The life of Minnesota angler Easton Fothergill changed Sunday afternoon in Fort Worth, Texas. That's when he reeled in an 8.5-pound fish to win the Bassmaster Classic.
It came after a slow start to the weekend tournament for the 23-year-old from Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
"I knew, just got to work hard and if it's meant to be it'll happen," Fothergill explained. "And sure enough, 2:30, I landed the 8-pounder that completely turned my day around. I went from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs with that one hook set. So unbelievable fish catch and probably the most monumental of my whole career."
The championship earned Fothergill $300,000 in prize money.
This comes 19 months after he suffered a life-threatening brain infection. In August 2023, Fothergill underwent surgery to remove an infected brain abscess.
“For all the kids out there dreaming about competing in the Classic, this is proof that it can happen,” said Fothergill. “The college bracket is why I am here today. Dream big, work hard and anything is possible.”
Just weeks later, Fothergill won the Bassmaster College Bracket on Milford Lake in Kansas, where he qualified to fish the 2024 Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Oklahoma. His hot streak continued with two Bassmaster Opens wins last year, which earned him an invitation to fish the Bassmaster Elite series as well as a berth in this year’s Classic on Ray Roberts.
There were 55 others in the tournament, and Fothergill's three-day total was 76 pounds, 15 ounces which sets a new record for the biggest winning weight in the 55-year history of the prestigious fishing tournament.