Key decision rewards Huskins with Bassmaster Open win at Lake Norman

Posted on May 2, 2026 by Mandy Pascal

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Stubbornness and a willingness to change might sound contradictory, but combining the two traits lead Cole Huskins to a razor-thin victory in the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Norman presented by Battery Tender.

Tallying a three-day total of 47 pounds, 14 ounces, the pro from Gastonia, N.C., edged Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series phenom Kyoya Fujita by 2 ounces.

“That’s water,” Huskins said of his close margin of victory. “Today was a special day and I just made the right decisions.

“I made a late-day decision to change up the lure I was using and switched to a Neko-rigged worm and hit a place that I had already hit three times today and I caught a 4 1/2-pounder. It was just meant for me to catch that fish.”

Hoskins caught his day-maker on the deep end of a main lake dock pier near the State Highway 150 Bridge in Norman’s upper end. That spot, he said, offers a convenient postspawn resting spot close to deep water.

“That was special — catching that big fish,” Hoskins said. “I had 14 pounds with a 1 1/2-pounder and I caught that big fish with a bait that I hadn’t made a cast with all day.

“I was almost done fishing the pier and I said, ‘I’m gonna fire up there one more time.’ As soon as it bit, I thought it was just a keeper, but then I saw it flash and I was like, ‘It’s a giant one.’ That was the fish that won it for me.”

After a warm, stable first day, the next two brought a mix of sun and clouds, with more wind and cooler temperatures. More impactful than those meteorological changes was Lake Norman’s water level, which stood about 3 feet low.

“It was really challenging, because we usually don’t have the water level like it is this time of the year,” Huskins said. “A lot of the guys were going to the backs of the pockets and I concentrated closer to the main lake.”

While Huskins caught most of his fish on the dock piers, he found his Day 2 fish cruising between the structures.

“On sunny days, these big fish love to cruise on sunny days and they’ll get so shallow that nobody fishes for them,” Huskins said. “I was catching them on the Hideup Coike Fullcast.

“Those are the hardest fish in the lake to catch, but the deal was getting it in front of them.”

When the third day brought cooler, overcast conditions, switching to the deeper dock sections proved advantageous.

Turning in a Day 1 limit of 14-10 left Huskins tied for 16th place, but he’d rise to seventh with a second-round bag that went 15-7. Saving the best for last, Huskins weighed a Championship Saturday limit that went 17-13.

For his efforts, Huskins won $41,402. Because he is not fishing a complete division, this event’s Classic berth goes to the Bassmaster Elite Series field.

“God was looking after me today, He made me make the right decisions,” Huskins said. “He provides the opportunities for me. I give Him all the glory.”