Home Stories News & Events Philip Backus Named West Virginia’s 2025 Best Of The Best

Philip Backus Named West Virginia’s 2025 Best Of The Best

West Virginia State Championship Press Release

January 1, 2026

Every season, West Virginia kayak anglers compete throughout the year to not only win the title of Angler of the Year, but also to get a shot at being named Best of the Best. Mountain State Kayak Anglers (MSKA) have been hosting kayak bass fishing tournaments since 2013. MSKA is one of the nation’s founding clubs, working on the catch, photo and release system. The grass roots club is still going strong today, and its membership comprises some of the top kayak bass fishing anglers in the country.

At the end of each season, the top 12 anglers of the year are invited to a “Best of the Best” event to name the season’s best angler. Competing on the diverse variety of waterways WV has to offer, the challenge is difficult and sometimes relentless. The venue is unknown to anglers until days before the event, no pre-fishing is permitted, and the single-day event dictates who is the best in the state.

The previous year’s champion is also invited to the event to defend their title, free of charge. With the field of anglers only being made up of 13 anglers, the event can nearly be held anywhere, making the guessing game even more difficult. This year’s event was held at North Bend State Park, on October 11, with open waterways being anglers’ choice between North Bend Lake and the Hughes River. Angler choice only added to the complexity of the event, putting the pressure on each angler to know their state’s seasons, weather, and fishing patterns to make the most educated guess possible.

Philip Backus is from Lizemores, WV, and a seasoned angler. He began fishing with MSKA in 2023 and has been a top competitor since. Throughout the 2025 season, Philip placed in the top three during five out of six live events, securing him the title of 2025 Angler of the Year.

Philip Backus with West Virginia fishing trophy. — Image: Mountain State Kayak Anglers

“This was a really good season for me,” Backus shared. “I started out the year with a third-place finish and followed that up with a second-place finish. After the two good finishes, I decided to make a run at AOY and made it a point to fish all the events. I finished second or third in every one of our local events until the two-day championship, which I was leading AOY going into. I only needed a solid limit each day to secure AOY and did so with a top 10 finish, securing my first-ever Angler of the Year title against some very good anglers.

“It was still a little disappointing not getting a win all year, but that would change at our ‘Best of the Best’ tournament. It ended up being on a lake that I have a little bit of history with, so I was looking forward to the tournament. It started out pretty slow, only having a small limit after six hours. I made a move late in the day and found a spot, the move upgraded my entire limit in around an hour, including the biggest bass of the tournament. It was a crazy three-way tie for first place, and that big fish was the tiebreaker that ultimately won me the tournament. It did seem like the year of the big bass for me, having won ‘big bass’ in two of our local tournaments, and in a national-level Bassmaster-sanctioned event. I’d like to thank my wife for supporting me, MSKA, and all their sponsors who helped make everything possible this season. It was definitely a fun year. I am thankful the Lord blessed me with a good season and can’t wait for next year.”

Backus had a big year, winning $1,000 for Angler of the Year, as well as a Torqeedo Travel series motor, $500 for winning Best of the Best, along with a Crescent Smallie Kayak from Drew Gregory and Crescent Kayaks. He also took home some great trophies from First Responder Woodworking and Fishing Online money. But most importantly, he took home two coveted titles that many anglers have tried for without success.

MSKA wants to thank all the anglers who made the season possible and wants to thank the sponsors who made the season a little sweeter!