Shoopman’s rollercoaster ’26 season ends at the top with win in LBC Classic

MYETTE POINT – Everything comes full circle for those who keep the faith in their ability, experience and decisions, as Jacob Shoopman of Lafayette proved Nov. 7-8 in the Louisiana Bass Cats Classic in the low Atchafalaya Basin. “I started the season in a good way and I ended the season in a good way. It felt good to end the season on a high note after a few tough tournaments,” Shoopman said, as the New Iberia native recalled culling to a 19.91-pound limit he and his dad, New Iberian Don Shoopman, weighed Feb. 15 in the annual Louisiana Bass Cats Open held out of Franklin. The father-and-son team traveled to Lake Fausse Pointe, where the younger Shoopman caught the winning bass, including a 6.01-pounder, mostly on topwaters. In between the first and last derbies, it was an up and down season, mostly ups. The downs, though, took a toll on his bid for 2026 Angler of the Year.

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