Rising Elite Anaya Capped Off Magical Season With Classic Berth
It didn’t take long for professional angler Fisher Anaya proved that his exceptional teen years weren’t in any way a fluke.
He spent the 12 months after his 19th birthday accomplishing things on the water that anglers with decades more experience can only dream of – including qualifying for the Bassmaster Elite Series – and then two weeks after his 20th birthday he capped it all off by winning the 2025 Bassmaster Team Championship, propelling him to a spot in the upcoming Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville.
“I didn’t expect it to be so good,” he said. “I never missed a check. But what I had the entire time was confidence in my abilities. I was able to speak it into existence.”
Now the Rapala pro will join the Elites on tour, starting off near his Alabama home at Lake Guntersville – and fishing against the anglers who’ve shaped his ambitions.
Rapala’s Director of Field Promotions Dan Quinn excitedly said, “I see a lot of incredibly talented young guys getting into the tournament scene, but Fisher is different, he has that “it” factor. From his God-given talent to catch fish, humbleness, ambition to make fishing a career, his family support, ties to Gerald Swindle, he just has it all together! I can’t wait to see him take his career to the next level and start his chapter in the bass fishing history books.”
Conquered Challenges
The advantages of being a 19 year-old bass pro are endless energy, and potentially a long runway to realize your ambition, but in order to put together his magical AAA season, Anaya first had to overcome the challenges of the unknown.
He had limited experience fishing up north, and his one prior trip there – for a 2024 Toyota Series event on the St. Lawrence River – produced “the worst fishing trip of my life.” Indeed, one test of his mettle and his professional evolution will come later this year when the Elites close out the year on that same vast and prolific waterway.
“I definitely had Lake Champlain and Leech Lake circled on my calendar,” he recalled. “By the time I got to Leech, I was already qualified for the EQs, so I figured out a deal that enabled me to do well without any pressure. I was frog fishing in the rice fields, catching 50 a day. It was super-fun. Champlain was more in my wheelhouse. I focused on the smallmouths, but I still figured out a deal with the grass.”
What he learned is that he’s at his best when he’s able to reduce external pressures and noise.
“The Good Lord gave me the ability that I have,” he stated. “I learned that when I do out there, do my best, fish free and put my faith in them, that’s when I succeed.”
A Solid Mix of Techniques
Anaya matured as an angler as forward-facing sonar became an essential part of the pro game. Love it or hate it, he had to embrace it for what it allowed.
“I knew that if I didn’t, I’d get left behind,” he said. He unabashedly states that it’s “my strength, 100 percent,” but then reconsiders, recognizing that his true exceptionalism stems from versatility – and the desire to become even more well-rounded.
“I love throwing a DT6, a vibrating jig and the hot new ½ oz Rapala lipless, the Snare when I’m up shallow,” he said. “When we fish Guntersville, it’ll be no scope, and I actually think that’s better for me. I’ll take my chances fishing in the grass versus anyone in the grass. It’s going to be fun.”
Shortly after that, he’ll descend on Knoxville to chase the sport’s biggest crown, the one he “came out of the womb thinking about” – the Bassmaster Classic title. Despite being an angler who likely has fewer hours on the water than the typical rookie or Classic contender – simply due to the fact that he’s had fewer hours on the earth – Anaya prefers to fish to his strengths, analyze in real time, and build a book of experiences confirmed by results. Accordingly, he won’t pre-practice for the Classic. The only event for which he intends to do this year is Lake Martin, the season’s second tournament.
The Crush City Classic Advantage
Entering the Team Championship on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell – with an EQ points title and Elite berth assured – Anaya knew that the only place that mattered to him was a win. He knew he had the chops to accomplish that, after earning a Toyota Series victory on Kentucky Lake earlier in the year, but it will still take a carefully-crafted game plan and the right set of tools.
“I knew that I needed big largemouths to win,” he explained. “I focused on throwing a Neko-rigged CrushCity™ Janitor® in shallow drains. You had to run a lot, but when you found them they were the right fish. There’s something about the action of that Janitor that makes it more productive than other normal finesse worms. When you put a little bit of tension on it, it just has a different shake to it.”
Indeed, the Janitor was one of his most valuable tools this year, including in a 5th place EQ finish at Wheeler in Alabama.
“It bailed me out more often than not,” he said.
Anaya’s Neko Rig system at Hartwell consisted of a green pumpkin Janitor, a 1/16 ounce VMC® nail weight, and a #2 VMC Redline Series® Weedless Neko/Wacky Hook, because he was fishing the Janitor around stumps. He threw it on 12 pound test Sufix Revolve braid with a leader of 15 pound test Sufix Advance Fluorocarbon. His go-to rod is the 13 Fishing Myth 6’10” Medium Light – Fast spinning rod, paired with a prototype 13 Spinning reel.
“I winch on them,” he said. “Anything under 4 pounds is getting boat-flipped.”
Other CrushCity lures played key roles in his 2025 success, including the Mayor®, which helped him attain a 9th place finish at Sam Rayburn to start the Opens season. He crawled it through ledge-related schools, using a ¾ ounce VMC Redline Series Tungsten Swimbait Jig to keep it in the feeding zone.
Another significant tool was the Freeloader, which like the Janitor caught a huge percentage of his weigh fish. He was particularly excited about the addition of the 5.25” and 6.25” sizes.
“When it’s tough, sometimes you want something bigger to trigger big fish instead of something smaller,” he explained. “And on other occasions you’ll need to downsize. That’s when I go to the Mooch Minnow®.”
Process-Oriented Plans
It will be tough for Anaya to have a season as good as the one he just enjoyed. That’s partly because it was a charmed year, and partly because he’s raising the stakes and the quality of the competition at the next level. But he trusts the process. That’s precluded him from setting any particular goals.
“I haven’t really thought that much about it,” he explained. “I want to say that my goal is to win everything I can, but realistically, I just want to get my foot in the door and I feel like my confidence will keep me rolling.”
He’s embraced the mental skills necessary to thrive over the longer term, recognizing that there may be speed bumps along the way, and none of them will be fatal.
“There’s not much to know about me,” he concluded humbly. “I fish and I shoot some deer. If I can keep things simple like that, and not let it get to my head, I hope to have a long career in this sport.”