Bassmaster Elite Series La Crosse 2025 -Wrap Up: Pat Schlapper Grabs Victory on Final Day of Competition

Originally posted on Fishing on SI | By Kurt Mazurek | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 7:00 AM ET

This is The Starting Spot -Bassmaster Elite Wrap Up

Your regular news headlines will resume tomorrow, but until then come behind the scenes with me at the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series season finale on the Mississippi River in beautiful La Crosse, Wisconsin. Thanks to FXR Pro Fish, I’ve been providing my observations the past several days and here are my thoughts on the big tournament finish. So, rub the sleep from your eyes, pour that first cup of the day, and head to your Starting Spot.

Fans Pack the La Crosse Loggers Stadium for the Weigh-In

The Elite series has come to the Mississippi River several times since 2012 and the local fans always seem to turn out in big numbers. 2025 was no exception. The weigh in stage was actually set up on the field in the La Crosse Loggers baseball stadium, providing a great venue with lots of extra seating and room for several vendor booths.

To warm up the crowd before the weigh in began, tournament sponsor Pro-Guide Batteries tossed a bunch of free t-shirts into the crowd. Who doesn’t love a free t-shirt?

For the final day weigh in, the Top 10 anglers rode into the stadium in their bass boats and tow vehicles, adding a little more flash and excitement to the proceedings.

Kyoya Fujita Keeps His Baits a Mystery…Until Now

Kyoya Fujita has earned himself a bit of a reputation for the incredibly stealthy way he is able to hide his baits from the camera, fans, and fellow competitors. During his weigh in stage interview, emcee Dave Mercer gave Fujita a little extra push to reveal what he used to catch his fish.

“A Jackall Drift Fry and Yammy,” Fujita said. Then, as someone who has come a long way in a short time learning the English language, he paused briefly struggling to find the right word, then added, “True. It’s True!”

Mercer looked at him with one raised eyebrow and teased, “You know, when someone tells you something, then tells you it’s true—a lot of the time it’s probably not true.”

Fujita laughed and said, “Yes, fishermen lie. But today, this is true”

Caleb Kuphall Slips, Pat Schlapper Surges to Victory

Caleb Kuphall, who had led the tournament for the first three days, stumbled only slightly on Day 4. His fish changed and he just wasn’t able to reconnect quickly enough. At the same time, Pat Schlapper had an exceptional final day catching an 18-7 bag of Mississippi River bass from Lake Onalaska in Pool 7, jumping him from third place to victory.

A Breakout Year for Schlapper: Two Wins and a Classic Berth

As promised at takeoff on Sunday morning, if Schlapper won, he would take the trophy into the audience to share his victory with his fellow Wisconsinites. Schlapper is a man of his word and a man of the people.

Pat Schlapper joined the Elite tour in 2021. Until the 2025 season he had managed three Top 10 finishes, with his best a 3rd place finish at Toledo Bend in 2024. But in what would have to be described as his breakout year, he has finished 2025 with two Elite Series victories—the Sabine River in Texas and the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin. And he has qualified for his fifth Bassmaster Classic appearance, finishing this season in 30th place in the Angler of the Year points race. Congratulations, Pat!