Caleb Hudson clinches Bassmaster Rookie of the Year in final-day nail-biter

Hudson finished the season with 621 points, narrowly edging out Alabama’s Fisher Anaya to secure the $10,000 bonus. The title fight came down to the wire on the St. Lawrence River, where Anaya needed a 6th-place finish to overtake Hudson. Despite a strong performance that earned him a Century Belt, Anaya slipped to 9th, handing the rookie honors to Hudson.

The race was a test of resilience for the Georgia native, who saw his 91-point lead shrink to just eight after struggles at Santee Cooper and the Pasquotank. Hudson acknowledged that shallow-water largemouth fishing pushed him to his limits, but his proficiency with smallmouth bass kept him in contention. His 19th-place finish at the St. Lawrence, salvaged by a strategic pivot to new water on Day 2, proved sufficient to hold off Anaya’s late-season surge.

Beyond the rookie title, Hudson capped off his debut campaign with a 7th-place finish in the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. While he initially set out simply to avoid a disastrous debut, the young angler now sets his sights on even higher milestones, admitting he eventually wants to challenge veterans like Trey McKinney for the sport's top overall honors.