Jay Przekurat admitted that Bassmaster Elite Series events at Lake Fork and the Sabine River made him more nervous than any other tournaments on the 2025 schedule. The contrast of Lake Fork, where you had to weigh a heavy bag every day, and the Sabine River, where you needed a 2-pounder or two every day, weighed heavily on his mind.
Przekurat thrived at Lake Fork, where he finished ninth, and more than just survived at the Sabine River, where he finished 25th. The 25-year-old Wisconsin native went into those two events with a 28-point lead over his nearest competitor. He emerged with a 42-point lead in the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings.
Chris Johnston, the 2024 Angler of the Year, has steadily moved up the standings recently and now sits in second place. The hottest angler on the Elite Series is Kyoya Fujita, who finished fourth at Lake Fork and third at the Sabine River. The 29-year-old Japanese angler was 16th in the AOY standings after Lake Hartwell. He’s now third, 50 points behind Przekurat. The other two newcomers to the top 10 since Hartwell are Patrick Walters, who was 19th, and Taku Ito, who was 21st.
The following is a look at the AOY race after event No. 4, Lake Hartwell, and after the two most contrasting tournaments of the year, Lake Fork and the Sabine River:
After No. 4 Lake Hartwell – Angler Points
- Jay Przekurat, Plover, WI – 368
- Will Davis Jr., Sylacauga, AL – 340
- Bryant Smith, Roseville, CA – 337
- Shane LeHew, Catawba, NC – 333
- Lee Livesay, Longview, TX – 324
- John Cox, Debary, FL – 321
- Chris Johnston, Otonabee, CAN – 320
- Trey McKinney, Carbondale, IL – 309
- Logan Parks, Auburn, AL – 304
- Bill Lowen, Brookville, IN – 301
After No. 6 Sabine River – Angler Points
- Jay Przekurat, Plover, WI – 544
- Chris Johnston, Otonabee, CAN – 502
- Kyoya Fujita, Lake Forest, CA – 494
- Trey McKinney, Carbondale, IL – 487
- Will Davis Jr., Sylacauga, AL – 480
- Patrick Walters, Eutawville, SC – 479
- Bill Lowen, Brookville, IN – 467
- Shane LeHew, Catawba, NC – 451
- Taku Ito, Dalton, GA – 448
- Bryant Smith, Roseville, CA – 439
(Notes: Livesay is now 20th, Cox 12th, and Parks 21st.)
In taking a look back to one year ago after Elite Series event No. 6 in the nine-tournament schedule, nine of the top 10 would remain in the top 10 at season’s end. However, not one angler would finish in the same spot he held after six tournaments.
Angler – Points – Final
- Trey McKinney – 560 – 2nd
- Justin Hamner – 501 – 5th
- Cody Huff – 474 – 6th
- Jacob Foutz – 473 – 4th
- Chris Johnston – 470 – 1st
- John Garrett – 460 – 8th
- Jordan Lee – 460 – 9th
- Wesley Gore – 460 – 10th
- JT Thompkins – 451 – 15th
- Jay Przekurat – 448 – 7th
(Note: Cory Johnston was 13th after six events and would finish third in the final AOY standings.)
Finally, it’s worth noting that the Championship Sunday Top 10 anglers at the Sabine River snapped the youth trend this season. Make of that what you will, and I’m sure some will. What follows is the average age of the top 10 anglers through six tournaments:
- No. 1 St. Johns River – 37 years old
- No. 2 Lake Okeechobee – 34 years old
- No. 3 Pasquotank River – 32 years old
- No. 4 Lake Hartwell – 30 years old
- No. 5 Lake Fork – 25 years old
- No. 6 Sabine River – 35 years old
