PARK FALLS, Wis. – February 5, 2026 – It’s an thrilling week for bass followers. This 12 months’s Bassmaster Elite Collection kicks off Thursday morning on Northern Alabama’s storied Lake Guntersville. Components of the lake had been truly frozen over throughout apply. Then it rained. Now the climate is clearing. So as to add much more drama to the combination, the 2026 Bassmaster Elite opener will probably be one among a number of this season the place forward-facing sonar shouldn’t be allowed – a big storyline, as the enormous wintertime luggage Guntersville is thought for have largely come from pinging open-water targets. J.T. Thompkins, the latest professional on the St. Croix Rod and SEVIIN Reels crew, is coming into his third season within the Elites. The 24-year-old from Myrtle Seaside, South Carolina blazed onto the nationwide scene by successful the MLF Toyota Collection on Harris Chain of Lakes at age 19 and ending on the very high of the Bassmaster Opens EQ Factors Race in 2023. He completed his first two Elite Seasons (2024 and 2025) in fifteenth place in AOY and has certified for 3 Bassmaster Classics. He’s definitely one to observe at Guntersville this weekend… and this complete season.
“Every time I take a look at corporations to work with, individuals are crucial issue,” says Thompkins. “My relationship with St. Croix and SEVIIN began with the distinctive assist I noticed them present to my buddy, Trey (McKinney), then speaking with individuals like Jesse Simpkins and Cristian Simpkins at Bassmaster Opens occasions. We created this relationship over the previous couple of years, in a roundabout way working collectively, however simply attending to know and admire each other.” When Thompkins entered the Elites, he bought to know extra of the St. Croix and SEVIIN Groups. “By the point I began utilizing some St. Croix Rods and SEVIIN Reels, I simply determined I wished to be part of this superb crew. The efficiency and the individuals are spectacular. Dominance is the very best English phrase for it. McKinney, Schlapper, Downey, and Kuphall on the rod facet notched three of final season’s Bassmaster Elite wins and several other different top-tens. Then you definitely’ve bought legends like John Crews and Hank Cherry on the reel facet, and Jesse Wiggins and Stephen Browning, who’re on the high of their recreation on a number of the different huge excursions. They’ll use something, however they’re passionately devoted to those manufacturers. I’m proud to be part of the crew.” St. Croix Vice-President of Advertising, Jesse Simpkins, echoes equal enthusiasm. “It’s been actually enjoyable not solely watching J.T. excel at each degree the place he’s competed, but additionally growing that particular private relationship with him previous to any enterprise association. It’s apparent to me that he’d be a outstanding and profitable younger skilled no matter his subject, however right here he’s on the top-level of aggressive bass fishing. He’s a really particular match for our manufacturers and we couldn’t be prouder or extra happy to have J.T. on the crew formally representing St. Croix Rod and SEVIIN Reels.” Thompkins says time will inform, however he appears like Guntersville is establishing nicely for him.
“I’m a superb shallow-water sample fisherman,” he says. My largest robust go well with proper now might be brush-pile fishing, and I additionally really feel like I’m good at utilizing my electronics… not simply forward-facing sonar, however mapping and all of the sonar modules. That is going to be vital given the pre-tournament situations at Guntersville, which can also be a no-live-sonar occasion. Anglers are going to pay attention extra on traditional construction. So, utilizing your mapping and sonar to actually dissect, perceive, and interpret the main points of those areas may play huge.” Thompkins has been fishing a whole lot of St. Croix rods and SEVIIN reels however says the Legend Match Bass 74HF is one among his favorites. “It’s a flexible rod that works very well with soccer jigs, your huge worms, your Carolina rigs, frogs, and even glides and greater swim baits. I actually take pleasure in that rod,” says Thompkins, who can also be fan of the brand new Legend X2 Collection. “I particularly just like the Legend X2 73MHF for smaller jigs, shaky heads, spinner baits, and a whole lot of different totally different shows. That’s a standout for me, however I’ve but to select up a Legend X2 that I haven’t wished to fish. The sensitivity and stability are off the charts, and the strength-to-weight ratio of all these rods is one thing I simply haven’t skilled earlier than.”
On the reel facet, “I believe all of the SEVIINs are actually nice reels,” he says. “Whenever you’re in search of the very highest efficiency, the GX casting and spinning reels are clearly high of the road. However I’ve actually loved the GF sequence, too. lots of people… they don’t desire a larger, bulkier casting reel that has all of the know-how. They need a smaller, extra reasonably priced reel that has nice structural integrity, high quality guts, and nice manufacturing… a particularly castable and dependable reel that flat-out outperforms its value. The GF casting reel is my bread-and-butter total, simply because the efficiency for the $135 value is so exhausting to beat, you understand. It’s smaller in your palms. It’s easy. I adore it.” Thompkins says whereas he’d like to make 4 or 5 high tens this season and end within the high three for AOY, there are different objectives which can be extra vital to him. “Simply turning into a greater angler every single day,” he says. “, do the very best I can, put my religion in God, give all of it to Him, and He’ll present me the place I’m as an angler. Everytime you try this whereas working to the very best of your skill, you’ll be able to by no means look again and say it was the fallacious factor, or one thing else ought to have occurred.” Observe J.T. Thompkins, the remainder of the St. Croix and SEVIIN groups, and all of the motion from Lake Guntersville and your complete Bassmaster Elite Collection season at bassmaster.com. About St. Croix RodHeadquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Finest Rods on Earth” for over 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with expert craftsmanship, St. Croix is the one main producer to nonetheless construct rods totally from design by means of manufacturing. The corporate stays family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing services in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With fashionable trademarked sequence reminiscent of Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all sorts of anglers from all over the world. The St. Croix Household of Manufacturers consists of St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks. About SEVIIN ReelsWherever and nevertheless you fish, the reel in your hand ought to assist create higher experiences. Born from St. Croix Rod’s seven many years of design and manufacturing experience, industry-leading customer support, and unbroken personal possession by the Schluter household courting again to 1977, SEVIIN reels are meticulously engineered and purpose-built to assist anglers conquer each species on each piece of water on the planet. SEVIIN focuses on reels and reels solely, designing and advertising merchandise that enhance the angling expertise, whatever the rods anglers select. Seven seas, seven continents, seven days per week, SEVIIN reels are fueled by a collective love of fishing surpassed solely by a ardour to ship essentially the most dependable reels on the water. The St. Croix Household of Manufacturers consists of St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks.
