Posing the obvious question to Fisher Anaya drew a fairly predictable response, but the poise and confidence with which the words rolled off the Elite Rookie’s lips was something very far from arrogance. Rather, it was the rock solid assuredness of a young man who knows that he knows what he knows.
Fishing his first Bassmaster Classic at 20 years of age, Anaya has the potential to become the youngest Classic winner, a mark set by then 21-year-old Stanley Mitchell, who won the 1981 event at the Alabama River.
The question: What’s your thought on possibly setting the youngest classic champion record?
“It’s awesome, it means you gotta swing for it harder,” Anaya said. “There’s a little bit more on the line than just winning the Classic and getting the name on the trophy.”
The Proving Grounds
Hailing from Eva, Ala., Anaya’s no Johnny come lately and if you consider the phrase, “flash in the pan,” he’s the diametric opposite.
Entering his first bass tournament during his seventh grade year and placing second set the hook on his heart.
“After that, I was like, ‘This is for me,’” Anaya grinned.
Fishing just about every level of local, regional and national competitions hosted on Alabama fisheries, Anaya would go on to notch Top 10 finishes in the Strike King Bassmaster Junior Series, the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster High School Series, the Bassmaster Team Championship and the Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens events.
Claiming the 2025 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Angler of the Year title, Anaya also won the 2025 Bassmaster Team Championship at Lake Hartwell. About a month ago, he claimed his first blue trophy in only his second Bassmaster Elite Event — on Alabama’s Lake Martin.
“Anything you can imagine that’s come to Alabama, I’ve probably fished it,” Anaya said. “If there’s a tournament, I’m gonna be there.
“If it’s the same lake you get to fish for two or three weeks at a time, or you get to travel around and fish different lakes, you’re always learning something new. If you fish 200 days out of the year, compared to someone that fishes 100, you learned 100 more days than he did. You’re always trying to learn more because you are chasing something with a brain.”
It’s true that practice makes perfect, but for Anaya, honing his skills on Alabama’s popular and intensely competitive fisheries has been the difference maker. The state’s fisheries receive constant pressure and every tournament’s stacked with straight-up killers who know the playing field’s every intricacy.
Bottom line, it’s a put up or shut world and that’s where Anaya cut his teeth.
“You have guys all over the place in Alabama that are catching ‘em,” Anaya said. “You have Jordan Lee, Gerald Swindle, Tucker Smith, Hayden Marbut. Those guys are always gonna catch ‘em, so you have to catch ‘em.
“Also, we have people coming from out of state to fish Alabama waters, so you’re always fishing against new guys and really stiff competition. If it’s high school, or the Alabama Bass Trail, it’s always really good competition.”
Lessons Learned
So, how has Anaya grown through his Alabama education?
“You’re always trying to stay ahead of everybody; that’s the main thing,” he said. “You’re trying to find stuff that someone hasn’t found so it’s less obvious stuff.
“I really think that has played a role coming into the Opens and the Elites, because your mindset coming out of Alabama is, ‘What are these guys not gonna look at? What are they gonna miss?”
Growing up close to TVA lakes like Wheeler and Guntersville, Anaya also values the opportunity to study contour lines, bars and the relevance of current dynamics and fish positioning. That being said, he said his biggest Alabama lesson has been a real gut check.
“Don’t ever feel too confident,” Anaya said. “If you feel like you caught ‘em good enough, you probably didn’t. It’s something that has prepared me for the Classic.
“If you’re thinking 14 pounds a day is gonna make the cut, just mark it 16. They’re always gonna catch them better than you think they are.”
Classic Game Plan
During Thursday’s Media Day, Anaya discussed his overall Classic outlook and how he intends to spend his fishing time.
“Nerves are high but I’m honestly pretty calm right now, I’m not too geeked out,” Anaya said. “Now, once the Classic starts, there’s a high chance I’m gonna be shaking like a leaf. I’m gonna try to keep my nerves down, not spin myself out and just go fishing.”
Acknowledging the challenge of managing all the additional elements of Classic week — meetings, media, staging, etc. — Anaya said he has already come to realize there’s much more to the Classic experience than fishing.
Of course, catching big bass is why he and every other competitor came to Knoxville, Tenn., so Anaya put his four days of practice to good use. With a game plan built on what he considers highly competitive potential, Anaya was chomping at the bit.
“I hope what I have remains good; the rain (Wednesday night and Thursday morning) might mess it up,” he said. “Out of 10, I’d rate my practice an eight. I think it was pretty good for this place.”
Notably, Anaya rated his overall optimism a six. That, he said, was mostly due to the Classic scenario — lots of variables, small field of top-tier competitors and everyone’s all-in.
“Also, I have a really super-long run,” Anaya said. “I gotta make a long run and hope nothing gets messed up. That’s the biggest what-if. Will I need gas? Am I gonna run out of gas? I don’t really know.
“I’m going to run the same game plan (throughout the Classic). I think my area is big enough and it can hold a little bit of pressure if there are some boats down there. There’s enough fish and most of the bites you get are big.”
Ultimately, Anaya said that his Alabama pedigree has not only filled him with invaluable angling lessons; it has also taught that fortune favors the bold.
“I might as well swing for the fence and go as hard as I can,” Anaya said. “If I connect, it might be a home run. If I miss, I might strike out, but I’m always gonna swing.
“I’m the type of person that, even if I suck in practice, I’m gonna go out and swing again. I’m never gonna get down in the dumps and have a bad tournament; that’s just part of fishing. I always keep that mindset: Stay positive and just swing.”
