As I look back on my fourth Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series season, I see areas where I can improve, but I also see solid progress that gives me encouragement going forward.
Going back to the beginning of the year, I finished 98th in the first tournament at Lake Guntersville. The next week, I took fifth at Lake Martin. Obviously, you want the momentum to start at the first one, but it was super important to bounce back from a bomb with a Top 10.
It was a good bounce back. It got me back on track for the season, and that was huge because I’d had a rough couple of years prior to that. My rookie season, 2023, was great, but 2024 and 2025 were not good. Getting my confidence back after that first tournament was very important.
After that, the year brought some tough finishes, but by the end of the season, I had made five cuts. That’s an improvement over the past two seasons.
I’m looking at this as a positive. I know I didn’t have a fantastic season, but last year, I was really close to not requalifying for the Elites.
This year, I had some buffer room going into two of my favorite final tournaments where I’d be fishing for smallmouth. I enjoy doing that and I generally do pretty well. I made a top 30 at Lake Champlain and finished just outside the cut at the St. Lawrence River.
Making the Classic cut is always a big goal for me, and even though I didn’t make it this time, I’m happy with my year. With the blessing of a new baby, life has been very busy, and I haven’t been able to spend much time on the water between tournaments.
I’ve fished some while I’ve been home, but for most of the events, I just showed up to a tournament. I don’t prefish at all. So, doing what I did this year, with my family growing, I think it’s good, and it’s gonna get better.
I have the confidence that I’ll continue to improve next year and qualify for the Classic in 2028. I think I’m that good of an angler, and I believe that if I can get a little more time on the water between tournaments next year, I can stay sharp and enter each event fully prepared.
Of course, I realize I’m not the only guy with family responsibilities and, as far as priorities, there is nothing more important. In fact, my favorite memory from the 2026 Elite season was having my family come up to the Champlain tournament.
We got to hang out in the nice weather, and I got to watch my wife sing the national anthem. Anytime she comes to a tournament, she sings the anthem, and this time, she sang one of the days at takeoff and at weigh-in.
I flew the whole family up there. Luckily my in-laws were able to take off work and help my wife and get her, the kids and the baby through the airport. It’s great anytime you finish in a Top 10, but when I can have my family at a tournament, that’s the best feeling in the world.
As for next season, we’ll just roll with the positive outlook. I want to do better because I know I’m a better fisherman. I want to have a long career on the Elites, and I want to have my family with me as often as possible.
