Kelly Jordon is just a semester away from a master's degree in biomedical science. However, after wining a boat in an early tournament, he put that on hold and hasn't looked back. Four BASS wins, membership in BASS' Millionaire's Club and seven Bassmaster Classics later, he knows he made the right choice. Here's how he answered his 20 Questions:
1. Where are you from, originally?
I lived in Austin, Texas, for 13 years, then my family moved to Waco.
2. How did you get started in bass fishing?
No one in my family fishes, but in Austin some friends and I would sneak out after school and go fish in the clear streams. We'd sneak up on the fish, whatever they were. Then when I moved to Waco, I had a neighbor who was a hardcore bass fisherman, and he had a boat. He took me and turned me into a diehard bass man.
3. Who were some of your earliest fishing heroes?
Kendall Lovett. He was the neighbor who had a boat and got me into bass fishing. Then there was Denny Brauer, because he was — he still is — the jig guy, and Kendall loved throwing jigs, no matter the weather or where we were fishing. Also Kevin VanDam and Guido Hibdon, among others.
4. What's the biggest bass you've ever caught?
Thirteen pounds. I got it from Lake Fork, my home lake. However, the six or seven biggest fish I ever hooked into all got away. I even had a hold of — though briefly — a world-record class fish. I'm sure of it. I was at Fork and had just released a 10-pounder when I laid into a fish. In a matter of 3 or 4 seconds, it spooled my 50-pound braid, destroyed my reel and snapped my rod at the cork. It all happened so fast. I've had friends try and tell me it was a catfish, but I've never caught a catfish that fought like that.
5. What do you love most about bass fishing?
The challenge. It's why most folks like anything, really. Take golf for instance. If you want to get mad at yourself, go play golf. In fishing it's really special when you figure everything out one day and start catching fish nonstop, because normally bass are really hard to catch.
6. What is your greatest strength as a bass angler?
I can mix it up pretty good. People used to try and put you in a box, like you're a good crankbait fisherman or jig fisherman and that's it, but not anymore. If you're only good at one thing, the rest of the Elite guys are going to eat your lunch. However, I do have a few favorite ways to catch fish — flipping and fishing offshore structure.
7. What is your greatest weakness as a bass angler?
I'm not sure about weaknesses, but there are a few things I don't like to do. I'm not a big fan of light line fishing and a spinning reel. I'll do it if I have to, but if I can get away with it I'm using casting gear.
8. Where is your favorite place to fish for bass and why?
Lake Fork. It's my home lake, and it has lots of big fish. Some of my other favorites are Clear Lake in California, Kentucky Lake, Lake Okeechobee, and my favorite river is the Potomac.
9. What question do you get asked most by fans and how do you answer it?
"How do you catch fish?" I just tell them to find out what they want for that day and give it to 'em! I also get asked what my favorite lake is, how big the biggest bass I've caught is, and best finishes.
10. What's the biggest mistake you see from casual anglers?
A lot of folks don't know how to catch fish away from the bank. If they go out and don't get anything on the bank, they think, "Oh well, they're not biting today." Not true.
11. Do you have any fishing superstitions?
Nope. I do have a saying, however. "Don't try and catch another until you catch the first one."
12. How big a part does luck play in fishing?
None. I don't believe in luck. Preparedness and breaks come into play a lot, though. If that 10-pounder bites and you're ready, you've made your own luck because you caught it. Especially in four-day tournaments. Luck may get you by in a one-day deal because you got a big fish, but it quickly becomes apparent who got lucky and who is good at the end of long tournaments. You can't coast by that long on one fish.
13. What has been your greatest accomplishment in the fishing industry?
I've won a few tournaments and made the Classic seven times.
14. What goals have you yet to accomplish in your bass fishing career?
Every professional angler has four goals: make the Classic, win a tour level event, win a Classic and win Angler of the Year. You could also throw in there get a 4-day total of 100-plus pounds, which I've done two times.
15. What keeps you motivated to reach those goals?
You've got to be competitive, and you need to love it. If you don't love being out there on the water every minute, you won't go far. Another part of the drive is trying to figure out what they're doing each day.
16. When you're not bass fishing, how do you like to spend your time?
I love being outdoors. I like to hunt and fish offshore for grouper and tuna.
17. What profession (other than your own) would you like to have tried?
I would have liked to have tried the medical field. That's what I went to school for. I'm only one semester away from my master's in biomedical science. I might go back to it when I retire. That door's always open.
18. When it's all over, how do you want people to remember you?
As a friend.
19. What's the biggest misconception people have of you?
A lot of people try to classify you as a very one-dimensional fisherman. That's not the case anymore. That's how it used to be.
20. What's the biggest lesson you've learned in your career?
Don't out-think yourself. No matter how well you do in practice, keep an open mind in case something changes. That's the difference between the Elite guys and everyone else. We can change on the fly and decipher what the fish want most of the time.