2026 SIKC Classic Recap — Banner Marsh
The 2026 SIKC Classic at Banner Marsh is in the books, and what a weekend it was. Our anglers battled through a true test of toughness, determination, and changing conditions to close out one of the biggest events of the year.
This year’s Classic began under brutal circumstances. After temperatures dropped roughly 60 degrees just two nights before Day 1, anglers launched into a bitter 22-degree Saturday morning, facing icy conditions before daylight even broke across Banner Marsh. It was the kind of start that tests not only decision-making on the water, but also preparation, grit, and mental toughness. Even with the cold, our field showed exactly what SIKC anglers are made of.
A huge congratulations goes out to Dalton Williams on taking the win with a two-day total of 179.50 inches. Dalton continued his incredible run and once again proved why he is the standard everyone is chasing. Right on his heels was Jeff Sherer, who finished just one inch back with 178.50 inches, making for an incredibly close finish at the top. Dustin Siegel rounded out the top three with 159.75 inches, putting together another strong Classic performance.
The event also featured some great individual fish catches. Jeff Sherer recorded the largest fish of the tournament at 21.75 inches, while Dalton Williams and Dustin Siegel each cracked the 20-inch mark as well with fish measuring 20.50 and 20.75 inches respectively. Susie Roloff also turned in a strong performance, finishing 4th with 154.25 inches.
With 17 anglers competing, the 2026 SIKC Classic once again showcased the strength of this trail and the level of competition our anglers bring every time they hit the water. Banner Marsh always seems to create drama, and this year’s Classic was no exception.
A huge thank you goes out to all of our anglers, volunteers, and supporters who helped make this event possible. We also want to sincerely thank our sponsors for supporting SIKC and helping us continue to build something special:
RAILBLAZA, Thrasher Sports Apparel, Midwest Kayak Company, Ketch Products Inc., Spittin Image Jigs, Kayak Bass Connection, Kistler, Missile Baits, Freaky Franks, and Big Bass Chris Designs.
#SIKCFishing #DaltonDynasty #SIKCClassic #BannerMarsh #KayakFishing #BassFishing #IllinoisKayakFishing #ChasingTheChamp
If you want, I can also tighten this into a more punchy Facebook-ready version with slightly more emotion and energy.
