Bill Lowen Triumphs at the 2025 Bassmaster Elite on St. Johns River
PALATKA, Fla. — Twice in three days, vegetation threatened to thwart Bill Lowen ’s efforts, but persistence prevailed. The Brookville, Ind., pro tallied a four-day total of 73 pounds, 14 ounces to claim victory at the 2025 FXR Pro Fish Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River.
Lowen, who previously won his first Elite title at Pickwick Lake in 2021, placed third on Day 1 with 21-5, then seized the lead with a second-round limit of 24-4. He maintained his position on Semifinal Saturday with 18-1, heading into Championship Sunday with a 5-4 advantage over his closest competitor.
Navigating Challenges on Championship Sunday
Day 4 proved to be a challenge as Lowen struggled against increasing sensitivity from the bass due to a severe cold front. Missing his limit by one keeper, Lowen secured a crucial 7-pound, 7-ounce bass to weigh in at 10-4, edging out Jay Przekurat by just 4 ounces.
“Today was weird; I lost my fifth fish three times, and one of them was a good one — maybe 4 or 5 pounds,” Lowen said. “I’ve always said, ‘When it’s your time, it’s your time and you can’t do anything wrong.’
“Even though I lost those fish, the good Lord was looking out for me. To say I’m a two-time Elite winner is unbelievable.”
Winning Strategy: Deep Creek and a Slow Presentation
Lowen concentrated his efforts in Deep Creek, located north of the tournament site on the river’s east bank. The area’s 20-plus-foot depths provided stability amid shifting conditions.
“It was all dependent on the tide, and the tide just never got right today,” Lowen said. “All week, my bigger bites came when the tide got low, but that window got later and later every day.”
Lowen initially caught fish using a blue craw 3/8-ounce signature series Lure Parts Online flipping jig with a Zoom Super Chunk. By Day 2, he switched primarily to a 5/16-ounce blue craw signature series Lure Parts Online swim jig with a Zoom Super Speed Craw, employing a slow retrieve to entice bites in the cold water.
Critical Moments That Sealed the Win
A dramatic moment on Day 2 nearly derailed Lowen’s tournament when one of his key catches became entangled in a submerged tree. After several tense minutes, the main branch broke, freeing the fish and allowing Lowen to land it.
On the final day, Lowen faced another unexpected challenge. A drifting grass mat blocked access to one of his best spots in Deep Creek, forcing him to adapt.
“Last night during the high tide, a grass mat moved into one of my best bends in the creek,” Lowen said. “I had caught a 5 and a 6 there in the last three days, and that mat was in my way.
“I said, ‘I’m just going to punch through that mat,’ so I dropped right through that mat and caught that 7-7. I’ve been dropping through a lot of mats this week and never got a bite. If that mat hadn’t blown in there and I hadn’t dropped through there, I wouldn’t have caught that key fish.”
Runner-Up Jay Przekurat’s Strong Finish
Przekurat, from Plover, Wis., finished second with 73-10. The 2022 Dakota Lithium Elite Series Rookie of the Year started strong, leading Day 1 with 24-15. However, a slower Day 2 (12-12) dropped him to second place. He held steady on Day 3 with 16-10 before finishing with 19-5 on the final day.
Przekurat initially targeted prespawners and bed fish in Salt Springs Run. In later rounds, he shifted to canals below Lake George, using jerkbaits to target fry guarders. On Day 4, he mixed tactics, returning to Salt Springs to land a key fish on a dropshot with a Strike King Baby Z-Too.
“With the fry guarders, it seemed like the quicker the better,” Przekurat said. “As soon as they would start coming for the bait, you had to make sure it was in the strike zone, because if it was a little bit too far outside the fry ball, they wouldn’t bite.”
Shane LeHew Claims Third Place
Shane LeHew finished third with 73-9, posting consistent weights of 18-4, 17-3, 17-14, and 20-4. Fishing mainly with a Berkley Stunna jerkbait, LeHew secured his biggest bass of the tournament with a 7-7.
“I had a fantastic day,” LeHew said. “I went to the canal where I caught almost all of my fish. For whatever reason, it’s been super special.”
LeHew also caught key bed fish on the new Berkley MaxScent Stank-Bug, further solidifying his strong finish.
Additional Tournament Highlights and Prizes
- John Cox of Debary, Fla., won the $2,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award for his 8-13 catch and an additional $1,000 for the Day 1 daily award.
- Austin Felix of Eden Prairie, Minn., claimed the $1,000 BassTrakk Contingency award.
- John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., won the $2,000 Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag award for his 31-6 limit on Day 3.
- Brock Mosley earned $3,000 as the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, while Cox secured $2,000 for second place in the program.
- Bill Lowen took home an additional $4,000 from the Yamaha Power Pay program, with LeHew earning $1,500 for second place.
- Garrett and Patrick Walters each secured $1,000 for third- and fourth-place finishes in the Yamaha Power Pay standings.
Florida’s Putnam County Chamber of Commerce hosted the event.
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
Connect with #Bassmaster and the #BassmasterClassic on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
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