With less than 30 minutes of fishing time left on the final day of the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, Easton Fothergill only had four keeper bass in his Skeeter livewells and could feel the weight of the bass fishing world building on his shoulders. The 22-year-old Elite Series rookie started the day with a sizeable lead after weighing in the biggest bag of the tournament on Day 2, but keepers proved tough to come by on Championship Sunday. Fothergill stayed focused and performed under pressure, with poise well beyond his years, catching an 8-pound Lake Ray Roberts monster to fill out his limit.
That last fish put the final touches on a record-breaking Classic victory and made his childhood dreams come true. Check out more details on Fothergill’s victory here.
DANGER: High Voltage!
You’ve probably heard about electrofishing—but have you ever seen one of these rigs up close? At the recent Bassmaster Classic in Ft Worth, we had the chance to check out the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s electroshock fishing boat. Electrofishing is a surveying method used by biologists to study fish populations. A controlled electrical current is sent into the water, temporarily stunning nearby fish so they can be collected, measured, and released unharmed. It’s a critical tool for conservation, helping track fish health and population trends. Seeing one of these rigs in person at the Classic was a cool reminder of the science behind the sport!
Pam Martin-Wells Needs Our Support
Pam Martin-Wells and her Husband need your help. Pam’s health has taken a turn for the worse. They have one last opportunity for a treatment. The problem is that treatment is going to cost about $60,000. They need to sell her boat or the house to make this work but time is ticking and that is not a quick process. Please donate if you can. Let’s raise this over night and pray for the miracle that is needed. If you can’t afford to donate even $1 a share on social media is huge. Let’s show Pam and Steven the Bass Fishing Community, Friends, and Family are here for them. Learn more about how you can help Pam here.
Conceived with the aim of sparking an angler’s creativity, the 6th Sense Congo Craw is a versatile crawfish soft plastic with four life-like appendages delivering unparalleled action that will entice giant fish into biting. For a subtler finesse action and a fast rate of fall simply remove the outside appendages, or you can leave all of them intact for increased water displacement and a slower sink rate. With an integrated hook slot to allow for flipping presentations with an EWG hook, the Congo Craw is perfect for pitching as a standalone bait or for use as a jig trailer. Each appendage is poured with thick edges at the end of each claw for maximum movement, making the 6th Sense Congo Craw an adaptable soft plastic whether you’re dragging the depths or picking apart cover. Check out the full selection here
On this Episode of “The Cast” we take a look at the significance of the Bassmaster Classic to the sport of fishing and its anglers. The history of the Classic dates back to its beginnings when Ray Scott wanted the sport to be recognized on the main stage. Moving the Classic from the shores of a lake to an arena drew the fan fair and the rest was history. Anglers make a long-lasting name in the sport of fishing off the back of a Classic victory. Check it out here
Bassmaster Elite Series professional Easton Fothergill’s sponsors include Fuji, Humminbird, Minn Kota, Omnia Fishing, Powerhouse Lithium, Ryugi Japan, Simms, Skeeter, Yamaha, Toyota, and Strike King just to name a few.
To Update Or Not To Update
Special Contribution By Lowrance Regional Pro Staffer Rod Wynn
This is one of the hottest questions as software updates go LIVE to the masses but every time this does happen you have a group of anglers who ask this and although it should be a “no brainer” to DO the updates. You will always have some naysayers. The update went LIVE on March 12, 2025, hence the name “25.1” which means it’s the first update of 2025. This software update for Lowrance MFDs and sonar modules includes a suite of new features and functionality as well as various performance enhancements and bug fixes.
The 25.1 software version includes:
• Lowrance RECON Trolling Motor Support
• Active Target Performance Improvements
• S3100H Heave compensation
• Updates to Legacy Sonar Networking
• Bob’s Machine Shop Jackplate Monitoring
• Bug Fixes and Improvements
25.1 is available for all screen sizes of Lowrance Displays including HDS PRO, HDS LIVE, Elite FS, and HDS Carbon. So now that we are a couple weeks since the release of the update “word on the street” (or lake) is that it’s nothing short of GREAT! The consensus ranges from better performing MFD’s to drastically improved returns from the forward-facing sonar!
In addition to this, support for the newly announced RECON trolling motors is now enabled on all HDS PRO, HDS Live, HDS Carbon, and Elite FS displays.
Connecting a Lowrance RECON trolling motor to a Lowrance display via N2k will enable control and monitoring of the RECON trolling motor.
This includes:
· Monitoring motor status such as stowed/deployed, navigation modes, propeller action, etc.
· On screen indicators of steering direction
· Programming the Recon foot pedal and remote configurable buttons
There’s something special about catching fish on a jig you made yourself. With the Weedless Football Jig Kit from Do-it Molds, you get everything you need to start pouring your own jigs – minus the fun part. That’s up to you! Pick your paint colors, choose your skirts, and fine-tune every detail to match your fishing style. Not only do you get total control over your tackle, but you’ll also save money – crafting jigs for around $2 each, compared to at least double off the shelf. Whether you’re customizing for that perfect bite or just love the process of building your own gear, this kit makes it easy to get started. Check it out here!
BOT Trivia Answer:
Which company owns Strike King and Lew’s, among other brands?
