Brian Post Qualifies for the 2026 Elite Qualifiers

The next chapter of Brian Post’s Bassmaster journey is about to begin.

After competing in the 2026 Bassmaster Opens Division 2, Brian has “unofficially” qualified for the 2026 Elite Qualifiers (EQs), putting him one step closer to the ultimate goal: earning a spot on the Bassmaster Elite Series. (*official confirmation this weekend)

The 2026 EQs will bring three more opportunities to compete against some of the best anglers in the sport, with the first event beginning September 23 at Norfork Lake in Mountain Home, Arkansas.

2026 Elite Qualifier Schedule

September 23–25
Norfork Lake
Mountain Home, Arkansas

October 21–23
Toledo Bend
Many, Louisiana

November 11–13
Lake Guntersville
Guntersville, Alabama

Three lakes. Three opportunities. One goal.

Hunt the Bite. Earn the Limit!

(love the slogan? Check out the B. Post Fishing gear HERE)

Follow along as Brian takes on the 2026 Elite Qualifiers and continues the chase toward the Bassmaster Elite Series.

2026 Bassmaster Open Season Wrap-Up

2026 was another year of chasing opportunities, learning lessons and continuing to work toward the ultimate goal of fishing the Bassmaster Elite Series.

Brian competed in Division 2 of the Bassmaster Opens, fishing four events throughout the season. The year had its share of highs and lows, but through it all, Brian continued to put himself in position to earn valuable points and ultimately qualified for the 2026 Elite Qualifiers (EQs).

Sam Rayburn Reservoir

The season started on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Texas. Brian got off to a solid start, bringing 19-0 to the scales on Day 1 and sitting in 43rd Place heading into Day 2.

Brian made some adjustments on Day 2, but they didn’t fire the way he had hoped. He had the quantity, just not the quality. He finished Day 2 with 13-1, giving him a two-day total of 32-1 and a 71st-place finish.

That’s tournament fishing—humbling and motivating all at once.

Grand Lake

The second stop was Grand Lake in Oklahoma, and this tournament came with plenty of challenges before Brian even launched the boat.

A storm had caused damage to his parents’ house, there was a trailer breakdown, and Brian arrived at Grand Lake a day late. That left him with only a little over a day and a half of practice before the tournament began.

Brian finished the event in 80th Place, weighing 12-8 on Day 2 for a two-day total of 26-2. While the finish wasn’t what he had hoped for, he was able to pick up some important points toward making the EQs.

Considering everything that was going on at home and the limited practice time, Brian was happy with where he finished.

“I think had I had more time I could have put more together, but I was there fishing, so that more than anything was worth it!”

Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley

Next came Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley, where Brian put together his best finish of the 2026 Opens season.

After weighing 15-14 on Day 1, Brian headed into Day 2 in position to make the Top 45 cut.

With only five minutes remaining until weigh-in, Brian caught his fifth and final fish right outside the off-limits area. That last-minute fish completed his limit and sealed a Top 45 finish and a paycheck.

Brian finished Day 2 with 13-10, giving him a two-day total of 29-8 and a 44th-place finish.

It was another example of how important every cast can be in tournament fishing. That final fish wasn’t just another fish—it made the difference between going home without a check and finishing inside the Top 45.

Upper Mississippi River

The final Bassmaster Open of the season took Brian to the Upper Mississippi River in Wisconsin.

Brian started the tournament strong, weighing 13-11 on Day 1 and sitting in 29th Place heading into Day 2.

On Day 2, Brian had enough fish to keep himself inside the Top 45 check cut line. He made it through the lock with enough time to make the run back to weigh-in, but with a few minutes remaining, he decided to stop and make one last attempt at getting another bite.

After getting the fish he needed, Brian fired up the boat to finish the run back to weigh-in. That’s when things went wrong.

The shift actuator failed, leaving Brian unable to make it back to the weigh-in. With no way to get the boat back in time, Brian was forced to dump his fish and ultimately was unable to weigh in.

The official result shows a 154th-place finish, but that number doesn’t tell the story of the tournament. Brian had been sitting in 29th after Day 1 and had enough fish on Day 2 to remain inside the Top 45 before the mechanical failure ended his tournament.

It’s a tough way to finish an Open, but unfortunately, that’s part of tournament fishing. Sometimes the fish are the challenge, and sometimes things happen that are completely outside of your control.

2025 and Earlier

2025 was the year of qualifications and postseason action. Brian competed in Division 2 of the Bassmaster Opens, where he qualified for the Bassmaster EQ Division after ending the Opens season with a Top 50 finish (43rd Place). To secure his Top 50 in the Opens AOY, Brian finished the final Bassmaster Open at Leech Lake in 11th Place.

Brian also competed in the B.A.S.S. Nation Regional Qualifier on the James River in Virginia. Brian was the Day 1 Leader, fell a bit on Day 2, finishing the day in 6th, which qualified him to compete on the third day – Championship Friday. Brian closed out that tournament with a 7th Place finish. Finishing inside the Top 14 qualifying Brian for the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, WI.

With Brian’s 7th Place finish in the B.A.S.S. Nation event at the James River, he also qualified for The Ultimate Angler Championship on Lake Guntersville, Scottsboro, AL.

Brian also increased his schedule locally, fishing the Wisconsin Elite circuit as well as many other local tournaments and weekly events.

2024 proved to be the season of adversity. Everyone has those moments, and it is ok! The season had some highs, some lows, and even an unexpected change of venue, due to devastating weather in South Carolina. Highlight of the season, the B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier on the Mississippi River! Brian made it to Championship Day 3 and finished in 15th Place – qualifying him for the 2024 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Grand Lake. After competing in all nine events, across three division, as as Elite Qualifier, Brian finished 86th place in the Elite Qualifier Standings out of (unknown), 89th in Division 1 AOY Standings out of (approx 225), 137th in Division 2 AOY Standings out of (approx 225) and 59th in Division 3 AOY Standings out of (approx 225).

The 2023 season was busy with Brian fishing all 9 Bassmaster Open events and regionally 4 Kicker Cup events. In the Bassmaster Opens, Brian had two Top 30 finishes (22nd Place / 23rd Place).  After competing in all nine events, across three division, as as Elite Qualifier, Brian finished 55th place in the Elite Qualifier Standings out of 173, 114th in Division 1 AOY Standings out of 250, 41st in Division 2 AOY Standings out of 250 and 55th in Division 3 AOY Standings out of 253. In The Kicker Cup events, Brian took 1st Place on Lake Koshkonong (in Wisconsin), earning him a birth in the Kicker Cup Championship in 2024.

In the 2022 Bassmaster Opens season Brian put together one Top 10 Finish (8th Place), one Top 20 Finish (15th Place) and a Top 40 Finish (39th Place). With nine Bassmaster Open events, across three divisions, complete for the season, Brian  finished in 37th place in the Overall AOY Standings out of 530, 58th in the Central AOY Standings out of 240, 80th in the Southern AOY standings out of 248 and 87th in the Northern AOY standings out of 259.

The 2021 season, for the first time, Brian competed in all 3 divisions of the Bassmaster Opens. Brian finished the season in 29th place in the Overall AOY Standings out of 630, 94th in the Northern AOY Standings out of 280, 115th out of 250 in the Southern AOY Standings and 60th in the Central AOY Standings out of 260.

Brian competed in the Bassmaster Opens for the first time in 2020, fishing only the Central Opens. After only his second Open appearance, Brian competed on Championship Saturday*, finishing 12th at Sam Rayburn in Texas, adding a Top 20 to his Tournament Statistics. Wrapping up the 2020 season of the Bassmaster Central Opens, Brian finished with a 75th place in the AOY Central Standings out of 255.

Brian Post Tournament Statistics on bassmaster.com

Hometown:  Janesville, Wisconsin
Birthdate:  November 30, 1982
Family:  Rachael (wife), Chloe (daughter), Taylor (daughter), Trenton (son),
Kailynn (Stepdaughter), Alexis (Stepdaughter)
Career/Profession:  Post Builders – General Contractor
Hobbies:  Hunting, Fishing

PERSONAL BEST: (left) Largemouth – 7lbs, 8oz, Sam Rayburn at Bassmaster Opens Practice, October 2022. (middle) Smallmouth – 6lbs 2oz, Cabela’s NABC, Sturgeon Bay, May 12, 2018. (right) Spotted Bass – 4lbs 2oz, Lake Hartwell at Bassmaster Opens Practice, October 2022.

Boat:  Falcon F20 Predator
Motor:  Yamaha Sho 250
Electronics:  Humminbird, Garmin
Anchors:  Power Pole 8′ Blades
Trolling: Garmin
Accessories: Bob’s Machine Jack Plate, T-H Marine Hot Foot, DD26 Transom Saver, GoPro
Batteries: MillerTech Lithium Batteries
Rods: Ark Rods
Reels: Ark – Gravity Reels
Soft Baits: Black Label Tackle
Hard Baits: Black Label Balsa, Ark, Rapala
Hooks: Primal Tackle, BKK
Line: Vicious
Apparel: Aquaflage

Favorite Lakes/Rivers: Upper Mississippi River, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Leech Lake
Bucket List Lakes/Rivers: Falcon lake, Clear Lake, Amazon River

Brian Post has over 19 years of tournament fishing under his belt. Regionally, he has fished in the NBAA, NABC, Upper Midwest Bass and several open tournaments from small to large. Locally Brian has been a part of Monday and Tuesday night leagues and Bass Nation.

Besides tournament fishing, Brian has also participated in many charity events, and specifically enjoys participating and donating to the Badger Childhood Cancer Network Fishing for Families Bass Classic. Brian and his business, Post Builders, sponsor a 5 Boat team with 10 of Brian’s local fishing friends.

**To DONATE to Badger Childhood Cancer Network, click HERE.**