California-based angler Brent Ehrler won the Texas Bass Classic on Lake Fork during the Memorial Day weekend.
Ehrler won $100,000, a fully rigged bass boat and a Toyota Tundra. Toyota serves as the title sponsor for the event.
The Texas Parks Wildlife Department donated $250,000 in support of programs such as Neighborhood Fishin’ and the Texas State Fish Art contest. The total amount raised has reached $225,000.
“I’m still kind of shocked,” Ehrler told the TPWD after the event. “I really didn’t think I had a great chance to win because I was so far behind.
“This win ranks way up there for me,” Ehrler continued. “At Media Day on Thursday, they presented Keith Combs with his 2014 championship ring, and I remember thinking, ‘It would be really cool to have a ring like that.’ I never expected it would actually happen.”
Ehrler was in fifth place heading into the final day of the three-day tournament, with a total weight of 58 pounds, four ounces in fish caught.
He took over the top spot on the leaderboard by reeling in a 10-pound, 11-ounce bass. This proved to be the Tundra Big Bass of the tournament.
For much of the tournament, Ehrler fished off-shore with a trio of baits including a Lucky Craft crank bait in shad color, a 6-inch hollow-bodied swim bait also in shad color and a three-quarter ounce Boss jig head tipped with a Yamamoto trailer.

California angler Brent Ehrler, winner of the Texas Bass Classic at Lake Fork in rural Athens. (Courtesy photo)