In the world of professional bass fishing, where the line between triumph and heartbreak is as thin as 10-pound fluorocarbon, John Crews stands out like a well-worn Toyota Tundra towing a bass boat through the Virginia mountainside. He's been fishing on the Bassmaster Elite Series since anyone can remember.
By: Walker Smith Photo: BASS & John Crews
An industry pillar who's as comfortable dissecting a balance sheet as he is a backwater eddy.
Crews isn't just a pro angler; he's the owner of Missile Baits, a lure company that's become a staple in tackle boxes across the country. His dual mastery of the fishing and business sides makes him a rarity. He’s a guy who can talk sponsorship ROI with the suits in the morning and frog a mat for a 5-pounder by lunchtime.
This season, though, tested even a stalwart like Crews. The 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series was a gauntlet of events stretching from Florida to the mighty Mississippi in late August. Bodies of water as diverse as the anglers themselves: tidal rivers, vast impoundments, smallmouth havens up north.
Crews, with a family back in Virginia, navigated it all with the quiet determination of a man who's seen booms and busts. But as he reflected after the dust settled, it wasn't all smooth sailing.
"It’s been a rollercoaster season, to be honest," Crews admitted. "I’d get a little consistency going then I’d lay an egg in one tournament. I was able to fight back at the end of the season, thankfully.”
That fight-back culminated on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the season finale.
The river, a sprawling maze of current-swept islands, backwaters thick with vegetation and depth contours that could hide giants or fool you into futility, demanded precision. Crews hung tough, finishing 12th with solid bags that kept him in the money and in the running for extra rewards.
Crews leaned into tried-and-true river tactics, focusing on areas where bass were stacking up in the dog days of summer.
"Frogging and flipping for sure was the deal," he explained. "All of practice I found one big area I knew had some fish in it. Outside of that, the density didn’t seem to be as good throughout the rest of the fishery. I really milked this area and tried to make the most of it. It had all the right combination of current, vegetation and depth range. I’d cover miles of water in practice then all the sudden I hit the right area."
That right area was a confluence of factors. A moderate flow pulling baitfish, pads and hydrilla providing ambush points, and a 4- to 8-foot drop where largemouth could stage. He worked a frog over the tops, skipping it into pockets and flipped a creature bait when the bite slowed.
But fishing, as Crews knows, isn't just about the catches—it's about the mindset. In a sport where a missed hookset can haunt you, he chooses optimism.
"A lot of folks focus on missed opportunities," he said. "But if you’re fishing well, you have lucky instances you can point to. When it’s going well, those small, magical things happen, and you can’t stop them."
That positivity carried him through the ups and downs.
"I like to focus on the positivity," Crews emphasized. “But I need to be more consistent next year with no more bomb finishes. That’s what got me this year.”
His consistency paid off in more ways than one.
Enter Toyota Bonus Bucks, a contingency gem that's become a lifeline for pros who align with the brand. For the uninitiated, Bonus Bucks is Toyota's way of rewarding anglers who tow their boats with qualifying vehicles. It’s free to join and payouts scale with performance across dozens of tournament circuits and hundreds of events. Top finishers can pocket thousands, turning a decent week into a great one.
Crews, a long-time Toyota driver, qualified handily. His 12th-place finish on the Mississippi netted him $3,000 in Bonus Bucks, which served as the icing on top of a strong finish to his season.
"I made $3,000 with Toyota Bonus Bucks and that will go towards my son’s wedding," Crews shared, his tone warming. "That will pay for his rehearsal dinner, so my wife and I are super pumped about that. I think any parent understands how expensive weddings can be these days.”
The human side of pro fishing.
The part that reminds us these guys aren't just leaderboard machines. It's a poignant reminder that behind every weigh-in bag is a story of sacrifice: early mornings, long hauls, the toll on body and budget. Weddings aren’t cheap and $3,000 covers a chunk without dipping into the bait budget.
"I am the first man out of the 2026 Bassmaster Classic so far," he noted, referring to his AOY points being just shy of qualifying for the big dance. "So I’ll be watching the upcoming qualifying tournaments with bated breath, to say the least.”
Out? Maybe. But down? Never.
Crews embodies the resilience that defines bass fishing's elite. He's the guy who turns a rollercoaster season into a steppingstone, a $3,000 bonus into family memories. In an industry full of flash, he's the steady current—reliable, deep-running, always pulling you forward.
It's not just about the fish; it's about the life you build around them. The magical moments on the water, the positivity that buoys you through bombs, the contingencies that reward loyalty. John Crews gets it and that's why he's not just a pro—he's a blueprint for how to do this right.
