Chilly conditions can't slow down Stahl at Kissimmee Chain

Georgia pro starts strong with 28-09 limit

January 29, 2026 By Staff Report

Georgia angler Cody Stahl kicked off the 2026 Bassmaster Open season with a 28-09 limit to set the pace at the Kissimmee Chain in chilly central Florida.

“All week, I was paying attention to the conditions and what the weather was calling for,” said the pro from Barnsville, Ga. “In practice, I caught three little fish where I caught those fish today. But looking at the conditions, I said, ‘This is where it’s gonna go down and gosh, it went down!’

Following a cold front that sent Central Florida temperatures into the mid-30s, Day 1 began in the low 40s, with the afternoon warming by about 20 degrees. Despite the shivering start, Stahl enjoyed an early day-maker, with another kicker about five hours later.

“I caught my biggest one, a 9-6, first thing in the morning and I caught another big one late in the day,” Stahl said. “It was a mental grind today; I only caught eight fish.

“With the full moon (Feb. 1) and the cold front, these fish want to be up (near the spawning zone). I looked at my spot and said, ‘This is textbook.’ I just trusted my gut and it went down.”

Stahl said he’s fishing a grass-oriented scenario on Lake Toho. He kept the particulars guarded, but noted that his spot presented a mix of prespawn and spawning habitat.

“It’s a place where I’ve caught them before, so I know what lives there,” Stahl said. “It’s kind of a catch-all place, but it was kinda overlooked by a lot of boats.”

In The Hunt

2nd: Cliff Prince (5, 26-02)

He also fished in Toho and found his fish in offshore grass. Targeting mostly prespawn staging fish, Prince alternated between lipless baits and jerkbaits.

“I was fishing medium to fast retrieves; I was trying to make them react,” Prince said.

Anchoring his bag with a 6 1/2-pounder, Prince said he found good fish in practice, but he knew the week’s cold front would stall any spawning movement.

“Where I got my bites the first day of practice, which was the warmest day of the week is where I caught them today,” Prince said. “Why the big ones showed up, I don’t know. I caught some good ones in practice, but I didn’t expect to catch ’em like I caught ’em.

Scroggins caught his offshore fish on lipless baits, a flutter spoon, a hair jig and a jighead minnow. After securing his bag, he tested the flipping potential in various areas of matted vegetation. That bite did materialize on Day 1, but Scroggins remains optimistic that the seasonal pattern will eventually ignite.

“That should be the deal here, and it’s not the deal, but anytime it could be,” Scroggins said. “We have the high sun, the high (atmospheric) pressure and everything is setting up for that.

“If I can get a couple big flipping bites, it’ll make a difference. In Florida, you catch three or four good ones and a big one goes a long way. That’s what I’m looking for — that big bite. I don’t think I can get it offshore, so that’s why I keep looking for that flipping bite.”