18-year-old skips graduation, claims $100,000 title and REDCREST berth in record-setting performance
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jack Story of Atlanta delivered a performance beyond his years, going wire-to-wire to win the 43rd annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American on Lake Murray and taking home the $100,000 top prize.
The 18-year-old — who was supposed to attend his high school graduation this weekend — instead stood atop the leaderboard all three days, finishing with a three-day total of 61 pounds, 8 ounces. His final-day limit of 17-7 proved just enough to hold off a late charge from Brooks Anderson of Marietta, Georgia, who finished second at 60-14.
With the win, Story becomes the youngest champion in event history, surpassing a mark set by Jacob Wheeler 15 years ago. He also earns a coveted berth in REDCREST 2027, the premier championship event in Major League Fishing.
Despite his dominance, Story admitted the pressure was real on Championship Saturday.
“This morning, I had to tie my leader knot four or five times because my hands were shaking so bad,” he said. “It’s awesome now—but not when you can’t tie your knot and fish are schooling around you.”
Raised on Lake Lanier and skilled in forward-facing sonar techniques, Story relied heavily on targeting blueback herring-feeding bass using a Zoom Fluke. After a dominant Day 1 catch of 22-11, he adjusted through changing conditions to maintain his lead.
Day 2 required a critical mid-day decision, abandoning one pattern and returning to wind-blown fish — a move that produced key bites, including a 5-pound, 7-ounce bass. On the final day, when his primary offshore bite faltered, Story salvaged his limit by rotating to backup fish he had located during practice.
“I had four fry-guarders marked,” Story said. “Three were gone. The fourth one was still there, and that fish made a big difference.”
His versatility proved decisive. Four of his final-day fish came without electronics, including a key late cull that helped secure the narrow victory.
Top 5 Boaters — 2026 BFL All-American (Lake Murray)
- Jack Story, Atlanta, Ga. — 61-8 ($100,000)
- Brooks Anderson, Marietta, Ga. — 60-14 ($35,000)
- Caz Anderson, Haysville, N.C. — 59-13 ($15,000)
- Tom Frink, Southside, Ala. — 59-8 ($21,000)
- Lucas Murphy, West Columbia, S.C. — 57-6 ($18,000)
In the co-angler division, Zachary Howell of Tipton, Iowa, won with 28 pounds, 6 ounces, earning $50,000. Howell’s victory carried emotional weight, as he competed in honor of his grandmother, who encouraged him to fish the tournament before her passing earlier in the week.
The three-day championship, hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism, featured 47 boaters and 47 co-anglers, with the field cut to the top 10 in each division for the final day.
Television coverage of the event will air Aug. 23 on VICE TV.
