Record fishing prize highlights the sport’s growing appeal

For one Kentucky angler, a bass was worth $1.25 million. Matt Robertson won the top prize at The Champions on Oct. 31, after three days of competition on Old Hickory Lake near Nashville.

The tournament brought together 60 anglers from Bassmaster and Major League Fishing and offered a total purse of $3.25 million—the largest first-place payout in bass fishing history.

Fishing’s audience is growing, too. A 2026 report from the American Sportfishing Association and Outdoor Industry Association found that 57 million Americans fished at least once in 2025, up from 50.1 million in 2019. That kind of participation has caught the attention of companies beyond the traditional fishing industry.

FXR, a Canadian company known for apparel for snowmobiling and motorsports, began exploring fishing about a decade ago. Founder Milt Reimer said he saw how much the company’s motorsports customers had in common with anglers, particularly in Minnesota, where fishing was a familiar summer pastime for people who snowmobiled in winter or rode dirt bikes on weekends.

FXR eventually moved into fishing apparel and now sponsors several professional anglers, including Robertson, Fisher Anaya and 2026 Bassmaster Angler of the Year Trey McKinney.

Reimer sees the sport’s draw as extending well beyond professional tournaments. Fishing combines competition with time outdoors, and the day can turn on shifting wind, current or sunlight. The experience, he said, connects elite anglers with people who just want to fish after work or on a weekend.

That community can also bring together the different parts of FXR’s motorsports business. Fishing, Reimer noted, is often passed from one generation to another, giving it a lasting place in many families.

The Champions put that connection on display, with anglers from two major circuits competing for a record payday. Reimer had three sponsored anglers finish in the top 15 and said the event felt like a dream come true for them.

Robertson took home the $1.25 million prize. McKinney placed fourth and earned $200,000, while Anaya finished seventh.

Professional fishing has come a long way, and millions of Americans already know the pleasure of spending time on the water. Whether an angler is competing for a huge prize or hoping to catch dinner at a nearby lake, the basic anticipation is familiar: waiting for the next bite.