Fisher Anaya Claims Victory at Toyota Series on Kentucky Lake
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (April 10, 2025) – In a thrilling finale to the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Plains Division on Kentucky Lake, 19-year-old pro Fisher Anaya of Eva, Alabama stormed into the lead with a massive 24-pound, 8-ounce bag – the heaviest of the event. With a three-day total of 62 pounds, 14 ounces, Anaya edged out local favorite Sam Lashlee and claimed his first-ever win with Major League Fishing (MLF), taking home a prize of $39,545.
An Unbelievable Final Day: From Discovery to Domination
Heading into Day 3, Anaya trailed Lashlee, who had consistently targeted big bass in the far south reaches of the lake. But Anaya’s final day effort was nothing short of extraordinary – thanks to a crucial mid-afternoon discovery made during Day 2.
“It was the most insane thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Anaya. “I found them midway through the second day. I was fishing for spawning fish in the back (of a marina), and I just came out and got on a random sand flat out in the mouth. And I found a little sinkhole, and I saw a bunch of blobs sitting there. I was like, ‘There’s no way that’s all bass.’
“I made three casts on it yesterday and caught three 4 1/2-pounders and left them alone,” he detailed. “And then I went back today and sat the boat down. And for like an hour and a half, I caught 4 1/2-pounder after 4 1/2-pounder.
“I’ve never seen nothing like it in my life,” he said. “They looked like a school of largemouth on Guntersville stacked up there, but they were in 4 foot of water.”
Emotional Win Caps Off Breakthrough Performance
After a string of near-misses, Anaya sealed his first professional win in dramatic fashion. Rain and tears fell on the stage as the young angler tried to put his emotions into words.
“I don’t even know how to explain it,” said the young angler. “I’ve been a nervous wreck since 8 o’clock this morning, since I had them. I mean, I’ve been back and forth pacing on the boat. Eating a sandwich, drinking water. I was trying to do anything to keep my mind off what was going to happen.
“To finally have it go my way, it feels great,” he added. “I lost a 7-pounder the first day, and I really thought that was going to be the one that came back to haunt me. That was going to be the reason I didn’t win and finished second. I’m just lost for words.”
Overcoming Adversity with Smart Strategy and Adaptability
Anaya has spent time fishing Kentucky Lake and came into the event with a solid understanding of typical spring behavior. But muddy, high water forced him to adapt and focus on the clean waters of Paris Landing Marina, where he located spawning fish.
“I had some spawning fish found in [the Paris Landing Marina],” he said. “It’s the only clean water I found on the lake, really. So, I just told myself I was going to run there, and if I got five to bite, I’d have a decent bag. And I really thought the weights were going to be really bad.”
“I pulled in that first day and caught a 5-pound smallmouth and some keepers, but I could never get nothing else rolling,” he said. “I decided to go crank the muddy water late that afternoon, and I ended up catching a 3 1/2-pounder, which got me to whatever I had the first day. And I jumped off a great big largemouth – it was a 6- or 7-pounder. Huge. And that’s been in the back of my mind since it jumped off.”
Winning Tactics and Gear
Anaya relied on a combination of lures throughout the event, but it was a Rapala CrushCity Freeloader on a 1/8-ounce jighead, paired with a 6-foot, 10-inch, medium-light 13 Fishing Myth spinning rod, that did the heavy lifting on Day 3. He used 12-pound Sufix Revolve main line with a 12-pound Sufix Advance leader to finesse his way to the top.
“The second day, I ran and did the same stuff, but I actually ended up catching 19 pounds of spawners in the back of Paris instead,” said Anaya. “I was actually trolling over there to crank the bridge, and I trolled over the top of them, and they all shot up off the bottom. And I was like, ‘Maybe that was bass.’ I spun around. It was meant to be, I guess.”
Final Day Recap: Fast and Furious Action
“I think it took me 47 minutes to get there,” Anaya said. “And when I clicked my camera at 58 minutes, I had 22 pounds. I’ve never seen nothing like it.”
Top 10 Pro Results – Toyota Series on Kentucky Lake
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Fisher Anaya, Eva, Ala. – 15 bass, 62-14 – $39,545 (includes $1,000 Phoenix Bonus)
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Sam Lashlee, Camden, Tenn. – 15 bass, 62-0 – $14,936
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Blake Schroeder, Whitehouse, Texas – 15 bass, 51-14 – $11,563
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Chad Mrazek, Montgomery, Texas – 15 bass, 51-14 – $9,636
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Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo. – 15 bass, 51-10 – $8,673
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Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo. – 13 bass, 51-3 – $7,709
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Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill. – 15 bass, 50-4 – $6,745
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Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo. – 15 bass, 49-13 – $5,782
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Jack Daniel Williams, Kingsport, Tenn. – 15 bass, 48-13 – $4,818
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Brock Bila, Republic, Mo. – 15 bass, 47-10 – $3,854
Big Bass Awards
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Pro Day 1: Joe Lucarelli – 6 lbs, 12 oz – $500
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Pro Day 2: Justin Berger – 7 lbs, 1 oz – $500
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Co-Angler Day 1: Kristin Hamilton – 6 lbs, 4 oz – $150
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Co-Angler Day 2: Clayton Hale – 6 lbs, 7 oz – $150
Co-Angler Division Highlights
Dan Bowman of Osage Beach, Missouri, claimed the co-angler title with 14 bass totaling 42 pounds, 12 ounces, earning a Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor valued at $33,500.
Top 3 Co-Angler Results:
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Dan Bowman – 14 bass, 42-12 – Phoenix 518 Pro Boat
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Noah Dickneite – 13 bass, 36-3 – $4,836
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Jeremy Duke – 12 bass, 36-2 – $3,868
What’s Next in the Toyota Series Plains Division
The final Plains Division event of the Toyota Series 2025 season is scheduled for September 25–27 on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Anglers placing in the top 25 will qualify for the Toyota Series Championship, held Nov. 6–8 on Grand Lake, Oklahoma, for a shot at $235,000 and a berth at REDCREST 2026.
For the complete schedule, full results, and event coverage, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Deep Dive App, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Humminbird, Lew’s, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).
Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
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