With the Bassmaster Elite Series continuing in April, I feel pretty good about my first season. Leading Rookie of the Year standings and sitting 19th in the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings has given me an encouraging start.
I didn’t know what to expect from the first two events in Florida. I finished 17th in the Open at Lake Okeechobee last year, but I had never fished the St. Johns River.
Okeechobee was way different from what it was in 2024, and I finished just outside the check cut there. But starting my Elite career with a 16th at the St. Johns was super important for my confidence. I always fish better when I feel confident in what I’m doing, so that first event set the right tone for the year.
Also, it was important to not get starstruck fishing against guys I grew up watching — guys like Brandon Palaniuk, Seth Feider and Jeff Gussy. I had never met them, but they were all easygoing. I ended up in the same creek as Bill Lowen, who won the event, so we would see one another during the day, and I enjoyed talking with him on the water.
It was so important for me on that first day of the St. Johns to just catch fish and know that I can fish against these guys. Establishing that confidence should help me the rest of the season.
I went into the St. Johns with no experience, so I tried to do a little bit of everything the first two days of practice. I fished offshore, I fished the bank, I fished shellbars, but I never really found anything.
Then, I remembered a few years ago when the Elites were there, it was cold and Paul Mueller won north of Palatka. So I decided to use that information and go check up north.
I found Deep Creek was the only place I could get consistent bites. I didn’t catch any big ones in practice, but I knew I could go in there and catch five. Catching a limit was what I was mostly worried about, but it worked out better than I could have hoped.
I ended up catching three 4 1/2-pounders the first day, a couple good ones the second day and then I just ran out of fish. I caught my fish on a wacky-rigged YUM Dinger and punching mats with a 1 1/2-ounce weight. The third day, I caught some on a ChatterBait.
I think my Canadian fishing experience helped me during the cold weather at the St. Johns, because I know fish will bite in the cold. You just have to slow down. Every time I cast my wacky worm, I’d wait 30 seconds before I’d even move my bait — unless I saw the line would start swimming off.
I would like to have done better at Okeechobee, but getting that good start at the St. Johns positioned me well. What I’ve learned is that when I have a bad tournament or a good one, I put it behind you right away and focus on the one that’s in front of me.
Looking at the rest of the schedule, I’m looking forward to fishing Lake Fork for the first time. I’m also eager to get back to Lake St. Clair. I didn’t do too well in last year’s Open there, so I need some redemption.
