Florida has been my Achilles’ heel as an angler for a long time, and within Florida Lake Okeechobee has probably been my biggest nemesis of them all. I don’t typically do well on the big bowls without contours, and I certainly prefer not to fish in crowds. That makes it especially ironic when I finally won there last week it was sharing a 50-yard circle with three other guys.
I had a terrible practice, so I decided to spend the entire third day in the Kissimmee River. It had the healthiest looking water, and it gave me options to fish shallow or off the bank in close proximity. I always like to have multiple options in case things change. In Florida, change is constant, and the bass are especially sensitive to it.
I found the key spot at 4:30 on the last day of practice, and there were other boats around so I didn’t beat on it. I caught a 2-pounder and a 6-pounder and then I let it be. I knew someone else would find it – these guys are simply too good to miss things, and Tyler Rivet exposed the river last time – but on Day 1 it was a little bit deflating to be the fourth boat to arrive.
All three of them were already casting at the money spot, and I simply didn’t know if it could withstand more than a couple of boats. Fortunately for me, Tim Dube spoke up and said, “We’ll figure it out.” I slid in between Tim and Greg DiPalma, with Will Davis Jr. on the outside. After that, it was just a matter of communication. We talked constantly, asking each other questions and explaining what was working. That level of trust and professional respect laid the groundwork for the entire tournament.
My motto for the week was, “High hopes, low expectations.” Frankly, the way my practice went I believed if I got out of there with a 50th place and two Florida checks, that would be a win. I think that Tim, Greg and Will felt the same way. None of us really knew how special that spot was. We only realized it as the event unfolded.
When we weighed in on the first day and all of us were in the Top 10, including first, second and third, it clicked that we had to work together to make the most of it. Greg and Will didn’t know it at the time, but they didn’t need to fish Day 2 to make the cut. As it turned out, I only needed a single bass. I’m not sure that any of us thought we could win, but we just kept going after it.
What can I say about Day 2? It was one of the most amazing fishing days – not just of my career, but of my lifetime. I only caught seven bass, so it wasn’t a great numbers day, but I had 34-10, including two 9-pounders. At that point I got put in “time out” and left the spot to the other guys.
It was eerily similar to the final day when I won on Lake Champlain. I had an area with an exceptional caliber of fish, they bit and I landed them all. Those are the types of things that keep me going. Especially after a disappointing season like last year, my toughest on tour, the great moments make up for all of the heartache.
Heading into the final day with an 18-pound lead was uncharted territory for me. That’s a huge gap, but any of the guys in the Top 10 could make it up with a couple of bites. I’d proven that already. That’s why I was able to breathe a sigh of relief with each additional catch, even though the first few were small. Every 1-pounder meant they had to make up another pound. It was still possible someone would have a monster day and pass me, but it became increasingly unlikely.
The last fish of the day – the big one that ate the glide bait – was the icing on the cake. It was a struggle to just get bites all day, and I lost a fish that would’ve helped. A win is a win, but you don’t want to back into it, so when I grabbed that fish and pulled her into the boat I had that “winning moment feeling,” even more than when I hoisted the trophy later that afternoon.
I’ve been fortunate now to win on a wide variety of fisheries, and each victory is special in its own way. Coming off a tough 2024 season, this one provides validation that I’m still in the game. I was also able to share it with my girls. Kyra may not get it, but Kora is kind of starting to understand what it all means. Tiff keeps the whole machine running while I’m out there chasing fish.
Finally, I have to thank Greg DiPalma, Will Davis Jr. and Tim Dube for one of the most memorable experiences of my career. Obviously I’m glad I won, but with the way we worked together and shared water, it would have been gratifying if any of us took home the trophy.
Day 1 in particular was insane – we were catching 6-pounders side-by-side, laughing and cheering each other on. Everyone was genuinely happy for one another, and it reminded me that sportsmanship and camaraderie make this an exceptional sport.
