Bass Fishing

The winner of the 2025 Bassmaster Classic was decided on Sunday, with Easton Fothergill ending the competition atop the leaderboard.

Fothergill sat at No. 1 through Day 2's action and didn't slow down, catching five fish weighing 22 pounds and 10 ounces on the final day of the event to maintain his position in first place.

Congratulations to Easton Fothergill on winning the 2025 @BassProShops Bassmaster Classic presented by @UnderArmour with three-day total of 76 pounds, 15 ounces! #bass #bassmaster #bassmasterclassic #champion #bassmasterclassic25 pic.twitter.com/yRRE7mkmMf

— Bassmaster (@bassmaster) March 24, 2025

Records? Broken. History? Made. #bassmasterclassic #champion pic.twitter.com/FxY2udTA35

— Bassmaster (@bassmaster) March 24, 2025

The Grand Rapids, Minnesota native won the Bassmaster Classic in his second time participating in the tournament. Fothergill previously finished No. 16 in the 2024 Classic.

Trey McKinney, Lee Livesay, Hunter Shryock and Cory Johnston rounded out the top five in the 2025 competition.

Here's a look at the final top 10 anglers from the weekend at Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas.

Final 2025 Bassmaster Classic Leaderboard

1. Easton Fothergill (76 pounds, 15 ounces)

2. Trey McKinney (68 pounds, 7 ounces)

3. Lee Livesay (66 pounds, 10 ounces)

4. Hunter Shryock (64 pounds, 14 ounces)

5. Cory Johnston (58 pounds, 7 ounces)

6. John Cox (56 pounds, 13 ounces)

7. Brandon Lester (56 pounds, 5 ounces)

8. Chris Johnston (55 pounds, 15 ounces)

9. Patrick Walters (55 pounds, 12 ounces)

10. Justin Hamner (53 pounds, 3 ounces)

Full leaderboard via Bassmaster.com

Fothergill's victory was aided by a stellar finish on Saturday, jumping into the No. 1 spot by reeling in five fish weighing 29 pounds and 6 ounces.

“I’ve got to do my best to block [that lead] out,” Fothergill said entering Day 3, via Bassmaster.com. “We’re in Texas. All I can do is go catch the five biggest ones and see what happens.”

McKinney held the top spot after Friday's start to the tournament, but he couldn't hold on to win throughout the duration of the event. Still, he racked up five fish with a weight of 26 pounds and 1 ounce on Sunday to finish No. 2 overall in the first Classic appearance of his career.

Trey McKinney’s first keeper this morning helped kick things into high gear! McKinney now has 3 keepers in his livewell and is sitting in 3rd place unofficially on #BassTrakk.#bassmaster #bassmasterclassic #bassmasterclassic25 pic.twitter.com/P9jEZY5ArH

— Bassmaster (@bassmaster) March 23, 2025

Cory Johnston was the closest angler to challenging Fothergill through Day 2, but he struggled on Sunday. Johnston only caught four fish totaling 12 pounds and 10 ounces on Day 3.

Justin Hamner, the 2024 Classic winner, ended the contest on a high note after sitting at No. 25 on Friday's inital leaderboard. He made up ground on Day 2 and Day 3 to narrowly finish within the top 10.

At the end of the 2025 Classic, Fothergill took home some hardware to go along with the $300,000 prize.

The 2025 Bassmaster Classic leaderboard was shaken up following Saturday's action.

At the end of Day 2, Easton Fothergill sat at No. 1 in the tournament standings. Fothergill initially entered the day at No. 3 but jumped into the top spot by catching five fish weighing 29 pounds and 6 ounces.

His two-day total of 54 pounds and 5 ounces gives him a sizable lead over the rest of the field.

Easton Fothergill takes over the lead at the 2025 @BassProShops Bassmaster Classic presented by @UnderArmour with a two-day total weight of 54 pounds, 5 ounces!#bass #bassmaster #leader #bassmasterclassic #bassmasterclassic25 pic.twitter.com/BCMfrIsO3a

— Bassmaster (@bassmaster) March 23, 2025

Cory Johnston finished Day 1 at No. 2 and remained in the same position, reeling in five fish with a weight of 20 pounds and 4 ounces.

Here's a look at the top 10 anglers following Day 2's competition at Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas.

Saturday's 2025 Bassmaster Classic Leaderboard

1. Easton Fothergill (54 pounds, 5 ounces)
2. Cory Johnston (45 pounds, 13 ounces)
3. Hunter Shryock (44 pounds, 13 ounces)
4. Lee Livesay (44 pounds, 9 ounces)
5. John Cox (44 pounds, 8 ounces)
6. Trey McKinney (42 pounds, 6 ounces)
7. Brandon Lester (39 pounds, 14 ounces)
8. Tyler Rivet (37 pounds, 4 ounces)
9. Chris Johnston (37 pounds, 4 ounces)
10. Tyler Williams (36 pounds, 6 ounces)

Full leaderboard via Bassmaster.com

Trey McKinney held the No. 1 position after Friday's weigh-in was completed, but he couldn't maintain the momentum. His five fish on Day 2 weighed just 15 pounds and 13 ounces.

2024 Bassmaster Classic winner Justin Hamner improved upon his Day 1 finish, although he still sat at just No. 24 in the overall standings with a two-day total of 30 pounds and 0 ounces.

One of the biggest improvements over the first two days of the tournament came from Tyler Rivet, who only caught four fish weighing 11 pounds and 7 ounces on Friday. He jumped into the No. 8 spot on the overall leaderboard with an impressive finish on Saturday, recording five fish with a weight of 25 pounds and 13 ounces.

The winner of the 2025 Classic and recipient of the $300,000 first-place prize will be determind on Sunday, with Day 3's weigh-in starting at 5:30 p.m. ET.

The 2025 Bassmaster Classic kicked off on Friday at Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas.

56 anglers, including 2024 Classic winner Justin Hamner, competed for the $300,000 prize.

At the end of Day 1, Trey McKinney stood atop the leaderboard by bringing in five fish with a total weight of 26 pounds and 9 ounces. Cory Johnston sat at No. 2 with his five fish weighing 25 pounds and 9 ounces, while Easton Fothergill rounded out the top three with his five fish combining to weigh 24 pounds and 15 ounces.

Trey McKinney blasts into the Day 1️⃣ lead on Lake Ray Roberts for the @BassProShops Bassmaster Classic presented by @UnderArmour with 26 pounds, 9 ounces!

📍 @DickiesArena @fortworthsports #bass #bassmaster #leader #bassmasterclassic #bassmasterclassic25 pic.twitter.com/HJXMstXUzV

— Bassmaster (@bassmaster) March 22, 2025

The youngest Bassmaster Elite series champion in history has taken the lead on Day 1️⃣ of the @BassProShops Bassmaster Classic presented by @UnderArmour with 26 pounds, 9 ounces! Tune in tomorrow morning to watch Trey McKinney take on Day 2️⃣.#bassmaster #bass #bassfishing… pic.twitter.com/OgYgXZkeXl

— Bassmaster (@bassmaster) March 22, 2025

As for Hamner, he'll be looking to make up some ground as he currently holds the No. 25 spot on the leaderboard with four fish weighing 14 pounds and 14 ounces.

2024 Classic Champion Justin Hamner just crossed the weigh-in stage at @DickiesArena. Let’s take a look back at the biggun he caught today during #BassLIVE. #bass #bassmaster #bassfishing #bassmasterclassic #bassmasterclassic25 #basslive pic.twitter.com/SxUSKxwohl

— Bassmaster (@bassmaster) March 21, 2025

Here's a closer look at the top 10 heading into Saturday's action.

Friday's 2025 Bassmaster Classic Leaderboard

1. Trey McKinney (26 pounds, 9 ounces)
2. Cory Johnston (25 pounds, 9 ounces)
3. Easton Fothergill (24 pounds, 15 ounces)
4. Jay Przekurat (23 pounds, 7 ounces)
5. Lee Livesay (23 pounds, 0 ounces)
6. John Cox (22 pounds, 0 ounces)
7. Kyoya Fujita (21 pounds, 14 ounces)
8. Hunter Shryock (21 pounds, 12 ounces)
9. Drew Benton (21 pounds, 8 ounces)
10. Bryan Schmitt (21 pounds, 5 ounces)

Full leaderboard via Bassmaster.com

McKinney's Day 1 finish was especially impressive considering he's participating in his first Bassmaster Classic. The 20-year-old previously earned first place at the 2024 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork.

Johnston initially took the lead on Friday before he was surpassed by McKinney, but he's still in position to compete for the top spot entering Day 2. He's no stranger to the Classic, as he's looking to improve upon his No. 6 finish in the 2024 competition.

Saturday's tournament coverage will begin at 8:30 a.m. ET, with weigh-in starting at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Hank Cherry Jr. topped the 50th annual Bassmaster Classic at Lake Guntersville in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sunday afternoon.

The 46-year-old entered Championship Sunday atop the leaderboard with 45 pounds, 13 ounces to his name. Cherry had suffered an arm injury during Friday's opening round of action, according to Carolina Sportsman's Brian Cope, after falling in his boat. While Cherry said he will probably get his arm checked by a doctor, it did not inhibit him in the Classic.

Cherry earned his first career Bassmaster Classic championship in his fifth appearance. The closest he came previously was as a third-place finish at the 2013 event.

It was not a foregone conclusion that Cherry would parlay his two-day lead into a title, however, as there were four lead changes Sunday. Ultimately, the North Carolina native's 19 pounds, eight ounces on Day 3 secured the trophy.

     

Bassmaster Classic Top 10 Anglers

1. Hank Cherry Jr. (65 pounds-5 ounces)

2. Todd Auten (58-10)

3. Stetson Blaylock (58-1)

4. Seth Feider (54-0)

5. Micah Frazier (54-0)

6. John Crews Jr. (53-13)

7. Brandon Lester (53-9)

8. Lee Livesay (52-12)

9. Brandon Card (50-4)

10. Matt Herren (49-5)

Full results available at Bassmaster.com with payout information courtesy of the tournament's live stream.

     

Seth Feider and Lee Livesay tied for Day 3's best weigh-in at 21 pounds, 13 ounces across five fish. It was Stetson Blaylock and John Crews Jr. who appeared to be giving Cherry the most trouble while the anglers were still out on the water, though, as Crews reeled in the day's heaviest bass at six pounds even:

https://twitter.com/bassmaster/status/1236648959541723137

https://twitter.com/bassmaster/status/1236713513856503809

This was Blaylock's first time qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic and Crews' 12th. Both will have to wait at least another year to contend because Cherry would not be denied:

.@cherryhank is back in control on the Final Day of the Bassmaster Classic. He just landed his limit fish and this big one fired him up. His nearest pursuers are upgrading to try and stay within striking range on Guntersville. Anything can happen. #bassfishing #bassmasterclassic pic.twitter.com/KyYvIwK5oF

— Bassmaster (@bassmaster) March 8, 2020

https://twitter.com/bassmaster/status/1236719070856216578

Brandon Lester was in second place, four pounds and 13 ounces behind Cherry through Saturday's action, but posted just 12 pounds, nine ounces on Sunday to slide down to seventh place.

Cherry won $300,000 for claiming first place, per the Bassmaster official live stream, while Todd Auten banked $50,000 for second and Blaylock collected $40,000 for third. There is a payout from the tournament's $1 million purse for every angler through 53rd place.

The first day of the 2020 Bassmaster Classic was a big one for Hank Cherry Jr., who hauled in five fish for a total weight of 29 pounds, three ounces to take a commanding lead over the field.

John Crews Jr. and Clent Davis are tied for second place after matching 21-pound, eight-ounce days. 

Here is how the leaderboard looks after Day 1:

1. Hank Cherry Jr. (29 pounds-3 ounces)

T-2. John Crews Jr. (21-8)

T-2. Clent Davis (21-8)

4. Brandon Lester (20-15)

T-5. Todd Auten (20-0)

T-5. Micah Frazier (20-0) 

7. Skylar Hamilton (19-11)

8. Matt Herren (18-12)

9. David Mullins (18-8)

10. Hunter Shyrock (18-6)

      

Cherry, who nearly won the 2013 Classic during his Rookie of the Year season, averaged nearly six pounds per bass in a consistent overall day. His top fish came out at seven pounds and two ounces.

https://twitter.com/bassmaster/status/1236016142243725312

Todd Auten had the largest bass of the day, bringing in a seven-pound, nine-ouncer during the early morning hours. 

The 2020 Bassmaster Classic looks destined to crown a first-time winner due in part to the split between the Bass Pro Tour and Elite Series. Defending champion Ott DeFoe did not qualify for the 2020 Classic because he chose to fish on the Pro Tour rather than the Elite Series. He released a statement (h/t Wired2Fish) in January confirming he would not be participating.

https://twitter.com/bassmaster/status/1235976876180623360

Anglers looking up on the field will have to act fast. Only the top 25 competitors compete in the third and final day of the event.

If Day 1 is any indication, it appears they're all out for second place. 

The latest edition of the Bassmaster Classic gets underway on Friday, with 53 of the finest anglers around competing for their share of the $1 million prize pot.

This year's competition will be staged at Lake Guntersville at BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama, over the course of three action-packed days.

Ott DeFoe was the winner in 2019, with his three-day total registering 49 pounds and three ounces. However, he will not be back to be defend his crown this year, nor will other big names like two-time winner Jordan Lee and four-time champion Kevin VanDam.

       

Date: Friday, March 6 - Sunday, March 8

TV Info: ESPN 3

Live Stream: ESPN app, Bassmaster.com

Prize Money: $1,000,000 (overall), $300,000 (winner)

Prize money details courtesy of AL.com.

      

Preview

The Bassmaster Twitter account provided a look at what's to be expected over the course of the weekend:

One week from today, the 50th edition of the @Academy Bassmaster Classic presented by @HukGear gets underway. Who are you rooting for to go down in history as a Classic winner? #bassfishing #bassmasterclassic #fishing #basselite #dreambig pic.twitter.com/KM8wwyOhSX

— Bassmaster (@bassmaster) February 28, 2020

With a number of big names missing due to their commitment to different tours, the field is wide open in Birmingham this year.

As a result, anglers with local knowledge of Lake Guntersville may have an advantage over the rest of the field. One of those is Scott Canterbury, who resides around 60 miles from the setting for this weekend's showdown, per Travis Smola of Wide Open Spaces.

In his rookie season on the tour in 2019, he was named the Bassmaster Angler of the Year, with six top-10 finishes registered. Victory here would cement his position as one of the best anglers in the world at the moment.

Seth Feider is one of the most prestigious competitors in the field, with three B.A.S.S. titles to his name already. In 2019 he was a winner three times too.

Brandon Lester is another who will be vying for success and speaking to Bassmaster (h/t Smola), Lester outlined what he thinks will be important to secure victory this year in regards to conditions.

"You have the pre-spawn leading into the spawn, and there could even be a few fish spawning during that tournament," he said. "I've seen it happen on Guntersville that early before. It all depends on what kind of weather we have."

Meteorologist James Spann showed the expected conditions at the lake on Wednesday:

Some are out this morning getting ready for the Bassmaster Classic at Lake Guntersville that starts Friday... photo from Donna Prickett pic.twitter.com/3b7BUuQyuj

— James Spann (@spann) March 4, 2020

According to Weather.com, there's a mainly sunny forecast for the weekend, with temperatures potentially reaching a high of 62 degrees on Sunday.

The 2018 Bassmaster Classic got underway on Friday, with 52 of the best bass fishers in the world flocking to Lake Hartwell in Greenville, S.C., for the weekend. 

Jordan Lee won last year's event by reeling in 12 fish for an impressive total weight of 56 pounds and 10 ounces. Other fishers, such as Brent Ehrler (15) caught more fish, but nobody managed a heavier haul. He is off to a strong start this year, sitting in third place after the first day.

Take a look to see how this year's competition stacks up on the opening round:

      

2018 Bassmaster Classic Leaderboard Through Friday

1. Jason Christie 5 fish/20 pounds-14 ounces

2. Edwin Evers 5/19-9

3. Jordan Lee 5/18-10

4. Brent Ehrler 5/17-8

5. Ott DeFoe 5/16-8

6. James Elam 5/16-7

7. Jacob Wheeler 5/16-1

8. Mark Daniels Jr. 5/15-14

9. Gerald Swindle 5/15-13

10. Jamie Hartman 5/15-12

Full results available via Bassmaster.com.

    

Day 1 Tidbits

There are a smattering of familiar names atop the leaderboard, as four of last year's top five are right in the thick of things. Along with reigning champ Lee, Brent Ehrler (No. 3 last year), James Elam (No. 4) and Ott DeFoe (No. 5) end the first day on solid footing.

No doubt at it, though: Jason Christie was the biggest winner of the first day. After finishing in 34th place last year, he was the only one to manage a 20-pound bag on Friday. That gave him a solid lead to take into Saturday.

Edwin Ever, last year's 11th-place finisher, nearly hit the 20-pound mark but came up just a bit short. Still, his second-place standing is no small feat. 

The tournament continues throughout the weekend, with fishing set to begin at 8 a.m. ET both Saturday and Sunday.

Friday marked the first day of the 2017 Bassmaster Classic, with 52 of the best bass-fishers in the world converging on Houston's Lake Conroe for the right to call themselves a champion. 

Edwin Evers is the defending champ. Last season, he wrangled a total of 14 bass over the three days, including a spectacular 29-pound, three-ounce catch on the final day to breeze past Jason Christie.    

Here are the results from the opening day of this year's Bassmaster Classic, along with reaction from what happened on the water:

Place	Angler	Total Fish	Weight (Pounds-Ounces)
1	Brent Ehrler	5	23-3
2	Bradley Roy	5	22-1
3	Cliff Crochet	5	21-8
4	Michael Iaconelli	5	21-2
5	Clifford Pirch	5	20-11
6	Dave Lefebre	5	20-6
7	James Elam	4	20-1
8	Wesley Strader	5	19-9
9	Matt Herren	5	19-7
10	Ish Monroe	5	19-4

Full results available via Bassmaster.com.

There are high expectations for this year's event based on the quality of the bass in the lake. Prior to the start of Friday's festivities, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department fisheries biologist Mark Webb offered a brief assessment on Lake Conroe. 

"I think you're going to see some really impressive catches—maybe even some records broken," Webb said, per Shannon Tompkins of the Houston Chronicle. "Lake Conroe has a very high-quality bass fishery."

Tompkins also noted several of the anglers competing in this year's classic believe the record weight of 69 pounds, 11 ounces could be in jeopardy. 

"Lake Conroe has coughed up more than two-dozen largemouths weighing 13 pounds or more, and the lake record stands at 15.93 pounds," Tompkins wrote.

Brent Ehrler started the day nearly one-third of the way to the all-time weight total in the event. He started with 23 pounds, three ounces from his five bass. 

The talent in the field is another reason for optimism about the high level of competition this weekend. Twelve former Bassmaster Classic champions are participating, including the ones for each of the past three years (Evers, Casey Ashley, Randy Howell). 

From that trio, Evers had the best start to the Bassmaster Classic, sitting in 13th place with 18 pounds, three ounces. Ashley and Howell had rough starts, with both sitting outside the top 40 after the first day. Howell is fourth from the bottom with just two catches totaling four pounds, eight ounces. 

Among the top-10 finishers Friday, James Elam was the only angler not to catch five bass. He made his catches count, generating 20 pounds, one ounce from four.

With one day in the books, there are no definitive statements to make. Ehrler's slim edge at the top of the leaderboard may give him confidence heading into Saturday, but Lake Conroe is proving to be fruitful for large bass. 

Even those anglers who got off to a slow start, like Howell and Ashley, can climb back into the mix with the right catches tomorrow. 

Fifty-five of the top anglers and audiences from around the world descended upon Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the Bassmaster Classic on Friday. 

Local favorite Jason Christie took a commanding lead after Day 1 with a five-fish haul totaling 20 pounds, 14 ounces.

Christie has more than a two-pound advantage over second-place Greg Vinson, but the margin between Vinson and 10th-place Marty Robinson is less than four pounds.

Here is a look at the top 10 after Day 1:

Place	Angler	Total Fish	Weight
1	Jason Christe	5	20-14
2	Greg Vinson	5	18-1
3	Alton Jones	5	17-13
4	Randy Howell	5	17-6
5	Bill Lowen	5	16-9
6	Matt Herren	5	16-4
7	Greg Hackney	5	16-2
8	Casey Ashley	5	15-5
9	Todd Faircloth	5	14-15
10	Marty Robinson	4	14-12

The Bassmaster Classic isn’t about quantity, but quality—weight trumps all. Positioning is determined by the heaviest load of fish, which must be at least 12 inches long. And as a catch-and-release tournament, all fish must be alive at the weigh-in, or a penalty will be assessed.

Christie competed in his first Classic at Grand Lake three years ago, finishing seventh in what remains his best Classic outing. He hails from Park Hill, Oklahoma—90 miles from Grand Lake. 

Christie catapulted from 10th place around lunchtime to take the lead by the end of the day with an increase of nearly eight pounds to his load.

The waters on Grand Lake were plagued by flooding in December, and the carry-over could still be seen during the competition's early stages Friday.

Here is a look at the anglers taking off Friday, via VisitTulsa:

https://twitter.com/VisitTulsa/status/705740213364985856

Water temperatures dropped into the 40s, and the shallow levels left few bites in the morning. But the catch rate climbed drastically after the lunch hour. Winds were calmer than the 25 to 35 mph gusts in practice earlier this week, and temperatures were higher than the freezing conditions from the last time the Classic took place in Oklahoma.

Following the day on the water, the anglers convened at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa for the weigh-in.

John Laws of KTUL in Tulsa shared a photo of Christie taking the stage as the leader following Friday’s outing:

Park Hill #Oklahoma native Jason Christie new leader @ 20lbs 14oz. #BassmasterClassic pic.twitter.com/2eZfWdCVKK

— John Laws (@TheJohnLaws) March 4, 2016

And here is a look at Alton Jones after his outing, which was good for third, via Yamaha Outboards:

Day 1: @JonesProFishing is 3rd with 17-13. #BassMasterClassic #BassFishing #AltonJones #Fishing pic.twitter.com/tuUxQeFEmU

— Yamaha Outboards (@YamahaOutboards) March 5, 2016

After Day 2 of the three-day event, the field will be trimmed to 25 anglers. Christie will look to continue his strong outing Saturday in his native waters as he seeks his first Classic title.