Matt Robertson took home $1.25 million for first place at the Champions tournament on Old Hickory Lake near Nashville, a bass fishing event whose total purse of $3.25 million makes it the richest payout in the sport. The Oct. 31 competition drew 60 anglers from the Bassmaster and Major League Fishing circuits, bringing together two of the sport's most prominent tours in a single field. Its scale has become a focal point for those arguing that fishing is growing into a major commercial sport.
McKinney finished fourth and earned $200,000, while Anaya placed seventh. Three anglers sponsored by FXR finished in the top 15, a result the apparel company has highlighted as it expands its presence in the fishing market. The placings gave the brand visibility at a tournament whose prize structure is built to reward consistent performance across the full field rather than only the winner.
The growth argument rests in part on participation data. According to a 2026 special report from the American Sportfishing Association and the Outdoor Industry Association, 57 million Americans fished at least once in 2025, up from 50.1 million in 2019. That increase of roughly 6.9 million people over six years points to a larger base of casual and regular participants. The report's findings measure how many people take part rather than how much money the industry generates, a distinction that matters when assessing the sport's commercial health.
FXR is better known as a Canadian brand built around snowmobile and motorsports apparel. Founder Milt Reimer said he first noticed the overlap between his company's customers and anglers about a decade ago. Many people who ride snowmobiles and drive off-road vehicles also spend time on the water, and he saw an opportunity to serve that audience with gear designed for outdoor work and weather. The company has since entered fishing apparel and now sponsors several professional anglers. Reimer pointed to Minnesota, a state with a strong fishing tradition, as a useful example of the existing base the sport can build on.
Reimer said he believes fishing's growth is only beginning. He values the direct connection between professional anglers and amateurs, arguing that seeing pros compete and speak openly about their methods helps draw in younger participants and keeps the sport appealing across generations. He framed the sponsorship approach as a way to share that access with a broader public rather than keep it confined to the professional circuit. Those views reflect the perspective of a company with a commercial stake in the category.
Several limits on the picture should be noted. The growth claims are drawn from participation surveys rather than revenue data, so the available evidence does not directly show how much money the fishing market is generating. The coverage also comes from a sponsor-friendly perspective, and no independent industry analysis of the claims is included in the reporting. Whether the rise in participation translates into sustained commercial expansion remains to be seen, and the answer will depend on whether the new participants stay in the sport and spend on equipment, travel and licenses over time.