Kennesaw, GA –  SPRO is proud to congratulate pro staff angler Caleb Hudson on being named the 2026 Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year following an impressive debut season on the sport’s highest-level tournament circuit.  The 24-year-old Georgia angler finished the nine-event season with 621 points, edging Alabama’s Fisher Anaya by just two points to claim the coveted Rookie of the Year title and a $10,000 bonus.  From the second event of the season through Championship Sunday on the St. Lawrence River, Hudson remained at the top of the Rookie of the Year standings. While the race ultimately came down to the final day of competition, his consistency throughout the season put him in position to control his own destiny.

“Caleb has had an incredible rookie season, and everyone at SPRO is extremely proud of what he accomplished,” said Syd Rives, SPRO National Sales Manager. “What really stands out is the way he competed across such a wide variety of fisheries and formatts. He proved he can adapt, stay focused and catch them no matter what the conditions throw at him. Caleb represents exactly what we look for in a SPRO pro, and we’re excited to see where this first Elite Series season leads him.”

Hudson opened his rookie campaign with five consecutive checks and quickly established himself as one of the top first-year competitors in the field. He advanced to the final day on three occasions during the first five events of the season, competing for wins on Lake Martin, the Arkansas River and Lake Murray.

Those performances demonstrated Hudson’s versatility. He excelled on spotted bass fisheries, navigated a challenging shallow-water river system and proved he could compete on a blueback herring-dominated lake, all while going up against some of the most accomplished anglers in the sport.  The middle portion of the season presented a significant challenge. Hudson struggled at Santee Cooper and the Pasquotank River, with finishes of 81st and 52nd, respectively. His once sizable lead in the Rookie of the Year standings was reduced to just eight points.  Rather than allowing the setbacks to derail his season, Hudson leaned into his strengths and rebounded.

“I knew there would be three tournaments this season that would be about survival for me,” Hudson explained. “I survived one of them and then I got some tournaments back in my wheelhouse. I love smallmouth.”

That love for smallmouth bass became particularly important at the season finale on the St. Lawrence River.  Hudson entered the final event with a 12-point lead over Anaya, but a difficult opening day temporarily dropped him to 54th place while Anaya moved into ninth. Hudson responded on Day 2, climbing to 37th and earning another day on the water.  On Day 3, Hudson put together one of his best performances of the week, catching more than 25 pounds of smallmouth for the second consecutive day and moving into 19th place overall. The finish was enough to keep him atop the Rookie of the Year standings while Anaya finished ninth and fell just short of overtaking him. Hudson admitted the final day was anything but easy.

“I think today has been at least 30 hours long,” Hudson said. “I did this in the most stressful way possible.”

The St. Lawrence finish also gave Hudson his first Bassmaster Century Belt, adding another accomplishment to a rookie season that exceeded even his own expectations.

Coming into 2026, Hudson’s goal was simple: survive his first season among the Elite Series’ best anglers.  “My goal was just not to suck,” Hudson said. “I didn’t want to fall on my face.”

Instead, Hudson did exactly the opposite.  He cashed checks in seven of nine Elite Series events and finished the season seventh overall in the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. His performance also put him among some of the biggest names in professional bass fishing and established him as one of the sport’s emerging young stars.  Hudson’s success did not come as a complete surprise. He had already demonstrated his ability to compete at a high level by winning the 2025 Nitro Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Okeechobee presented by Bass Pro Shops, earning his opportunity to compete against the sport’s best.  Now, after completing his first Elite Series season with a Rookie of the Year trophy and a seventh-place AOY finish, Hudson has his sights set even higher.

“I want to make a run at AOY at some point,” Hudson said.  With a Rookie of the Year title now added to his resume, Hudson has established himself as one of professional bass fishing’s young talents to watch. SPRO is proud to have Caleb Hudson representing the brand and looks forward to supporting him as he continues his pursuit of wins, championships and an eventual Angler of the Year title.

 

We are Sports Professionals. SPRO works with America’s best anglers to design the world’s finest fishing tackle. Using cutting edge technology and innovation, SPRO leads the way in developing premium fishing equipment. SPRO also serves as the North American distributor for leading Japanese brands including Nories, HIDEUP, DSTYLE, MEIHO, and INNO.

 

For more information, please visit WWW.SPRO.COM