USA Surf Fishing Team Announces 2026 Pan-American Championship Squad for Florida Tournament
The USA Surf Fishing Team has announced its roster for the 2026 Pan-American Surf Fishing Championship – set to take place November 5–8, 2026, at Sebastian Inlet State Park on Florida’s Atlantic coast.
Hosted in partnership with Indian River County, Florida, the 2026 Pan American Surf Fishing Championship will bring together the finest surf anglers from across the Americas to compete in one of the sport’s most prestigious artificial lure-only international events.
Following back-to-back team silver medal performances in 2024 and 2025, USA enters the 2026 championship determined to capture its first-ever team gold medal. The roster features a formidable blend of returning international medalists, accomplished tournament anglers, world-class specialists, and elite lure anglers from across the United States.
With the catch-and-release championship being contested on home waters for the first time, USA will look to capitalize on the advantage of local knowledge while drawing on extensive international experience and great equipment. Backed by an outstanding coaching and support staff, the team is eager to make history as it represents the United States at its first home Pan American Surf Fishing Championship.
Ryan Lambert – North Carolina (Vice President)
Ryan Lambert, from Angier, North Carolina, returns to Team USA as a 2024 Pan-American Championship team silver medalist and individual bronze medalist. With more than 20 years of experience fishing the Mid-Atlantic coastline, founding Vice President Ryan brings extensive knowledge of beach fishing and a proven record of success in demanding surf conditions.
Serving as Captain of the United States Surf Casting Team in both 2025 and 2026, Ryan is also recognized as one of the world’s elite distance casters. In May 2026, he set a World Record in Pisa, Italy, with a cast of 915 feet.
Neil Krauter – New Jersey (Vice President)
Neil Krauter is an IGFA World Record holder from the surf and was named the 2022 Massachusetts State Saltwater Derby Angler of the Year. His competitive résumé includes numerous tournament victories and top finishes throughout the East Coast, including a team silver medal at the 2025 Pan-American Championships in Costa Rica.
Known for his disciplined approach and consistency under pressure, Neil brings extensive competitive experience to Team USA and serves as Vice President of the Pan-American competitive program.
David Junquera Martinez – Florida
Born in Cuba and now based in South Florida, David Junquera Martinez has spent the past decade establishing himself as one of the region’s most accomplished surfcasters. He is the founder of FL Surfcasting Experience, where he guides anglers from around the world in South Florida’s unique style of heavy-tackle surf fishing. David serves on the pro staff for Van Staal, Century Rods, Phase Gear, No Live Bait Needed, and North Bar Tackle. He specializes in targeting trophy-class fish from the beach using heavy tackle and topwater lures, including giant jack crevalle, blacktip sharks, tarpon, and snook, and is widely respected for his ability to mentor and develop other anglers.
Away from the water, David works as a behavior therapist specializing in early intervention for children with developmental disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and holds a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). His professional background has strengthened the teaching, problem-solving, and adaptability he brings to competitive fishing.
Brandon Sausele – New York
A lifelong surf fisherman, Brandon Sausele developed his skills along the legendary shores of Montauk, New York, where he has earned 11 regional and state surfcasting titles, including nine Montauk Surfmasters wins. Known for his relentless work ethic and competitive approach, Brandon has established himself as one of America’s leading surf anglers.
After making his Team USA debut at the 2025 Pan-American Championships in Costa Rica, Brandon returns to represent the United States in Florida this Fall.
Caleb Hood – Florida
A lifelong Florida angler, Caleb Hood has built his fishing career around the pursuit of inshore and surf-based game species. From the winding backcountry waterways to the open Atlantic beaches, he has spent countless hours targeting trophy fish in a wide range of conditions, with large snook on artificial baits remaining his primary focus.
Making his Team USA debut in 2025, Caleb captured the individual silver medal at the Pan-American Championships in Costa Rica after landing the tournament’s largest snook. He brings extensive local knowledge, competitive experience, and a disciplined approach to surf fishing.
Lyd Le’Ngyuen – Florida
Lyd Basnite brings more than 30 years of surf fishing experience to Team USA. An accomplished artificial lure specialist with extensive experience in Florida waters, she has targeted a wide range of inshore species, including tarpon, snook, permit, cubera snapper, and red drum.
Lyd has participated in surf rod and reel field testing for several manufacturers and currently represents Van Staal. She has also volunteered extensively with youth fishing organizations, helping introduce future generations to the sport.
Dylan Fraser – Florida (under-21)
Born and raised in Melbourne, Florida, Dylan Fraser has spent virtually his entire life fishing the waters surrounding Sebastian Inlet. Growing up just minutes from one of Florida’s most renowned fisheries gave him countless opportunities to develop his skills on both the beaches and the Indian River Lagoon.
With lifelong experience fishing the surf, inlet, and nearby estuaries, Dylan brings an exceptional understanding of local conditions and species to Team USA as the championship comes to his home waters.
Garrett Ferguson – Florida
A lifelong Central Floridian, Garrett Ferguson has spent more than 15 years fishing Florida’s Atlantic coastline, from Daytona Beach to Miami. Most of that time has been dedicated to surfcasting and land-based fishing, with a focus on tarpon, bull redfish, snook, and sharks.
Garrett specializes in catch-and-release fishing for Florida’s largest gamefish using almost exclusively artificial lures and plugs. His extensive experience targeting trophy fish from shore makes him a valuable member of Team USA.
Christopher Salomoni – Florida
Christopher Salomoni began surfcasting at just seven years old on the beaches of Montauk and Martha’s Vineyard before relocating to Florida. There, he developed a passion for targeting tarpon, sharks, jacks, snook, redfish, and barracuda from shore using artificial lures.
A member of the 2025 Pan-American Championship team silver medal-winning squad, Christopher has also mastered jigging and popping techniques while pursuing exotic species around the world. His broad international experience and technical expertise make him a valuable member of Team USA.
Sarah Hood – Florida
Born and raised in Florida, Sarah Hood has spent years tournament fishing while developing extensive experience targeting snook and other inshore species. Fishing throughout Florida’s beaches, inlets, and backwaters, she has refined her techniques with artificial lures, with trophy-class 30-pound snook remaining her primary focus.
Sarah brings competitive tournament experience, extensive knowledge of Florida’s surf fishery, and a methodical approach to competitive angling as she joins Team USA for the 2026 Pan-American Surf Fishing Championship.
Rebecca Redington – Florida
Rebecca Redington grew up in New Jersey, where she developed her passion for fishing at an early age alongside her father, an accomplished striped bass surfcaster. She gained experience targeting striped bass, fluke, tautog, largemouth bass, and a variety of other freshwater and saltwater species before relocating to Florida.
Now based in Florida, Rebecca regularly fishes inshore, offshore, and freshwater environments, with a particular focus on targeting snook using artificial lures. Her diverse angling background and experience across multiple fisheries make her a valuable member of Team USA.
Chase Mako – New Jersey / Florida
Originally from southern New Jersey, Chase Mako developed his surf fishing skills on the region’s beaches, jetties, and back bays before relocating to Florida full-time. He later fished alongside renowned surfcaster Alberto Knie, whose mentorship helped shape his approach to targeting trophy fish from shore.
Over the past six years, Chase has fished extensively throughout Florida, New Jersey, Long Island, and the Chesapeake Bay, focusing on snook, tarpon, redfish, and other coastal gamefish. His familiarity with Sebastian Inlet, combined with extensive experience across several major East Coast fisheries, brings valuable local knowledge and versatility to Team USA.
Greg Bernard – Florida (under-21)
Born and raised in Satellite Beach, Florida, Greg Bernard developed a passion for fishing at an early age while growing up just minutes from Sebastian Inlet. He has spent countless hours fishing the beaches, inlet, and Indian River, building extensive local knowledge and refining his techniques across a wide range of conditions.
Greg joins Team USA with a strong foundation in Florida’s Atlantic surf fishery and extensive experience on the waters that will host the 2026 Pan-American Surf Fishing Championship. His familiarity with Sebastian Inlet and the surrounding coastline makes him a valuable addition to the national team.
Alberto Knie – Florida / New York
The USA Surf Fishing Team is extremely fortunate to welcome Alberto Knie as an advisor, consultant, and coach. A true legend of the sport, Alberto was born in Hong Kong, moved to Brazil with his family as a child, and later settled in New York, where he became one of the most influential figures in modern surf fishing. His contributions to striped bass surfcasting tactics in the Northeastern United States have helped shape the sport, and many of the techniques he pioneered remain widely used today.
Alberto’s achievements include holding the IGFA World Record for striped bass from the surf with a 45-pound fish caught on 8-pound line, winning numerous prestigious surfcasting tournaments including the Montauk Classic, and creating the world-renowned Crazy Alberto Knot – one of the most trusted line-to-line connections in fishing.
Throughout his career, he has served as a consultant and ambassador for leading companies including Pure Fishing, Cortland Line, St. Croix, Mustad, and many others, while also becoming a respected national and regional seminar speaker and co-host of the Salt Water Sportsman Seminar Series.
Today, Alberto divides his time between New York and Florida, where he serves as owner and CEO of Tactical Anglers, a manufacturer of premium surf fishing plugs, clips, and tackle accessories. Known for his relentless passion and dedication, Alberto is often found fishing at all hours of the day and night, constantly refining techniques and sharing his knowledge with anglers around the world. His experience, innovation, and willingness to mentor others make him an invaluable addition to the USA Surf Fishing Team leadership.
Jose Martinez – Florida
The USA Surf Fishing team is excited to welcome back Jose Martinez as a strategic advisor, consultant and coach for the 2026 year. Jose is one of the founders and co-owners of No Live Bait Needed (“NLBN”), a lure company that started out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2019. NLBN filled a void by catering to specific needs and various fishing styles with a product design that didn’t exist in the market previously. Over the past several years their soft plastics have exploded in popularity and developed a cult-like following across the country for a variety of species. Jose is an accomplished angler himself holding multiple IGFA records including a line class record for Redfish and a Jr. world record for Butterfly Peacock Bass.
As an advisor, Jose was a key contributor and driving force behind the team’s silver medal effort at the 2025 Pan-American Championships in Costa Rica. His experience and knowledge fishing all over Florida for our target species will be key to our success once again as we host this year’s event at Sebastian Inlet. The team has adopted the NLBN motto of “Keep Casting” to capture the relentless, no quit mentality needed to succeed on the international stage.
Ben Hervey-Murray – California
Ben returns as team President after leading USA to consecutive team silver medals at the 2024 and 2025 Pan-American Championships. A professional saltwater fishing guide based in Southern California and lifelong angler, Ben brings extensive coaching, guiding, and international competition experience while overseeing the continued development of the national teams, with the goal of securing America’s first-ever gold medal in competitive surf fishing.
“From our athletes and coaches to our advisors and support staff, this is an incredibly talented group of people who bring world-class experience, knowledge, and passion to the team,” commented Ben.
“We believe this is the strongest USA Surf Fishing Team ever assembled, and it’s a privilege to have so many outstanding individuals commit their time and expertise to represent the United States, their local communities, and the sport of surf fishing in Sebastian this November.
“On behalf of the team, I’d like to thank our sponsors, supporters, families, and volunteers who make this possible. Hosting the Pan American Surf Fishing Championships in Florida is a tremendous opportunity for our sport, and we’re proud to welcome the best anglers from around the world to this amazing destination,” added Ben.
Opening ceremonies will take place on Thursday, November 5, 2026 at Capt. Hiram’s Resort in Sebastian, Florida, which will also serve as the event operations headquarters throughout the championship. Competition sessions will occur Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8 on Sebastian Inlet State Park beach.
In addition to competition activities, visiting teams and supporters will have access to a variety of local attractions, museums, nearby fishing retailers – including the legendary Bass Pro – and outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the spectacular Indian River County and Treasure Coast region.
Target species at Sebastian include snook, tarpon, redfish, jacks, various snapper species and 15 or so others also commonly caught from shore in the area on lures. Each fish caught is measured by a beach judge, who translates the catch into a points total which is used to determine placings. In 2024 and 2025 editions, just one fish separated each of the top three team placings after more than 20 hours of fishing between over 50 competitors.
Final registration for participating federations and competitors closes October 1, 2026.
The USA Surf Fishing Team is grateful for the following long-term support:
Bass Pro Shops & Cabelas
One of the world’s largest outdoor retailers, Bass Pro Shops provides surf anglers with everything they need – from tackle and lines, to baits and hooks. Their commitment to supporting competitive angling and conservation makes them an invaluable foundational partner of the national team. Visit basspro.com
No Live Bait Needed
No Live Bait Needed (NLBN) is the national team’s go-to artificial lure company designing innovative lifelike baits built to take on the toughest gamefish. Their high-performance lures are trusted by serious surf anglers across the country – including the team in Costa Rica – and NLBN proudly supports the USA Surf Fishing Team as the lead sponsor. Visit https://nlbn.com/
Fishbites
Fishbites creates durable, mess-free natural bait alternatives designed for saltwater and freshwater anglers alike. Their products have revolutionized bait fishing, providing reliability and convenience on the water. Florida-based Fishbites continues to support the USA national team as a foundational partner. Visit fishbites.com
PENN & Pure Fishing:
The team competes using a number of rods and reels (Slammer, Authority, Spinfisher etc) from legendary manufacturer PENN – the brand synonymous with strength, durability, and performance under pressure. For decades, PENN has set the standard in saltwater tackle, and its equipment is engineered to withstand the rigors of long-distance surf casting and high-intensity competition on beaches worldwide.Visit: https://www.pennfishing.com
Varivas:
Varivas is globally respected for producing premium fishing lines and leaders engineered for strength, sensitivity, and reliability in demanding saltwater environments. Known for meticulous manufacturing standards and advanced line technology, Varivas products deliver the casting performance, abrasion resistance, and knot strength required by competitive anglers. Their braid main lines and fluorocarbon leaders are trusted by professionals worldwide to maintain consistent presentation and control when targeting powerful coastal species. Visit: http://varivas.fishing/
Yo-Zuri
For more than 50 years, Yo-Zuri has been at the forefront of fishing tackle innovation, designing and manufacturing premium-quality fishing lures, lines, leaders and equipment for anglers around the world. Renowned for exceptional craftsmanship, durability, and cutting-edge technology, Yo-Zuri has earned a reputation as one of the world’s leading hard-bait manufacturers.
Trusted by recreational and professional anglers alike, Yo-Zuri products are engineered to deliver lifelike finishes, proven fish-catching actions, and outstanding performance across a wide range of fishing environments. The company’s commitment to quality and continual innovation has made the brand a global leader in the fishing industry and a valued partner of the USA Surf Fishing Team. Visit: http://www.yo-zuri.com/
BKK Hooks
BKK Hooks is the global leader in precision-engineered fishing hooks, trusted by top anglers for their strength, sharpness, and durability. With a heritage rooted in innovation and performance, BKK equips the national team with the cutting-edge hook technology needed to compete at the highest level. Their support ensures the team is armed with the very best hooks – including trebles from the Raptor and Viper range – for the Pan-American Championship. Visit bkkhooks-americas.com
Outcast Lures
Outcast Lures specializes in handcrafted custom baits tailored for serious surfcasting. With a focus on performance, durability, and artistry, Outcast supplies the team with unique, proven topwater lures for international competition.
Visit outcastlures.com
Cox & Rawle
Cox & Rawle is renowned for its high-quality terminal tackle, tools and rigging accessories. Their products give the USA team the reliability and edge needed when targeting powerful surf species with a range of useful accessories to aid the team. Visit coxandrawle.com
Stay updated on the team’s journey by following the USA Surf Fishing Team on social media: https://www.instagram.com/usasurffishingteam/ or https://www.facebook.com/USASurfFishingTeam/
For media inquiries, sponsorship opportunities, or information on the team, please contact bhervey-murray@usangling.org
Stay updated on the team’s journey by following the USA Surf Fishing Team on social media: https://www.instagram.com/usasurffishingteam/ or https://www.facebook.com/USASurfFishingTeam/
For media inquiries, sponsorship opportunities, or information on the team, please contact bhervey-murray@usangling.org
About the the USA Surf Fishing Team:
USA Surf Fishing is a member of USAngling – America’s national governing body for international sport fishing competition. The USA Surf Fishing Team is dedicated to representing the United States in international shore-based saltwater fishing competitions and promoting the sport of surf fishing.
For more information:
For more details, interview opportunities with the USA Surf Fishing Team organizers, sponsorship opportunities, and other enquiries, please email the USA Surf Fishing Team at bhervey-murray@usangling.org
Want to run a qualifier event for USA Surf Fishing? Contact us to see if your event can be utilized to help select our team.
About USAngling:
USAngling is a 501c3 charitable organization that provides leadership for our U.S.A. National Fishing Teams as they compete worldwide, shares our love of Competitive Angling by engaging America’s youth, supports Conservation actions, and empowers local Community angling groups.
For more information on USAngling go to www.usangling.org
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