Florida Elite Anglers Opens 2026–2027 Season at Winter Haven
Weekend Champions Crowned on the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes
September 19–20, 2026 | Winter Haven Chain of Lakes | Old Lake Shipp Park
Florida Elite Anglers kicked off the 2026–2027 Junior/High School Tournament Series with an outstanding weekend of competition on the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes.
A total of 70 teams competed during the opening weekend, including a record 17 Junior teams and 53 High School teams. With warm September weather and challenging conditions, our anglers went to work chasing the first victories of the new season.
Congratulations to everyone who competed, and especially to our tournament champions and Top 3 finishers!
Saturday — South Trail #1
Junior Division
🥇1st Place — Mac Swain / Lane Hermelbracht — 14.90 lbs.
🥈2nd Place — Fisher Holloway / Brycen Moriarty — 11.81 lbs.
🥉3rd Place — Nolan Hawkins — 10.09 lbs.
🏆Big Bass — Mac Swain / Lane Hermelbracht — 6.72 lbs.
Mac Swain and Lane Hermelbracht wasted no time making their mark on the new season. Their 14.90-pound limit earned them the first Junior South Trail victory of 2026–2027.
The team also captured Junior Big Bass honors with a 6.72-pound largemouth, completing a memorable opening day.
High School Division
🥇1st Place — Ella Ready / Landon Haynes — 16.93 lbs.
🥈2nd Place — Brentley West / Jack Kennedy — 14.93 lbs.
🥉3rd Place — Landon Burke / Kolbey Burke — 13.49 lbs.
🏆Big Bass — Ella Ready / Landon Haynes — 6.84 lbs.
Ella Ready and Landon Haynes turned in the heaviest bag of Saturday's competition, weighing 16.93 pounds to claim the South Trail #1 High School championship.
They weren't finished there. Ella and Landon also captured High School Big Bass with a 6.84-pound largemouth, giving them both major awards from Saturday's tournament.
Sunday — Fall Trail #1
A new tournament began Sunday morning, and several teams that were near the top of Saturday's leaderboard were right back in contention.
Junior Division
🥇1st Place — Fisher Holloway / Brycen Moriarty — 10.94 lbs.
🥈2nd Place — Lake McIntyre / River McIntyre — 10.64 lbs.
🥉3rd Place — Mac Swain / Lane Hermelbracht — 10.15 lbs.
After finishing second on Saturday, Fisher Holloway and Brycen Moriarty came back Sunday and finished the job.
Their 10.94-pound limit gave them the Fall Trail #1 Junior championship by just 0.30 pounds over Lake McIntyre and River McIntyre.
Saturday champions Mac Swain and Lane Hermelbracht remained near the top as well, finishing third Sunday with 10.15 pounds.
High School Division
🥇1st Place — Ella Ready / Landon Haynes — 14.83 lbs.
🥈2nd Place — Weston Stevens / Fishur Webb — 13.65 lbs.
🥉3rd Place — Tucker Thomas / Cohen Pope — 13.12 lbs.
The biggest storyline of the weekend belonged to Ella Ready and Landon Haynes.
After winning South Trail #1 on Saturday, Ella and Landon returned Sunday and weighed another 14.83 pounds to capture Fall Trail #1.
Two tournaments. Two victories. A weekend sweep.
Across the two tournaments, Ella and Landon weighed a combined 31.76 pounds, while also taking Saturday's 6.84-pound High School Big Bass.
That's one way to start a season!
A Great Start to the 2026–2027 Season
Opening weekend was about much more than the teams standing at the top of the leaderboard.
It was about 70 teams competing, young anglers getting back on the water, boat captains donating their time and equipment, families supporting their anglers, and another season beginning with opportunities ahead for everyone.
Over the next eight months, these anglers will continue competing for trail championships, Team of the Year honors and opportunities to advance to the TBF Junior World Championship and SAF/TBF High School National Championship.
There is a lot of fishing still ahead.
Thank You, Winter Haven!
Florida Elite Anglers extends a special thank-you to Winter Haven, Polk County and Visit Central Florida for welcoming our anglers, boat captains and families to the community.
To those who live in the Winter Haven area, thank you for sharing your community and these great facilities with us. The Florida Elite Anglers team was in town beginning Wednesday, and the hospitality throughout the week was greatly appreciated.
We also want to thank our parents, families and friends. Your anglers could not do this without you. From early mornings and long drives to boats, fuel, equipment and countless hours on the water, your support makes these opportunities possible.
Thank you to every boat captain who gives their time and provides a boat so these young anglers have the opportunity to compete.
And thank you to our sponsors and supporting partners whose investment helps Florida Elite Anglers continue providing opportunities for young anglers throughout Florida and South Georgia.
Finally, thank you to the Florida Elite Anglers tournament team and volunteers who worked throughout the weekend to make opening weekend possible.
The Season Is Underway
Congratulations again to all of our South Trail #1 and Fall Trail #1 champions and Top 3 finishers.
One weekend is in the books, but there is a lot of fishing left between now and the end of the season.
Building Champions On and Off the Water.
Compete. Support. Succeed.
To be the best, you have to beat the best!
To see the full results of the tournament on the Winter Haven Chain, click here https://share.fishingchaos.com/tournament/I133z9AtxhP6FkY8h3Xe
