They call themselves the “Three Amigos” of the Bassmaster Elite Series. Jacob Wheeler, Dustin Connell and Mark Daniels Jr. are the trio of pros who are hotel roommates, travel running mates and pals off the water.
If there were a cultural melting pot of bass fishing this would be it.
Wheeler grew up in downtown Indianapolis. His father and uncle introduced him to bass fishing through their involvement with the B.A.S.S. Nation. Wheeler fished his way through youth events and into the BFL circuit, becoming the youngest angler to win the championship at the age of 20. In 2012 he made history again as the youngest angler to win the FLW Cup at the age of 20. By 2014, Wheeler had surpassed $1 million in tournament winnings.
Connell grew up in central Alabama, where weekend bass tournaments run year-round on the Coosa River impoundments flowing through the region. Connell started fishing — and winning — tournaments at the age of 12. From 2010-12 he fished on the Crimson Tide Bass Anglers Team while enrolled at the University of Alabama, where he earned a marketing degree. He went home, picked up where he left off and started bankrolling first place checks. He fished the 2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Opens, qualifying for the Elite Series in his first year.
Daniels grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, got his college degree at Tuskegee University in Alabama. His first full-time job back home in California was cut short by tournament successes on the FLW Tour. In 2016 he moved back to Alabama, fished the Southern Opens and qualified for the Elite Series. After two years on the tour Daniels already has a win at Lake Oahe in South Dakota last July.
Here is the inside story of how these Three Amigos met, what makes them click and how they work together on the tour.
How did you meet?
Jacob
In 2016 we all qualified for the Elite Series through the Bassmaster Southern Opens. I already knew Mark from the FLW Tour. We were staying at the same hotel at Douglas Lake in Tennessee. It was the final event of the season.
Dustin
We started hanging out at the final Southern Open. We all had the same goal of qualifying for the Elites. So we started hanging out then. After the tournament Jacob invited us to go fun fishing at Lake Chickamauga. We had such fun that we decided to run together during our rookie season in the Elite Series.
Mark
I already knew Jacob from the FLW Tour, and we befriended Dustin at that Open when we qualified for the Elite Series. There was lots of joking around, and we thought it was a good idea to run together.
What makes being roommates click?
Jacob
What really makes it cool is we all have our different styles of fishing. We might be a little bit different, but we challenge ourselves to bring our skills together to help each other do their best.
Dustin
We just click. In practice we even have three-way conference calls on the water. At the end of the day we break it down until we figure things out.
Mark
I think it’s a good idea to travel with a group. You can bounce ideas off each other, find things in common and keep it loose. You can’t do that running solo. What makes it work for us is everybody brings something different to the table. We just happen to click, like the Three Amigos.
What makes him a competitor?
Jacob
With Dustin, I’ve never seen anyone whose fishing instincts come so natural. I haven’t seen anyone that can read water as quickly as him. Mark is the same way, just a natural at finding fish.
Dustin
Jacob puts in the time, more than me when it comes to practicing. He can’t be outworked. Mark is an awesome shallow water angler, and then he worked really hard on deep-water techniques. He mastered it, proved it by winning at Lake Oahe. It’s his drive to not only compete, and learn everything he can about the sport.
Mark
That dude does not like losing. Jacob is probably the fiercest competitor I know. Actually, that goes for all of us. It’s just the intensity, and drive of competition that keeps us all hungry to win. We drive each other.
What’s he like when the game face comes off?
Jacob
Dustin could be a standup comedian if he wasn’t a competing as a pro angler. He’s just naturally funny. Mark is very genuine no matter what, just a good dude that would give you the shirt off his back. If Mark has only two baits that he is catching them on you will get it.
Dustin
Jacob is a goof and always good for a laugh. That keeps us loose. Mark is 100 percent straight up, honest and a stand up dude.
Mark
Jacob is just silly and goofy. Dustin is a part-time comedian. That’s what I like about rooming with them. If I come back from a bad practice day they are going to make you laugh till you cry.
What was a defining moment of your brotherhood?
Jacob
It was the 2017 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship. Dustin won Rookie of the Year and Mark qualified for his first Classic. I ended up third in AOY points. It was a great way to end the year. It was very much a defining moment for us as roommates.
Dustin
We were all on top of the game last year. I won ROY, Mark and I qualified for our first Classic. We all made it happen. We all knew what happened that year was not easy to do, a very special time.
Mark
Jacob winning an Elite Series tournament and Dustin doing it in his rookie season last year was a big deal. This season I was fortunate to do that too. We all knew it was the toughest thing to do in bass fishing competition. From now on, when we start getting down on ourselves we can all reflect back on holding up the blue trophies.
What do you like about the other guys?
Jacob
Last year at Cherokee Lake I had mechanical issues and without hesitation Dustin let me jump in his boat during the competition. We both fished up front, side by side. It probably cost him some AOY points. I had only known him about six months. I knew then he was a true friend, the kind that doesn’t come around very often.
Dustin
How Mark packed up and moved his entire family from California to Alabama to chase his dream. That takes a lot of commitment. Mark also always watches out for you. If you are struggling he’ll do his best to help you out.
Mark
They are good people. I try and surround myself with positive people. You know, tournament fishing has highs and lows, not much in between, and it’s easy to second-guess your decisions. Having those guys around keeps me focused, grounded at all times.