I experienced so many emotions when I won the 2025 MAXAM Tire Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River. I feel a sense of relief and feel like there is a weight lifted off my shoulders. I have been really close to winning two other times. To get that close and not win — it makes it so much better when you do win. There was so much joy and relief. I got one trophy, and I will always have it.
It was a really emotional moment for me. I didn’t know my parents were there until I got up on stage and handed Lisa my bag. It was so special because they were there, and a couple of my good friends came down too. It made it extra special because of what we have dealt with. Seeing both of my parents so happy and smiling meant more to me than anything else.
This was my third time fishing the Sabine River. When you get into those grinder tournaments, it is anyone’s game. I don’t know if anyone has won there twice in all the years Bassmaster has gone there. You can find something special or have an above average day, string together consistent days and win. One pound separated a lot of places.
Going into the week, I didn’t necessarily think I was going to win the tournament. I felt like I could do well because I’ve been there before, and I understand how the place fishes. I understand how you must adjust your mindset.
The first day of practice, I ran to an area I had fished before and shut down on a random stretch and caught several good fish. I ran up a little further to the oxbow I fished on Day 4 and caught six or seven good keepers. I had a lot of bites throughout practice, and they were above-average bass too. I felt really good about it. I talked to Justin Atkins and Bob Downey throughout practice, and they were catching them okay, but not like I was. I found the set of pipes on the last day of practice and knew it was a good spot. I figured if no one else came there, I could have a good day there.
Everything fell into place. I felt super confident and calm. I wasn’t worked up at all. Part of it was because I have been having such a bad year, other than my good finish at Lake Fork the previous week. I stopped worrying about making the Bassmaster Classic. I was stressing out about that and every decision I made on the water that didn’t go right boiled down to wanting to make the Classic. I was so far down the points that before Fork I decided to just fish the way I thought I needed to to win.
After about 10 o’clock on the first day, I knew this could be an outstanding week. I figured I would be in the top five after Day 1, because there is typically one 15-pound bag caught. During the first two days of the tournament, I bypassed all my buzzbait stuff to get to the pipes. Nobody tried to come up there on Day 1, and the second day I knew there were more fish there. I caught a keeper and a nice one to start and then went and flipped another stretch. I was able to fill a limit and then make a nice cull or two.
I got so much respect from the other anglers in the fact that they didn’t go there once they knew I was up there. They respected what I had going on there, and that meant a lot to me.
On Day 3, I decided to start on my buzzbait stuff, but I only caught one doing it because the conditions weren’t right. I scrambled around and only caught five bass, and I caught my fifth one with 15 minutes left to fish. That was an almost 3 1/2-pounder, which helped me keep the lead. The final day I knew I had to get that buzzbait bite going to win. I rolled into that oxbow I found in practice, and there was low light, and the breeze was perfect. I started catching them immediately. I had four bass for over 8 pounds in 10 minutes.
I knew I had all day to fish for a big one after that. I caught one more on the buzzbait, and then I culled once flipping at 9:30. I didn’t cull the rest of the day. I figured if I caught another 2-pounder, someone would have to catch the biggest bag of the tournament to beat me. Luckily, I had enough to keep the lead and win.
Even still, I wasn’t stressing too much about it. I fished hard and knew any flip could have been the bass I needed. Kyoya Fujita and Cooper Gallant were the only two within striking distance, and they still had to catch over 10 pounds to beat me. Everyone else would have to catch 14 pounds. I still felt I had a good chance. Running back to check-in I felt pretty good, but wasn’t totally sure.
The way it all worked out, last year’s Toledo Bend Reservoir tournament crossed my mind a couple of times. I led after Day 3, but Kyoya and Patrick Walters ended up jumping me on the final day. This Sabine River had the same scenario. Kyoya was in second and Walters was in ninth or 10th in both tournaments entering the final day. When I woke up on Day 4 at Toledo Bend, I could feel I was going to get beat. When I woke up in Orange, I felt like I was going to win. I respect those two anglers and like them a lot, but I’m glad they tied and had to stand on stage when I won. I really felt like they were happy for me at that moment too.
The past two tournaments have turned my season around, and I’m in contention to make the 2026 Classic with three more good finishes. I’m going to try to fish the rest of the season with the same mindset — fishing the way I think will give me the best chance to win.
