Bass Pro Shops REDCREST Presented by Mercury & Lowrance is almost here, and while the 35 anglers who take to Table Rock Lake Friday through Sunday will be vying for the championship trophy and $300,000 payday that comes with it, fans can get some skin in the game, too.
As is the case for every Bass Pro Tour event in 2026, anyone who picks a Phoenix Fantasy Fishing Presented by 13 Fishing lineup for REDCREST will not only have a chance to win prizes in that competition; they’ll be automatically entered into another game – Beat JT Kenney Presented by 13 Fishing. That’s right: You can go head-to-head with the MLFNOW! color commentator. If your squad racks up more weight than JT’s, you earn points for every place you finish above him, and if you finish below him, you lose points. The top performer at REDCREST will earn a prize, and whoever scores the most points at the end of the year will not only receive the championship belt but a premium package from 13 Fishing.
Here are JT’s picks for REDCREST on Table Rock. Be sure to lock in your lineup by lines in at 7:45 a.m. on Friday to have a chance to beat him.
Flight 1
JT’s picks: Mark Davis, Justin Lucas, Michael Neal, Spencer Shuffield, Jacob Wall
When I started thinking about who to pick on Table Rock, a couple of Arkansas anglers who have strong track records in the Ozarks region jumped right out. Mark Davis has tons of experience on Table Rock and other nearby rocky, highland reservoirs. It would be fun to see him win one for the old guys. Spencer Shuffield is another guy who is going to be in his comfort zone, plus he’s been fishing great over the past year or so.
I think we’re going to see a lot of bass caught with spinning tackle at this event, so I had to pick Michael Neal for my lineup. He’s a great finesse fisherman, whether it be using forward-facing sonar and a minnow or a wacky worm for spawning bass. There’s a good chance he’ll be able to do both on Table Rock. Same goes for Justin Lucas, who is also fishing well so far this season. He won’t be intimidated by the big stage. Finally, I’m rounding out my picks with a guy who I haven’t seen get a ton of hype for this event in Jacob Wall. He’s a great young angler, but he’s coming off a couple tough events in Texas where he missed the Knockout Round cut. He needs a turnaround, and I think he has a strong showing on Table Rock.
Flight 2
JT’s picks: Zack Birge, Dustin Connell, Drew Gill, Alton Jones Jr., Jacob Wheeler
Flight 2 is absolutely stacked with strong anglers, but these five all felt like obvious picks that I couldn’t pass up. To start, you simply can’t go against Dustin Connell at REDCREST. I guarantee you he’s going to be motivated to get No. 4 and become the first angler ever to win a tour championship three years in a row. Speaking of motivated, REDCREST is the last feather Jacob Wheeler needs to add to his cap. Given that he’s coming to Table Rock on the heels of BPT win No. 11 of his career, I’d say he has some momentum on his side. Zack Birge is still the hottest angler going after he added yet another Top 10 at Stage 4. That’s three BPT Top 10s and one win to go along with an NPFL victory so far in 2026 for those of you keeping track at home.
Another angler who always seems to be in the mix at big-time tournaments is Alton Jones Jr. He’s finished second at REDCREST two times, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this is the year he breaks through. Lastly, if you pick a Fantasy Fishing team in 2026 without including Drew Gill, you’re probably doing something wrong.