The last time the Bassmaster Classic was held in Fort Worth, Matt Arey was one of the last two anglers on the stage inside Dickie’s Arena. Arey sat in the hot-seat, as eventual champion Hank Cherry weighed his fish, besting the Team Toyota pro by less than two pounds. Arey is a consummate professional, and he congratulated his friend Hank, before walking off the stage shaking his head at what might have been.

Arey is not afraid to admit coming in second place in the Bassmaster Classic hurt. It hurt bad. The North Carolina native licked his wounds and promptly put the pain of his second place behind him, using it as motivation to get back to the Classic and put himself in position to win this event once again.

This morning Arey idled out of Isle Du Bois State Park with a clean slate, getting another shot at Lake Ray Roberts after coming ever so close to hoisting bass fishing’s biggest trophy in the summer of 2021.

“Ray Roberts may be the same lake that we fished in 2021, but this tournament is a whole different animal,” Arey explained. “The water level was six-feet higher, and we competed the 2021 Classic in June due to COVID restrictions. I was flipping and frogging flooded bushes. I’ll still be power fishing this week, but there isn’t a flooded bush to be found on Ray Roberts right now. The only similarity is how I’m approaching this event, with only one goal… to win.”

You might think that would be Arey’s goal in every event he competes in, but the truth is, it’s not. You see, Arey is a realest and extremely analytical. He approaches tournament bass fishing like a calculated businessman versus a gambler. His main goal in regular season Elite events is to cash checks, stack up solid points, and make championship events.

Obviously if the opportunity presents itself to content for a win, Arey will take more risks, but for the most part he is perfectly fine with consistency instead of the “hero or zero” mentality. You may criticize this mindset, but you can’t argue it has worked out for the even-keeled tournament veteran.

The 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour is Arey’s sixth straight Classic appearance, and if you factor in his time at FLW before coming to B.A.S.S. this is his 15^th straight championship event. The proof is in the pudding. Arey’s system works.

But Arey knows the Classic is not like a regular season event. Points do not matter here, only prizes. He makes a deliberate effort to change how he practices and approaches this event. Aiming for a win and nothing else.

“I literally do not care if I finish second or 50^th this week, if it’s not a win it doesn’t matter,” Arey said. “I’ve learned the hard way that no one remembers who finishes runner up in this event. With a win or bust mentality, it’s hard to be satisfied with practice for this tournament, but I think fans are in for a show this weekend. It’s March in Texas with a warming trend… big things are going to happen.”

Hopefully Arey is one of the anglers who makes big things happen and puts on a show for fishing fans here in Fort Worth. Several members of the Arey family will be among the packed crowd inside Dickie’s Arena. Led by his wife and #1 teammate, Emily, Arey’s family supports and cheers him on regardless of his on the water performance.

“This tournament is very special for my family,” Arey said emotionally. “They know what this event means. They were there and helped pick me up back in 2021 after it felt like I got kicked in the gut by one of the bulls they have down at the historic Stockyards. Family is everything to us, and I can’t tell you how much it means to have their unwavering support.”