Wisconsin's Trim Claims B.A.S.S. Nation Title, Classic Berth

LA CROSSE, Wis. — Nick Trim had high expectations coming into the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at the Upper Mississippi River.

He lives, after all, in nearby Galesville, Wis., only a 20-mile drive from the La Crosse Municipal Harbor, the epicenter of the tournament. He’s fished this stretch of the river a few thousand times in his 42 years and that’s given him insight here that few other anglers at any level can rival.  

And still, being favored to win on your home water is completely different than actually going out and doing it.

Trim shined under pressure, though, catching a total of 20 bass for a four-day weight of 77 pounds that earned him the win in this tournament that featured some 500 competitors from 48 states and seven foreign countries. Trim picked up a $50,000 cash prize, too, part of a total purse of more than $223,000 split among the top anglers, and he also won paid entry into the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2026.

Finally, as one of the Top 3 finishers, Trim locked up a berth in the 2026 Bassmaster Classic when it’s held in Knoxville, Tenn., on the Tennessee River March 13-15.

It was a lot to process, both mentally and emotionally, Trim said, shortly after holding aloft the Bryan V. Kerchal Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the victorious boater in this prestigious tournament. The trophy is named, of course, for the only angler in history to qualify for, and win, a Bassmaster Classic following a victory in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.

“Today is just super special,” Trim said. “I had friends on the water and a big crowd to support me. Doing it on my home water was amazing. It’s not all set in yet — the Elite Series, the Classic.  

“And the check is nice, but it’s never been about the money. I do it for this right here,” he said, clutching the Kerchal Trophy tightly against his chest.

Trim led from wire-to-wire on the Upper Mississippi, jumping to the lead with a 21-pound bag on day 1 (Wednesday) and increasing the margin with a 19-pound limit on Day 2. Dense fog limited anglers to only a few hours on the water on Day 3, but Trim was unfazed, catching 16-9 and taking a nearly 3-pound lead into the final day. He slammed the door on the other 10 finalists with a 20-7 limit put him exactly four pounds ahead of his closest challenger.

The win didn’t come without work and some worry, though. Trim built his lead targeting a wintering hole that had points, knobs and hard spots ranging from 4 to 16 feet deep. But that basin wasn’t productive on Saturday, and Trim wound up working the main river, returning to familiar haunts that have won local tournaments for him here time and again.

“The fish just weren’t biting there today,” he said, referencing the basin where he had been dragging a Cast Again Tackle 1/2-ounce hammer jig to boat his best bites. “I worked my way out of there and I just randomly grabbed a jerkbait and threw it out there. Next thing I know, I caught a 5-pounder on it. First cast. The light bulb went off. I kept throwing it and had a limit before I left.

“I went all in on the river after that,” he said. “I ran everything I know. I had a magical stretch, caught three 4-pounders there. Once I got to 20 pounds, I locked back from Pool 9 and came on in. I was done fishing by 1:30 this afternoon.”

Noah Winslow, a 26-year-old resident of Naugatuck, Conn., finished second with 73 pounds even, which netted him $14,000 cash as well as a spot in the 2026 Classic. It was a full-circle moment, Winslow said, since he began fishing B.A.S.S. Junior Series events when he was in grade school, literally cutting his teeth as he progressed through the different levels of B.A.S.S. competition.

“Making the Classic hasn’t sunk in,” he said. “It’s been a dream of mine for a long time. I didn’t think it was even possible when we started here. I mean, I had the worst practice of my entire life. It was frustrating. But I think the cold front that got here right when we started the tournament really helped me. I was throwing a Free Rig (green pumpkin Sweet Beaver) and fishing super shallow out on the main river … The fish finally pulled out to me. It was unreal. I had two smallmouth this week and weighed 18 largemouth.”

Dylan Nutt, a 21-year-old from Nashville, clinched the third and final Classic berth up for grabs this week on the Upper Mississippi. He finished with 71-3 overall, a mere 4 ounces more than Iowa’s Chris Miller (70-15), who already was qualified for the Classic. Miller won the $500 Big Bass Award with a 7-15 whopper smallmouth he caught Friday.

Nutt pocketed $13,000 cash for the third-place finish.

“The main bait I was throwing was a 4-inch Scottsboro Tackle Company swimbait,” Nutt said. “I fished rockpiles on Pool 8 and was catching a lot of fish in practice, but they were smaller. I exceeded my expectations with 17 pounds on Day 1 and it just got better from there.”

Like Winslow, Nutt said the colder temperatures (mid-40s during the day with light freezes overnight) activated his bite on the river.

“It brought the thicker fish out towards me,” Nutt said. “I prayed this afternoon for one more opportunity and on the next cast, I caught a 2 3/4-pounder that let me upgrade a half-pound. That bite gave me the few extra ounces I needed to get into the Classic. It’s just surreal.”

In all, 11 anglers competed on the final day — the Top 10 from the boater division as well as nonboater champion Wade Denney, of Nampa, Idaho, who collected $10,000 on Friday when that division’s winner was crowned.

Here's how the final standings looked when it was over (top 10 boaters): 

1. Nick Trim: 77-0

2. Noah Winslow: 73-0

3. Dylan Nutt: 71-3

4. Chris Miller: 70-15

5. Zeke Gossett: 69-7

6. Grant Neubauer: 69-4

7. Brody Robison: 67-2

8. Ryan Lachniet: 65-11

9. Nathan Sheehan: 64-10

10. Kyle Grover: 64-3

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