Now that I’m in my fourth season on the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, it’s easy to forget that just 15 years ago, when I started fishing tournaments, I couldn’t have imagined that I’d end up competing against the best anglers in the world.
My love of fishing started much earlier than that, though. When I was 5 my family moved to the shores of Lake Ontario. We spent most of our free time on the two marshes within walking distance of home, which were loaded with pike, carp, catfish and the odd largemouth. I became obsessed with fishing, and it didn’t matter what species.
Back then, my dad was focused on trolling for salmon. We also spent a lot of time on Bowmanville Creek targeting seasonal steelhead runs along with brown trout and salmon. I realize now how fortunate I was to have all those opportunities in my backyard.
Later, when I joined the Ontario B.A.S.S. Nation, my eyes were opened to the tournament world. I started competing in Ontario high school events with my friend Danny McGarry, which led to our first U.S. tournament, the 2014 B.A.S.S. Nation Eastern Divisional on the St. Lawrence River. Winning that tournament changed everything. I didn’t know how I’d do it, but I knew I had to turn the dream of fishing tournaments for a living into a reality.
To raise money, I took just about any job I could, and I caught a few breaks along the way, working for people who supported my dream and gave me the time off I needed. I’ll always be grateful for their support.
At 18, I bought a used Nitro 700 LX with a Mercury 115, which Danny and I used to fish FLW Canada events. Winning the 2016 FLW Canada Championship earned us a spot in the FLW Series Championship on Kentucky Lake, which fueled the fire that much more.
By that point, I didn’t have a plan B. I was going to fish for a living. In 2020, I thought I was ready for the Bassmaster Opens — I’d even upgraded to a newer, bigger used boat — but I broke down the first day of the first event and my season was over. I think now that was a blessing in disguise. I needed more time to prepare.
When I came back in 2021, I felt more confident. I had my first new boat, a Nitro Z20 with a Mercury 250, and if not for a 5 1/2-pound bass that spit my ChatterBait on the James River, I might have qualified for the Elites.
2022 is when I went all-in. I quit my job, headed south and fished all nine Opens, sleeping in my truck or a tent for a lot of them. I won the second tournament at Cherokee to punch my ticket to the Bassmaster Classic, and after a grueling season, I achieved my goal of qualifying for the Elite Series through the Southern Opens.
As I tell the story, it seems logical, like everything progressed in due time, but there was an element of hard work meeting opportunity. When I signed one of my first sponsorship deals with Mercury, I was a nobody, but they gambled, as did Durham Tourism and Canada Rubber Group, and I’ll never forget them. Of course, my family has been there every step of the way, helping me to chase this crazy lifelong dream.
To everyone who says you must be born with a silver spoon in your mouth to get to the Elites, I’m living proof you don’t. Brandon Palaniuk once said that if you’re obsessed and can’t physically live without it, you’ve got a shot. I also recall former Elite pro Jesse Wiggins saying that the people who work the hardest get the luckiest. I’ve lived by those ideas for years.
This sport is all about wanting it. Sure, it helps to have great equipment, supportive sponsors and a few breaks along the way. But ultimately, it’s great to know that opportunity is only a starting point. Passion and hard work are the keys to getting it done.
While competitive fishing is an individual sport, the support I receive from my family, friends and sponsors makes it a team. Team Gallant is fired up, ready for another successful season on the Bassmaster Elite Series. The chase for a blue trophy continues.
