Laker Howell Captures Wheeler Lake Victory with Livingston Lures Walking Boss
Livingston Lures pro Laker Howell clinched a thrilling victory at the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake, presented by Bass Pro Shops, with a three-day total of 65 pounds, 11 ounces. Howell’s win was powered by the innovative Livingston Lures Walking Boss™ topwater bait.
“This win feels like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders,” Howell said. “I was so nervous this morning I could barely eat, but once I got on the water, I focused on catching one fish at a time. The feeling now is indescribable.”
This triumph marks Howell’s second victory in his last three tournaments, following his August win at the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Leech Lake, which secured his place at the 2026 Bass Master Classic. The Wheeler Lake success holds special significance, as Howell’s father, Randy Howell, won his first major tournament on the same lake in 1998. Remarkably, both father and son were 24 years old at the time of their victories.
Howell targeted a shell-bottom saddle on the Decatur Flats, roughly two miles from takeoff, where current funneled shad into a prime feeding zone. He relied exclusively on the Livingston Lures Walking Boss™ in Bone Cracker color, a walk the dog topwater lure, feathered tail hook, and sonically enhanced Livingston’s patented EBS™ (Electronic Baitfish Sound) technology.
“I never left that spot,” Howell said. “On the final day, I had six blowups and landed my biggest fish early, a five-pounder that exploded 10 feet from the boat. That was the moment I knew I had it.”
The victory earned Howell an invitation to the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic, presented by Under Armour, on the Tennessee River. Having already qualified via his Leech Lake win, Howell’s second Classic berth passed to the next eligible angler.
The Walking Boss™ proved its prowess, with its EBS™ technology delivering and edge no other anglers in the competition could match. Howell credited the lure’s ability to provoke strikes from pressured bass under tough conditions.
“The Walking Boss™ produces sound and motion that other topwaters can’t match,” Howell said. “It kept those fish biting, even in tough conditions.”
About Livingston Lures
Livingston Lures leads the industry with its patented EBS™ (Electronic Baitfish Sound) technology, designed to mimic the natural sounds of baitfish and trigger aggressive strikes. Combining innovation, realism, and craftsmanship, Livingston Lures sets the standard for high-performance fishing lures.
