It was the perfect ending to a dream season.
Jacob Wheeler came into the final stop of the 2025 Bass Pro Tour season needing only a 27th-place finish to secure his fourth Fishing Clash Angler of the Year title in just five years. Instead of playing it safe, Wheeler battled his way into the Championship Round of Stage 7 on Saginaw Bay — and won the tournament outright.
Overcoming an early 22-pound deficit to Todd Faircloth, Wheeler stacked up 110 pounds even on 42 scorable bass to seal his 10th career Bass Pro Tour victory, edging Faircloth by 7-6. The win earned him $150,000, bringing his total take from the week to $250,000 with both the Stage 7 and AOY trophies in hand.
“This is what’s crazy to me: Starting where I started, with no boat and going up through the junior program, qualifying through the BFL All-American and winning the BFL All-American — I basically had a one-in-a-million shot,” Wheeler reflected. “My parents didn’t have a whole lot; I didn’t have a whole lot. To be in this position, I don’t take that lightly.”
Wheeler is now one of just five pros to win four or more tour-level AOY titles, joining Roland Martin and Kevin VanDam as the only anglers to win four in a five-year span.
When asked about the gear that carried him to victory on Saginaw Bay, Wheeler went in-depth:
- Wheeler 2.0 7’2” MH Casting – “This is my weightless toad rod, and I built it with a fast tip for exactly this kind of scenario. Saginaw Bay had a lot of tight, specific targets in scattered cover, and that tip lets me put a bait right where I want it with precision. It loads up perfectly on the hookset without ripping the bait away from the fish. That accuracy and feel are huge for me, and it’s exactly why I designed this model the way I did.”
- Wheeler 2.0 7’6” H Casting – “This is my long-cast frog rod, and it’s a big part of my setup when I’m fishing pads or grass from a distance. I wanted something longer than my standard 7’3” frog rod so I could get more leverage on long casts and better hookup ratios when I’m way back in the pads. It’s got the backbone to drive the hook home but still has enough tip to keep them buttoned on the way in. The balance on this rod means I can throw it all day without getting worn out, which is exactly what I needed this week.”
- Wheeler 2.0 7’0” M Spinning – “This is my finesse workhorse. I designed it to be light in the hand but super sensitive, so I can feel everything my dropshot is doing — especially in deeper water or when the bite is subtle. It’s great for shaking a minnow too, but the dropshot was the deal for a lot of my fish this week. The way it transmits vibration up the blank gives me total control over my presentation.”
- Wheeler Select 7’1” M Spinning – “This is my favorite wacky worm rod, especially in a place like Saginaw Bay. It’s got a little more backbone than my 7’0” M in the 2.0 series, which is exactly what I need to pull fish out of heavier weeds without overpowering the bait’s action. When we were designing the Select series, this was one of the rods I really dialed in for this kind of power-finesse application — it’s the perfect bridge between finesse feel and the muscle to finish the job.”
With his fourth AOY title and yet another BPT win, Wheeler’s case as one of the best to ever do it just got stronger — and he’s not showing any signs of slowing down.
For media inquiries, please contact Tyler Harden at tyler@duckettfishing.com.
About Duckett Fishing: Duckett Fishing, headquartered on the shores of Lake Guntersville, is renowned for crafting top-tier fishing gear, including rods and baits, designed by and for competitive anglers. With a diverse product range, Duckett Fishing equips anglers with the essential tools needed to dominate on the water.
For more information, please visit www.duckettfishing.com.
