Fothergill at the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under ArmourOn March 23, 2025, professional angler Easton Fothergill reeled in a record-breaking win at the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour—just 19 months after undergoing emergency brain surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital.
In August 2023, Fothergill, who was a student at the University of Montevallo at the time, began experiencing an intense headache during a fishing tournament. A trip to urgent care and steroid shots offered only temporary relief, and within days, he was bedridden, unable to eat or drink.
“My roommates rushed me to the nearest hospital where they found a large brain mass, and I was immediately sent to UAB,” Fothergill said.
Around 10 p.m., Fothergill arrived at UAB Hospital, where scans confirmed the diagnosis: a brain abscess located behind his right eye. By sunrise, he was in the operating room.
Marshall Holland, M.D., MS, assistant professor in the UAB Department of Neurosurgery, performed an aspiration of the brain abscess. Using computer-guided navigation, Holland and his team inserted a tube through the brain and into the abscess, removing a significant portion of the abscess, relieving the pressure and collecting a sample to help identify the bacteria present.
An abscess is a rare but serious condition caused by infection, which can increase pressure inside the skull, damage surrounding tissue and become life-threatening without timely treatment.
“Early intervention is key because it allows us to directly take the pressure off of the brain and develop a long-term, targeted antibiotic treatment plan with our infectious diseases colleagues,” said Holland.
After spending just one week in the hospital recovering and receiving specialized antibiotic treatment, Fothergill returned to school—and the water.
One month later, Fothergill found himself back on his boat representing Montevallo in the 2023 Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s, where he landed an invitation to compete in his first Bassmaster Classic.
Fothergill competed in his first 2024 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors in March 2024, only six months post-surgery, and finished in the Top 20.
Now, less than two years later, he’s standing strong at the top of his sport.
“Being able to help someone in a potentially dire situation and getting to see them return to doing the things they love is one of the best parts of my job,” Holland said.
At only 22 years old, Fothergill is now the second-youngest winner in the tournament’s 55-year history.
Fothergill brought in a total of 76 pounds, 15 ounces over three days of fishing on Lake Ray Roberts in Texas. His haul of 15 bass broke the tournament’s previous weight record and secured his win over 56 competitors, beating the next closest angler by more than eight pounds.
Today, Fothergill is healthy, grateful and looking ahead—to more tournaments and more time on the water.
“You take all the trophies, you take anything away, I’m still going fishing,” said Fothergill. “It’s what I do. My passion for fishing is undeniable.”