Photo: Easton Fothergill, by Dalton Tumblin & BASS
Canadians held their ground at the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic on Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas from March 21 to 23.
Easton Fothergill, 22, of Minnesota came out on top, managing a record-setting three-day classic creel of 76 pounds, 15 ounces, despite high winds, frigid temperatures, and stubborn pre-spawn bass. He finished eight pounds ahead of second place Trey McKinney of Illinois, while Texas’ Lee Livesay finished third at 66 pounds, 10 ounces.
Bassmaster Canadians
Canadians held their ground in the field of 56. Peterborough’s Cory Johnston was in the hunt the entire tournament. He grabbed second place on day one with a first-day catch of 25 pounds, nine ounces. He was in second after day three, trailing the eventual winner with 10 bass at 45 pounds, 13 ounces. Nothing came easy, however. On day two, he had only six bites, but they were quality ones. He eventually fell to fifth place on the back of cranking a green pumpkin or white-bladed jig with a 6th Sense’s Flush trailer for the last day, aiming to connect with pre-spawn and spawning bass. Earlier in the event, he alternated between pitching a jig in cedar trees and a bladed jig.
Johnston’s younger brother Chris, the reigning 2024 Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year, spent much of the event catching up from a disappointing 29th finish on day one. Similar to Cory, he targeted pre-spawn bass in coves. His persistence gave him an eight-place finish on Championship Sunday. OOD writer and 2023 Bassmaster Classic champion, Jeff Gustafson of Keewatin, was steady and secured 29th. Bowmanville native Cooper Gallant finished 41st. Both received $10,000 US in prize money. The Johnston brothers won $25,000 and $21,000, respectively, for their efforts.
Elite season resumes April 10
The four Canadian Elite anglers, plus 2025 Elite rookie Evan Kung of Pickering, will resume the BASS Elite season on April 10 in North Carolina on the Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound.
Fothergill’s victory was historic not only due to his record weight — which was topped by an eight-pound beast which came to the boat late in the afternoon of the final day to complete his limit — but because 19 months ago, he was awaiting emergency surgery for an infected abscess in his brain. Overcoming that, Easton qualified for the 2025 Bass Pro Shop Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour with two BASS Open victories in 2024.
Along with winning $308,000 US, Easton overshot the Classic record for heaviest three-day total, previously held by Kevin Van Dam, and became the first Minnisotan to win the championship. He owes his victory to prying suspended bass from shallow timber with a red bug Strike King finesse worm rigged Neko style.
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