Adam Claims the Win as Anglers Battle a Tough Spring Transition

By Paul Switzer

The Maple Bassmasters held their fourth event of the 2026 season on May 17th on the Kalamazoo River, launching out of the Howard Schultz Boat Launch for a 6 AM to 2 PM derby.

Weatherwise, conditions remained fairly stable throughout the day, with light morning winds gradually increasing during the afternoon under increasingly cloudy skies. Water temperatures hovered around 61 degrees with approximately 6”–8 inches of visibility, while air temperatures climbed into the 70s, creating classic late spring postspawn conditions on the river.

Conditions set up for a challenging day of fishing. Many of the bass appeared to be in a difficult postspawn transition, with anglers reporting skinny fish, fry guarders, and scattered bites throughout the system. While several competitors caught good numbers of bass, getting quality keeper bites proved to be the difference.

When the scales closed, Joe Adam claimed the victory with 5 fish weighing 9.79 lbs after putting together a consistent shallow-water pattern throughout the day.

Joe Adam- 1st Place

Ed Lopez- 2nd Place

Adam said most of his fish came from shoreline cover and marina-related areas.

“Most of our fish came shallow around wood and laydowns,” Adam explained. “Later we started skipping docks and targeting fish tight to cover.”

Adam rotated through several soft plastics including a green pumpkin tube, Chigger Craw, and speed craw style bait to keep fish biting throughout the day. Like much of the field, he found plenty of fish but struggled to find larger postspawn bass.

Chasing the Lead

Ed Lopez finished in 2nd place with 5 fish weighing 9.00 lbs after adapting to changing river conditions throughout the day.

“For me, the main bait was a green pumpkin tube,” Lopez said. “I focused on current early, then moved to areas I thought might hold fish in all three stages—pre, post, and bedding.”

Lopez also mixed in a Stank Bug, TRD, and free rig presentation but noted that quality bites were difficult to find.

“Size was brutally hard to find,” he added.

Jim O’Malley finished in 3rd place with 5 fish weighing 8.84 lbs after spending most of the day targeting marina fish in extremely shallow water.

“O’Malley and I spent most of the day in a marina,” Brian Barthelt said afterward. “We probably caught 20 fish each, most of them just shy of 14 inches. I culled three times, but only by fractions.”

The duo mixed several baits throughout the day, including a spinnerbait early and a topwater toad bite, but most of their fish came on finesse presentations.

“Everything else was on a wacky MaxScent General,” Barthelt explained. “Jimmy caught his fish on a junebug Yum Dinger.”

They believed many of the bass were fry guarders positioned extremely shallow.

“There were fry everywhere and the fish were spawned out, skinny as heck,” he added. “Most fish were caught casting right on shore.”

Brian Barthelt rounded out the top four with 5 fish weighing 8.55 lbs after fishing the same productive marina pattern throughout the day.

The Pattern

While the river fished tough overall, a few trends stood out:

● Marina areas held large numbers of fish, though many were short

● Fry guarders and shallow shoreline fish played a major role

● Finesse presentations heavily outperformed power fishing

● Green pumpkin and junebug color patterns consistently produced bites

● Current, shallow cover, and protected marina water all factored into success

The event turned into a classic spring grind where anglers had to stay patient and maximize every keeper opportunity.

Full Results Snapshot

The Kalamazoo River produced a tightly packed leaderboard, with several anglers bringing in limits but struggling to find larger postspawn fish. A few key upgrades separated the top finishers from the middle of the pack, and nearly every competitor reported catching far more short fish than keepers. Despite the challenging conditions, the tournament showcased the depth of the club field and the ability of anglers to adjust throughout the day.

Angler of the Year Race

The tournament also tightened up the Angler of the Year race heading into the summer stretch of the schedule. Brian Barthelt continues to lead the AOY standings after another strong finish, but Joe Adam’s victory on the Kalamazoo River moved him significantly closer to the top spot. Ed Lopez also gained valuable ground with his runner-up finish, while several anglers remain within striking distance with major tournaments like Lake Wisconsin, Green Lake, Sister Bay, and Lake Michigan still remaining on the 2026 schedule.

Up Next: Lake Wisconsin

The next stop for the Maple Bassmasters will be Lake Wisconsin on June 7th.

The fishery is known for its mix of river current, offshore structure, weed edges, docks, and shallow backwater areas. Early June typically offers a strong shallow bite, though offshore patterns can also begin developing depending on weather and water temperatures.

Anglers can expect a wide-open tournament where multiple techniques should be in play.

2026 Schedule (What’s Ahead)

● June 7 – Lake Wisconsin

● June 20 – Lake Delavan

● June 28 – Green Lake

● July 25–26 – Sister Bay (Door County)

● Aug 16 – Spring Lake (MI)

● Aug 23 – Lake Michigan (East Chicago)

● Aug 29–30 – Lake of Egypt (State Practice)

● Sept 20 – St. Joe River

● Sept 26–27 – Classic (TBD)

Join the Club

The Maple Bassmasters continue to welcome both boaters and co-anglers for the 2026 season. With a full tournament schedule, opportunities to qualify for the Illinois B.A.S.S. Nation State Championship, and a strong mix of competition and camaraderie, the club continues to grow throughout the region.

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