I was a standout on my high school’s golf team and thought about pursuing the sport in college. Instead, I opted to join a collegiate fishing team with the eventual goal of becoming a professional angler.
Many people lament how frustrating the game of golf is. After fishing competitively in high school, college, the Bassmaster Opens and now the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, I can tell you tournament bass fishing is more frustrating than golf, by far.
I enjoyed a lot of success fishing in high school and in college. The Opens didn’t go as smoothly, but I made it to the Elites by fishing all nine events in 2024. I had to be consistent through a long season. You couldn’t qualify by hitting it big in a few tournaments.
At the Elite level, I got slapped in the face. I started out in 2025 with two good tournaments, finishing 50-something at the St. Johns and 16th at Okeechobee. Ever since then, it’s been progressively downhill with a few high notes.
Last year, I was a bit awestruck fishing against such stout competition. It took a while to get my feet under me. This season, it seems like I’ve been one decision away from doing well in every tournament I’ve fished. I see guys nearby doing things very similar to what I’m doing. But they’re sacking them, and I am not.
It has been maddening to be so close to opportunities that would have netted much better results.
Take Lake Murray, for example. I fished a main lake point the first day and bagged a good limit by casting to schooling bass. When I returned to the same point the next day, I found it barren of bass and baitfish. I could see competitors catching bass after bass from the points on either side of me. Why did my point dry up while the others were flush with bass?
Santee Cooper Lakes was especially frustrating because it should have been in my wheelhouse. We couldn’t use forward-facing sonar in that one. Santee Cooper had plenty of offshore grass where I could tie on a ChatterBait and speed worm and rely on my instincts.
During the tournament, I was catching 2- to 2 1/2-pound bass in a grass ditch. About 100 yards from me, I could see two guys bed fishing who weighed in massive bags. I had just missed finding those fish in practice.
After the tournament, I learned that many of the Top 10 were fishing soft plastic spiny Coike-style baits that resemble a sea urchin. I was aware of these baits and how deadly they are on suspended bass. The guys who did well with these lures were casting them to docks, cypress trees and other cover.
At Lake Guntersville last February, I fished a grass flat very close to a spot that produced a Top 10 finish for two competitors. That’s how it’s been all season — near misses.
As frustrating as it’s been, the next Elite tournament I fish could be the one that changes my life. I have three opportunities left this season to make that happen. I’m excited about the next tournament on the Pasquotank River. I pre-fished there and can’t wait to go back and see if what I found will pay off.
Even though I’m a diehard river rat, I’ve spent a few summers under the tutelage of smallmouth ace Easton Fothergill. I feel very comfortable with strapping eight spinning rods to my front deck and targeting the brown ones.
Ending the season fishing for smallmouth up north will be a refreshing change from what we’ve been doing. At this point, I’ve been backed into a corner and have to swing for the fences in search of a win. This is not a sport for people who can’t stay positive when facing adversity.
