This isn’t a situation I thought I would find myself in.
I’m up here at Lake Champlain practicing for the Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers because I’ve got three events to try to requalify for my slot in the Bassmaster Elite Series.
This is a funny sport. I can be in a place and catch a respectable bag, but I have struggled in the standings. It’s not an excuse, I needed to fish better, but in the Elite Series, there is not much room for error or misjudgment.
When I finished outside of 70th place in the points, I knew I wanted to go and compete in the Elite Qualifier events. My thinking was that after 30 years as a career Elite angler, I wanted to do what I needed to do to compete, to requalify and try and finish out my career the way I want.
Being on the Elite Series has been a huge honor for me. I started my career in the ’90s as a young man just out of college. I had followed the tournaments and seen my Idols like Rick Clunn do what they do. It made me want to be a professional angler, and I’ve been very fortunate to do that.
I’ve had a good career with a few wins, some trips to the Bassmaster Classic — I’ve even led a day of the Bassmaster Classic in New Orleans, which is something I look at with great pride. I’ve earned $1.5 million fishing in my career, and I’ve worked with some really great sponsors who believed in me and supported me along the way.
I thought about it on the way home from La Crosse, and I don’t feel like I’m finished as an angler yet. Yes, I have my family, and even though I’m getting up there in age, this is something I’ve done for a long time. I want to be able to continue that and step away when I feel ready. So, I’m here working to try and make that happen.
I’ve decided I want to share the journey with you. The fans are the reason any of us have this career, and who better to follow along when somebody is trying to make this work than you guys?
Over the next three tournaments this fall, I’m going to share with you my thoughts before the tournament, and I’m going to give you my thoughts after the tournaments — how I fished, what I feel about my finish, what I feel like I could have done differently or better. I’m going to take you guys along this road trip with me as I go from Lake Champlain to Wheeler Lake to Lake Okeechobee.
I don’t know how this whole thing is going to turn out, but I’m going to bring you on the ride with me. Hopefully I’ll be able to celebrate with you at the end.
Of course, there is always the chance I may get back into the Elite Series field. That all depends on other anglers and the decisions they make, but I want to go after this and I want to do it well. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.
So … strap in — it’s time to giddy up and take the ride along the EQ trail.
