 58 | Adam Richardson / Bentley Richardson | 5 | 3.41 | 10.78 |
| 58 | James Abston / Larry Thomas | 5 | 10.78 | |
| 60 | Mitchell Hofler / Greyson Reel | 5 | 10.56 | |
| 61 | Jamie Revis / Ryan Revis | 5 | 10.29 | |
| 62 | Trey Nanney / | 5 | 9.39 | |
| 63 | Wayne Harris / Larry Thomas | 5 | 9.37 | |
| 64 | Jeremy Fisher / | 5 | 9.04 | |
| 65 | Brock Rouse / Parker Leroy Mills | 5 | 8.88 | |
| 66 | Eric Brown / Rusty Brown | 5 | 8.66 | |
| 67 | Steve Michaels / Derek Stanley sub(Jonathan Dail) | 4 | 8.24 | |
| 68 | Harold Herring / Gerald Herring | 3 | 8.05 | |
| 69 | Patrick Williams / Kevin Williams | 4 | 8.02 | |
| 70 | Ken Hoffman / Brandon Parker | 4 | 7.90 | |
| 71 | Bobby Scott / | 2 | 5.49 | 7.83 |
| 72 | Ronald Jones / Zach Wallace | 4 | 7.80 | |
| 73 | Kevin Ross / Michael Williams | 4 | 7.65 | |
| 74 | Chris Hamilton / Jamie Hill | 4 | 7.29 | |
| 75 | Lee Jones / Shane Johnson | 3 | 6.87 | |
| 76 | Garrett Brown / Aiden | 4 | 6.58 | |
| 77 | Bobby Clark / Thomas Hughes | 3 | 5.69 | |
| 78 | Mike May / Cliff Jenkins | 2 | 5.56 | |
| 78 | Jody Wynn / Troy Modlin | 3 | 5.56 | |
| 80 | Josh Brown / Kyle Smith | 3 | 5.29 | |
| 81 | Tracey King / Jackson King | 2 | 5.02 | |
| 82 | Roger Thomas / | 3 | 4.48 | |
| 83 | Benjamin Dillahunt / Michael Key | 1 | 4.31 | 4.31 |
| 84 | Wayne Stallings / Justin Everett | 2 | 4.24 | |
| 85 | Brandon Ambrose / Olivia Ambrose | 2 | 3.73 | |
| 86 | Tim Piacitelli / Joey Beale | 1 | 3.05 | |
| 87 | Zeb West / Ricky Foss, Jr. | 1 | 1.47 | 1.47 |
| 88 | Cole Wilkins / Hunter Coats | 1 | 1.34 | |
| 89 | Ronnie Casey / | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Greg Milligan / Tom Warner | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Seth Barnes / Joe Daniels | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Mike Whitehurst / Donna Wilson | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Travis Badgett / Tyler Faggart | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Aaron Hershberger / Eugene Foushee | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Robert Monroe / Bubba Barnett | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Jim Krozser / David Meissner | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Greg Dowless / Jacob Chavis | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Brian Williams / Eric Johnson | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Ricardo Lamberty / Andrew Snowball | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Wesley Bennett / Buck Ellis | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Jerry Hardy / | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Brian Cooper / Heath Parrker | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | 0.00 | |||
| 89 | Andrew Wade / Megan Wade | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Ryan Killinger | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Scott Griffin / Jay Allen | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | 0.00 | |||
| 89 | Austin Burgess / John Dunn | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Joseph Gurganus / Troy Bullock | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Michael Hinson / Charles Westherby | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Mike Williams / Marshall Padrick | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Wyatt Kimmy / | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Devin Gillyard / Hunter Wood | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | Joseph Jernigan / Scott Thomas | 0.00 | ||
| 89 | William Nelson / | 0.00 | ||
Tournament Pictures
