Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
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By Al McGuckin
Bassmaster College Series champ, Easton Fothergill
Current Bassmaster College Series champ, Easton Fothergill has an intriguing last name, but at age 21, his life story is even better. Six weeks prior to winning the Bassmaster College bracket and a subsequent birth to the upcoming 2024 Bassmaster Classic, he had a hole drilled in his skull to drain a brain abscess that could have caused brain damage or taken his life.
The 21-year old Grand Rapids, MN native and University of Montevallo standout angler continues to thrive, and graciously took a few minutes to gives us a life update, including his plans to pack a few non-forward-facing sonar baits in his Tundra for the Grand Lake Classic.
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BASS Report
Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors
FORT WORTH, Texas — The Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors, will return to Fort Worth for fishing’s biggest event of the year. Dubbed the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing, this tournament is estimated to draw crowds approaching 150,000 to Fort Worth as anglers compete for a $1 million dollar purse on March 21-23, 2025.
The Fort Worth Sports Commission will host the tournament and festivities at the Fort Worth Convention Center and the 14,000-seat Dickies Arena. The tournament will be a week-long, fishing-themed party with the world championship of bass fishing as its centerpiece. Only the fourth time the Classic has been held in the Lone Star State, it will get a Texas-sized boost in attendance and participation with an expected economic impact of more than $25 million for local businesses. Weigh-ins and all of the usual festivities will be held in Fort Worth, the state’s 12th-largest city, with competition being held on Lake Ray Roberts in nearby Denton.
Fort Worth and Lake Ray Roberts hosted the event in 2021, drawing 147,197 fans. At the time, it was the second-largest crowd ever for a Bassmaster Classic and still a record for a Classic held in Texas.
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BFHOF Report
Mark ZonaMark Zona is one step away from his contributions to the sport of bass fishing being validated by his peers.
Zona, a TV personality who hosts Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show and co-hosts The Bassmasters, is one of 12 nominees for induction into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.
Other nominees include:
- Fred Arbogast, lure designer of the Hula Popper, Jitterbug and others.
- Don Iovino, angler
- Mike McKinnis, JM Associates, producers of Bassmasters and Bassmaster Live
- Andy Morgan, angler
- Takahiro Omori, angler
- Skeet Rees, angler
- Lynn Reeves, tackle designer
- Bill Taylor, retired FLW tournament director
- Clark Wendlandt, angler
- Mike Whitaker, Operation Bass Founder
- Alfred Williams, first black Bassmaster Classic angler