Brandenburg Goes Wire to Wire to Win the 2026 YETI Open
Published on 09-28-2026
TABLE ROCK LAKE, MO. - The 2026 YETI Open presented by Explore Branson brought anglers from 28 states to Table Rock Lake for three days of competition, community, and $400,000 in guaranteed prizes and payouts.
Les Brandenburg set the mark during Friday's opening 8-9 a.m. weigh-in. His 5.66-pound bass took an immediate lead, held through the next 20 hourly weigh-in windows, and remained the biggest bass of the tournament when the scales closed Sunday afternoon.
The wire-to-wire victory earned Brandenburg the $138,000 Grand Prize Package, including $50,000 in cash, a fully rigged 2026 NITRO Z20 XL, and YETI gear.
An Opening-Hour Bass Holds All Weekend
The field kept the pressure on throughout the weekend. Jace McMasters moved within 0.31 pounds later Friday, Anthony Balding Jr. climbed into second before the opening day was over, and Luis Barrett joined the overall Top 5 on Saturday.
The closest challenge came Sunday morning when Coby Harp weighed a 5.42-pound bass during the 10-11 a.m. hour. That fish cut Brandenburg's lead to just 0.24 pounds, but no one could close the remaining gap.
Top Overall Weights - 2026 YETI Open
- Les Brandenburg - 5.66 lbs
- Coby Harp - 5.42 lbs
- Anthony Balding Jr. - 5.38 lbs
- Jace McMasters - 5.35 lbs
- Luis Barrett - 5.00 lbs
Only 0.66 pounds separated first through fifth, underscoring how close the race remained even as Brandenburg stayed on top from the first hour to the last.
Drury Rallies in the Final Hour to Win the College Division
The College Division produced its own dramatic finish. The University of Nebraska led Drury University by 1.54 pounds after Friday and still held a 0.91-pound advantage after two days of competition.
Drury answered with a 16.00-pound Sunday total. The deciding move came in the final hour, pushing Drury past Nebraska and securing the College Division championship with 40.60 pounds to Nebraska's 40.31. The 0.29-pound victory earned Drury the College Division prize of $5,000 in cash and $5,000 in YETI product.
National Reach and the YETI Open Experience
The event drew anglers from 28 states and offered 210 hourly paid positions across 21 weigh-in windows, giving amateur anglers multiple opportunities to win throughout the weekend.
The experience extended beyond the leaderboard with a registration-night welcome, daily lunches and Happy Hours at Long Creek Marina, and a Saturday five-fish weigh-in featuring YETI pros and ambassadors.
With both the overall and College Division titles decided by less than one-third of a pound, the 2026 YETI Open delivered close finishes from start to finish at Table Rock Lake.
View the complete 2026 YETI Open results.
Other News
Lake Breakdown: 2026 YETI Open at Table Rock Lake
09-22-2026
The YETI Open Returns to Table Rock Lake This September
06-04-2026
VanDam Says Big Largemouth Will Take Home Top Prize at Table Rock YETI Open
09-23-2025
YETI Announces 2nd Annual YETI Open Tournament
06-04-2025
The YETI Open 2024: An Exciting Debut at Table Rock Lake
10-03-2024
YETI Announces 1st Annual YETI Open Tournament
03-22-2024