Pat Schlapper joined the Elite Series in 2021, one of an onslaught of Wisconsin pros who got added to the roster over the course of a handful of years. Pat has made four of last five championships. We caught up with him on Media Day in Ft. Worth.

Kent Brown’s number one passion is promoting the value of western bass culture and achievements to a sometimes skeptical audience. Here's a video we shot at the Classic talking about Double Doubles, reality TV and giant spotted bass fisheries.

Neil Paul is a fixture at every major fishing event around the country, and a prime reason that Anderson, South Carolina hosts so many tournaments. He resists taking credit, but he’s a major force in the fishing industry – he’s one of those dudes who gives back and doesn’t expect anything in return except that you’ll pass on the kindness.

When Steve Kennedy isn’t fishing the Classic, he nevertheless shows up, not just to represent his sponsors but also because he loves to shop for all the latest gear. We found him in the Expo before it opened, bucket in hand, ready to drop some serious cash on hard-to-find glide baits.

Chris Zaldain always seems to be in the thick of things. Whether it’s adopting big bait culture, explaining his reasons for staying with BASS during “The Split,” or starting a must-watch podcast, he’s never short on opinions. I sat him down to ask him about some things that I didn’t think he’d addressed yet.

Everyone has someone they look up to, a hero in their eyes – even the top anglers in the world. At the 2025 Bassmaster Classic Expo I asked a number of bass pros about their angling heroes.

John Mazurkiewicz was instrumental in getting me onto the Board of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame — one of my greatest honors and pleasures – but he deserves a little bit of the spotlight that he normally shuns. We cornered him at the 2025 Bassmaster Classic so you can learn more about this industry heavy hitter.