Swamp Eye HDs Prove Why They’re the Best All-Around Bowfishing Lights at the 2026 Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship
Every year, the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship brings together some of the best bowfishermen in the country. Different states, different boats, different water conditions, and different strategies all come together for one of the biggest stages in competitive bowfishing.
At the 2026 U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship, one thing was clear: Swamp Eye Bowfishing Lights were trusted when it mattered most by some of the industry’s top bowfishermen.
Most importantly, the winning team, Team Splittin Scale Southern Style, captured the 2026 U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship while running Swamp Eye HD Bowfishing Lights. Their championship performance is another real-world example of why the Swamp Eye HDs continue to stand out as one of the best all-around bowfishing lights available for serious bowfishermen.
From raised-deck airboats running generator setups to low-profile battery-powered kicker boats, Swamp Eye HDs, Swamp Eye Gen 2.X Light Bars, and Swamp Eye Silent Series lights were represented across a wide range of competitive bowfishing rigs.
Swamp Eye HDs Help Power the 2026 U.S. Open Champions
The U.S. Open is not an easy tournament to win. Teams spend countless hours scouting water, dialing in their boat setups, and adapting to changing conditions throughout the event.
Team Splittin Scale Southern Style put together an incredible performance and ultimately captured the championship title with a setup powered by Swamp Eye HDs.
That kind of result matters. When the top team in one of the biggest bowfishing tournaments in the country chooses Swamp Eye HDs, it says a lot about the performance, coverage, brightness, and reliability serious bowfishermen expect from their lighting setup.
Congratulations to:
- Capt. Alan Yedor
- Josh French
- Scotty Layman
- Hunter Neeley
on becoming the 2026 Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Champions.
Why the Swamp Eye HDs Are the Best All-Around Bowfishing Light
The Swamp Eye HDs are built for bowfishermen who want a powerful, proven, all-around lighting system that can handle a wide range of water conditions and boat layouts.
For competitive bowfishing, a light has to do more than just be bright. It needs to provide usable coverage, reduce dark spots, perform in changing water clarity, and give shooters the visibility they need all night long.
That is where the Swamp Eye HDs shine. They are a proven choice for serious bowfishing teams because they combine high-output performance with the coverage and adjustability needed for real-world tournament conditions.
Trusted Across the Leaderboard
The championship team was not the only group relying on Swamp Eye Lights at the U.S. Open.
Several other top teams and hourly weigh-in winners also trusted Swamp Eye systems, including Swamp Eye HDs, Swamp Eye Gen 2.X Light Bars, and Swamp Eye Silent Series Lights.
One standout moment came from Team Over the Edge Outdoors, who landed a 10.5 lb River Redhorse Sucker and set a new Arkansas State Record during the tournament.
From championship-winning boats to hourly weigh-in winners, Swamp Eye Lights were on full display across the event.
Different Setups. Different Strategies. Same Trusted Lights.
One of the best parts about the U.S. Open is seeing the massive variety of rigs and strategies that can all be effective.
Throughout the tournament, we saw:
- Raised deck boats running generator-powered Swamp Eye HDs
- Flush deck boats using Swamp Eye Silent Series Lights
- Compact rigs equipped with Swamp Eye Gen 2.X Light Bars
- Airboats, kicker boats, mud boats, and aluminum rigs all competing successfully
That’s what makes competitive bowfishing so unique. There is no single “right way” to rig a boat.
Some teams prioritize maximum brightness and wide coverage. Others prioritize quiet battery-powered operation, lightweight layouts, or low-profile deck setups. The important thing is choosing a bowfishing light system built for the way you fish.
Swamp Eye Bowfishing Lights Built for Real Bowfishermen
At Outrigger Outdoors, we design bowfishing lights based on real-world experience on the water.
Every Swamp Eye lighting system is built with a specific type of bowfisherman in mind:
- Swamp Eye HDs for maximum all-around bowfishing light performance, brightness, and coverage
- Swamp Eye Silent Series for efficient battery-powered bowfishing setups
- Swamp Eye Gen 2.X Light Bars for compact, low-profile bowfishing light performance
Seeing all three product lines represented throughout one of the biggest bowfishing tournaments in the world was something we are incredibly grateful for.
Trusted When It Matters Most
Bowfishing tournaments are a true test of equipment. Lights have to perform through long nights, changing water conditions, and constant pressure.
The results of the 2026 Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship showed exactly why so many serious bowfishermen trust Swamp Eye Lights. The winning team ran Swamp Eye HDs, and many other top teams and hourly winners relied on Swamp Eye HDs, Swamp Eye Gen 2.X Light Bars, and Swamp Eye Silent Series Lights throughout the event.
When the industry’s top bowfishermen need lights they can count on, Swamp Eye Lights continue to prove themselves on the water.
Thank You to Everyone Who Stopped By
One of the best parts of the tournament wasn’t just the competition — it was getting to meet customers, talk boats, hear stories, and see the unique ways people rig their setups across the country.
The bowfishing community truly feels like a big family reunion every year at the U.S. Open.
We wish we could showcase every single boat and every single photo because there were so many incredible setups running Swamp Eye Lights throughout the event.
To everyone who stopped by, shared photos, wore Outrigger gear, or trusted our products on the water — thank you.
We’re already looking forward to next year.
Tournament Boat Setups
The Swamp Eye HDs, Swamp Eye Gen 2.X Light Bars, and Swamp Eye Silent Series were on full display throughout the tournament. Here are some photos we took of competitors and their boat builds. Hopefully these setups give you ideas for how to rig your next bowfishing boat.
Team AMS Bowfishing: Features Swamp Eye Silent Series Bowfishing Lights
Team AMS Bowfishing is a competitive tournament team who travels nationwide and regularly places at the top of many different Bowfishing tournaments. They rely on the Swamp Eye Silent Series bowfishing lights as well as the Outrigger Outdoors Bow Mounted Bowfishing Light.
This Bowfishing team is based out of Missouri. They have a pusher fan style boat and are relying on the Swamp Eye HD Bowfishing Lights.
This tournament team relies on the Swamp Eye Light Bars.
Another local Missouri tournament team, these guys rely on the Swamp Eye HD Bowfishing Lights.
An Arkansas boat that has been retrofitted for bowfishing with the Swamp Eye Silent Series bowfishing lights. This setup can do it all!
Local Missouri bowfishing team who relies on the Swamp Eye Silent Series lights.
Local Missouri team - Trash Fish Taxi - these guys have been long time customers running the Swamp Eye Gen 2.X Light Bars. This is not their first U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship!
Another local Missouri bowfishing team who has a raised deck and relies on the Swamp Eye Silent Series bowfishing lights.
This tournament team is out of Tennessee, they rely on the Swamp Eye HD bowfishing lights and have one Swamp Eye Silent Series light on the rear.
Polar Kraft Bowfishing boat featuring the Swamp Eye Light Bars.
On Dek Outdoors Bowfishing Charter relies on the Swamp Eye HD bowfishing lights.
Oklahoma-based tournament bowfishing team who relies on the Swamp Eye HD bowfishing lights.
Arkansas based bowfishing team who relies on the Swamp Eye HD Bowfishing Lights on their Tracker boat.
Arkansas based bowfishing team who prefers the low profile light boxes with the Swamp Eye Gen 2.X Light Bars.
Team Trash Fish Taxi holding up a fish!
These guys are great competitors - holding up their fish.
Team Midnight Massacre weighing in - Tracker bowfishing boat featuring Swamp Eye HDs with the glare shield hoods installed.
Another photo of Team Midnight Massacre with their Swamp Eye HDs featuring glare shield hoods.
Team Garmy Men Bowfishing featuring Swamp Eye HD Bowfishing Lights.
Tennessee based bowfishing team with Swamp Eye HD bowfishing lights.
Swamp Eye HD Bowfishing lights on the front of this raised deck.
Team Heart of Dixie Bowfishing, also a guide service out of Alabama, relies on the Swamp Eye HD bowfishing lights.
