05/27/2026
SABBA Tournament Report - by Melvin Dunn
I wanted to share a recap and some exciting highlights from the S.A.B.B.A. 2026 Mega Bucks tournament, which took place at Lake Ferguson in Greenville, Mississippi. This remarkable lake, a 1,400 acre oxbow formed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, stretches a full ten miles and proved to be an incredible host for the event. The top prize each day was an impressive $9,000 awarded to the team with the heaviest five-fish stringer.
Leading up to the tournament, various trails fished Ferguson and reported impressive five-fish limits from 18-20+ pound sacks, with practice reports described as absolutely “INSANE.” Lake levels hovered around 22-24 feet, water temperatures ranged from 76 to 82 degrees, and bass were being caught in every stage: pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn. Anglers were pulling in 5-6lb bass all over the oxbow. The pre-tournament meeting buzzed with excitement, and late registration saw a line of eager competitors, a sure sign the lake was fishing exceptionally well.
Day 1 kicked off with a prayer and a thrilling blast off, with teams departing in numerical order. By the afternoon, the fairgrounds were alive with family, friends, and community members as teams brought their catches to the scales. Master of Ceremony Jim Austin emceed the weigh-ins, fueling the crowd’s excitement as several teams weighed in sacks between 14 and 17 pounds. When local bass hammers Eddie and Quentel Gibson dropped 18.57 pounds on the scales, cheers erupted. The excitement peaked as Hawkins and Hawkins weighed in a massive 22.36lb sack, capturing Day 1 honors and the $9,000 top prize.
Day 2 saw all official weights reset, and intense competition resumed. Team Hawkins set an early benchmark at 14.63lbs, but Arrington and Wells soon brought 15.20lbs, Johnson and Leggett landed 15.36lbs, and Lasiter briefly took the lead with 16.01lbs. Perkins and Johnson upped the ante with a 19.15lb sack, but it was Cunningham and Portee, weighing in a spectacular 22.37lb stringer, who clinched the Day 2 honors and another $9,000 prize.
A special shout out goes to S.A.B.B.A. for organizing such a fantastic, family-friendly event, and to Eddie and Quentel Gibson, as well as the Greenville community, for their outstanding support. The Calcutta/side pot, which combines the weights from both days, paid out a whopping $14,000 this year! When you tally it all up—$9,000 each day plus the $14,000 side pot—the total payout was $32,000.
As Jim Austin eloquently put it, “Where can you fish as a weekend warrior and make that kind of money? Nowhere!” For those looking to compete in 2027, remember your blast off number is tied to your registration number, so register early when the tournament director announces the date. Official results are posted .LIVE.
In closing, saving just $10 a week for a year would have covered the entry fee for the 2026 tournament and give you a shot at the $18,000 official payout and the $14,000 side pot. Hoping for a 100-boat field in 2027—come on, y’all! See you soon.
Best regards,
Melvin
