Seth Feider’s rookie season in 2015 included a trip to Lake St. Clair, a place loaded with fat brown bass that seemingly would be right in his wheelhouse. It’s a place where he should have excelled, but considering the immense level of pressure that Bassmaster Elite Series rookies face, it’s not too surprising that he finished just outside of the money in 52nd.
Fast-forward to 2016 when he had to make it or lose his shot at competing with the top bass anglers in the world — a career as a pro bass angler.
On the Elite Series pros must finish somewhere above 70th place in Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points to guarantee requalification for the following year, as room must be made for incoming freshmen. During the renowned annual northern swing of the Elite Series, the young Minnesota pro faced his last shot at maintaining his ride.
And he did it in pure fashion. Especially considering his flowing Luke Skywalker-like golden locks of hair.
Feider ended up qualifying for the AOY Championship on Minnesota’s Mille Lacs — his home lake — a lake also named No. 1 in the 2017 Bassmaster’s Magazine’s Top 100 Bass Lakes.
He out-fished every angler there.
While an impressive finish for sure, he earned enough points to just barely miss the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods at Lake Conroe, just outside of Houston, Texas, in March.
However, he beat everyone at Mille Lacs, a feat he can hang his Elite Series hat on after a solid second-place finish on the Mississippi River out of La Crosse, Wis., the week prior.
He knows smallmouth bass, better than most anglers in North America.
This year, he’s been very consistent, even on southern bass fisheries vastly different than where he cut his teeth up north.
He’s comfortably inside the 2018 Classic cut, beginning the Advance Auto Parts Bassmaster Elite at Lake St. Clair in 21st place.
He’s looking at his first career Classic appearance, and another shot at finishing his season on Mille Lacs, September 14-17. We’d almost bet the boat he’ll once again give the Top 50 anglers in the world a run for their money.
What’s been the key to his 2017 success?
Han Solo.
“I’m not sure exactly when I acquired the action figure, but he’s unique,” Feider said. “I guess at some point during my younger years I sent in coupon from the back of a cereal box that resulted in Han Solo in a Storm Trooper suit. Remember during A New Hope when he saved Leia and Luke in the trash compactor? He was wearing a Storm Trooper suit, and I’ve got that action figure from a cereal box.”
And that 4-inch action figure rides shotgun in Feider’s Bass Cat since a couple months ago, after he moved to the shores of Mille Lacs.
“I’ve had some great finishes with him in my boat, and I can’t take him out,” he said. I’ve speared waves, hit big waves where he should have bounced out, but he’s still here. And, I’m not about to kick him out. Solo has earned his spot.”
Superstitious? Ya, probably, but what fisherman isn’t? Whatever works, keep it in play!
At the end of our discussion, I watched Feider turn to the Storm Trooper Han Solo action figure, he looked him right in his small, plastic eyes and said, “I love you.”
I heard Solo reply: “I know.”