Since Easton Fothergill’s record-setting Bassmaster Classic performance on Lake Ray Roberts, there has been a lot of negative online chatter trying to discredit his win. The keyboard cowboys say the only reason he won was because of technology, and to be totally blunt about it, it pisses me off. If it just came down to electronics, why didn’t everyone in the field catch over 70 pounds of bass? They all had essentially the same tools (except John Cox) and no one came close.
I’ve now had the chance to be around Easton a fair amount, and I’ve learned that although he’s outwardly quiet and reserved, inside of him the competitive fire burns hot. He’s gone through so much in less than 23 years, and his ability to come out swinging is what separated him when things got tough. He was able to dig deep rather than spin out.
Every year I make it a point to stay around and watch how the Classic champion handles his success. The way Easton lived in the moment when they handed him that trophy was unique. I’ve never seen someone able to block out the noise in the room so well.
All I can figure is that as he stood there he replayed the last two years of his life in his mind: First, he had emergency brain surgery. Then he won the College Classic Bracket. That put him in his first Classic and provided financial support to fish the Opens. Then last year he won two of those Opens on the way to winning the Bassmaster Opens EQ Angler of the Year title. Finally, he set records at the 2025 Classic.
None of that happened because of technology. It happened because he developed and honed the heart and willpower to push through hard moments. I’ve said it before that oftentimes your greatest moments will follow your hardest times – Easton’s record of success is further proof of that.
What I really like about Easton is his humble, thoughtful nature. He lets the scales do the talking which is why all of his peers have immense respect for him on and off the water. The people who’ve tried to discredit him don’t understand the magnitude of everything he’s done.
It’s well-known that he struggled in his first two Elite events. I’d see him in the weigh-in line, and we talked a little, and he never dwelled on what went wrong. Instead he just worked on fixing it. In many ways our lives have parallels – I won the Nation Championship when I was 22 and fished my first Classic when I was 23 – but I’ll be the first one to admit that I wasn’t as composed or mature at that time as he is now. On the rare occasions when he releases some emotion openly, it’s exceptionally powerful precisely because he is so calm.
Did you see him catch the 8-pounder and put it in the livewell near the end of Day 3? He kneeled there for quite a while with his hands on his head, seemingly in disbelief. He probably knew what he’d done and was just beginning to comprehend what it would mean for his life and for the sport.
We all want bass fishing to be great, but if you want it to be great, you can’t do things that tear it down. We have too much of that in the sport right now. In this context I frequently cite a quote from Gary Vaynerchuk: “There are two ways you can ‘build the tallest building in town.‘ You can either spend all your time and energy focusing on you making your building the tallest, or you can go around and try to tear everyone else’s building down.” The reason I stay around to watch guys win is because cheering for people to succeed helps the sport to succeed. That should be a goal for all of us.
One more “full circle moment.” In my first Classic, back in 2011, I was part of the crew in Cataouatche when KVD won (notably, Easton’s weight record broke the prior record that KVD set that week). Being there helped me to realize that all of the stars had to align for that victory – right person, right place, right time. Easton’s win was very similar. It was his time, and he seized the opportunity.
The reason Kevin is so respected goes far beyond his many titles. It’s the way he carries himself and the amount he gives back to the sport. He’s one of the busiest people around, and he still found time to come and congratulate Easton and share a bit of private wisdom with him. Not everyone operates like that. He’s the perfect example of a professional who wants to see the sport thrive and win.
Professional bass fishing is younger than it’s ever been, as evidenced by Easton’s win. My generation and the one before us need to take great care to treat the next generation with proper respect. It’ll have a ripple effect for years to come, and with new stars like Easton Fothergill on the map, we have an opportunity to ensure the sport stays strong and vibrant for many years to come.
