Meet the Anglers: Jacob Wheeler

Jacob Wheeler

Harrison, TN

Indiana native Jacob Wheeler was the youngest angler to ever win the Forrest Wood Cup (he was 21 when he won it in 2012), and was the first angler in history to win the first two Bassmaster Elite Series events he competed in. In 2019, Wheeler won the Bass Pro Tour Stage Seven on Table Rock Lake and the General Tire World Championship. Wheeler earned his second Bass Pro Tour victory in 2020 at Stage One on Lake Eufaula. Then in 2021, he really impressed by winning three of the seven Bass Pro Tour events: Stage Two, Stage Five and Stage Six. Wheeler topped an impressive 2021 Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year win by earning that same title in 2022, becoming the first-ever back-to-back AOY on the Bass Pro Tour. Under the newly implemented five-bass format in 2023, Wheeler won his sixth Bass Pro Tour event during Stage Four at Lake Guntersville. The Bass Pro Tour returned to the every fish counts format in 2024 and Wheeler continued his winning ways with a victory on Santee Cooper at Stage Two. Shortly after, he scored his eighth Bass Pro Tour event win with Stage Three at Dale Hollow Lake en route to his third Fishing Clash AOY trophy in four years. Wheeler scored his ninth Bass Pro Tour win at Stage 5 in 2025, winning by a margin of more than 30 pounds over second place with 110 pounds, 13 ounces on Kentucky Lake. Wheeler ended the 2025 Bass Pro Tour season with an exclamation mark, winning his 10th Bass Pro Tour trophy and his fourth angler of the year title.

FUN FACT
Jacob’s hobbies include golf, tennis, hunting and fishing.