PARK FALLS, Wis. (March 14, 2025) – Bass fans know Trey McKinney’s remarkable path to bass-fishing’s highest level. Born to a Southern-Illinois family of great faith, then recognized and patiently coached by a quiet giant of the sport, Rick Cheatham, McKinney and his fishing prowess earned national attention at age 13, just seven years ago. He won the Junior Bassmaster Championship, the FLW Junior World Championship, and the USA Bassin Next Generation Classic all in the same year. That had not been done before, nor has it since.
There would be more firsts for McKinney.
In 2021 – at age 16 – he became the youngest angler to ever win AOY as a boater in a BFL series. He did it again the following year before moving on to the Bassmaster Opens Series in 2023. Amidst a talent-choked field, McKinney finished in the top-20 in six of nine events, finishing third in the Opens EQ standings to earn a spot in the 2024 Bassmaster Elites.
We all remembered what happened next. Last season at age 19, McKinney continued his march and became the youngest angler to ever win an Elite Series event, posting a dominating win at Lake Fork with a tick under 131 pounds. He also took third at St. Lawrence River, and sixth at both Lake Murray and the Harris Chain events, ultimately finishing second in points for AOY and earning Rookie of the Year honors.
Today, the just-turned-20-year-old is only days away from new opportunities to make history, as he prepares to compete in his first Bassmaster Classic.
Q&A With Trey McKinney
Q - Let’s recap where you’re at this season after two Elite events. What kinds of adjustments have you made in your second season at bass fishing’s highest level?
McKinney – Okay well, the first tournament at St. John’s River just never really clicked for me. It happens sometimes, so you have to sit with it and take away whatever you can from an 89th-place finish or whatever it was. But we got back on the track for a top-ten at Lake Okeechobee, which I felt really good about. So overall I’m pretty happy and grateful at this point, but I know I have work to do. My confidence is high and I’m feel like I’m carrying some good momentum into the Classic.
Q – So, what are your goals this season on the Elites?
McKinney – Right. Well, I’m a little behind the eight ball after not getting off to the best start in Florida, but it’s a long season and I can definitely still accomplish my goal of finishing in the top-ten for AOY. I’ll need to perform with some consistency the rest of the year in order to make that happen. I’ll do that by focusing on all the little details in every day of competition in every tournament.
Q - As someone who has seemingly done more, faster than anyone in professional bass-fishing history, there are still new things for you to accomplish. Talk to me about what it’s like to fish in your first Classic this week.
McKinney – Yeah. It’s been a dream of mine since I first started fishing tournaments. To me, it’s really what all of my career has been for. I’m super excited, but I know it’s going to be a long week with a lot of distractions. I want to enjoy all those things and opportunities… you know the fans and the big stage and stuff. That’s why the Classic is special. I don’t want to block that out because I want to remember them down the road, but I’m going to do my best to stay focused on what I’m doing and how I’m executing on the water. Even though this is my first one competing, I’ve been at this deal for the past five years, so I’ve already had a chance to take in everything that goes on. So, what I really want to remember from my first Classic as a competitor is fishing well. It looks like we could have some bad weather, but we’ll make the most of whatever conditions we have and remain focused on putting at least five bass in the boat every day.
Q - What experience do you have on Ray Roberts?
McKinney – You know, I’ve never fished a tournament here. I came during the pre-practice period and learned where everything was and just checked a bunch of areas I thought had the most potential. I definitely found a certain part of the lake I like best.
Q - Practice starts today. How are you breaking the lake down and what’s your approach?
McKinney – Well, I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but we’ll find out. It’s been a nice warming trend for a few days so I’m assuming there may be spawning happening. But that doesn’t mean that’s what the biggest fish are doing. That’s my goal for practice, you know… see what the biggest fish are doing and where they’re at then I’ll focus on that and break it down a little more. It’s (Ray Roberts) pretty small, so even though there’s only 50 of us out there, a lot of these fish are going to get hooked, caught, and put off during practice, so I’m going to find a bunch of different areas I can lean into if I need to during the three days of the tournament.
Q - What presentations do you expect to play?
McKinney – Definitely some kind of moving bait… a chatterbait, swim jig, spinnerbait… something like that. Plus jerkbaits and minnows for the pre-spawn. If there’s fish up spawning then minnows and a wacky worm. Oh, and jigs, too, for sure… up shallow and in all that brush and timber.
Q - Give me a rod or two you know you’re going to have in your hands.
McKinney – Oh, for sure. Definitely a 68MXF Legend Tournament for the jerkbait. I’ve been loving the 6th Sense Provoke S jerkbaits. Just about every other jerkbait on the market has a rattle in it but these are silent. In a lot of cases suspended pre-spawn fish – especially the kind that win tournaments – respond better to that stealth. Whatever jerkbait you throw though, there isn’t a more dialed-in rod than that St. Croix LBTC68MXF. I know I’ll also have a Legend Tournament 7’1” MF spinning rod ready for any finnessy presentations, along with a Victory 7’3” MHF ready to go for light jigs.
Q - What kind of weight do you think it’s going to take to be in the hunt?
McKinney – Yeah, I think about 21 pounds a day will put you right there. But those big Ray Roberts Sharelunkers are the wildcard and could be the difference, especially if someone near the top culls up with one or two of them.
Q - What goals do you have for yourself in your first Classic?
McKinney – Sure. Yeah, a top-ten will be a great win for me, so that’s kind of where I’m at going into this. There are so many good anglers and so many ways to catch them. I’d be really happy driving home if I could finish in the top ten.
Competition at the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic takes place March 21-23.