Presented by Mercury
When B.A.S.S. Nation angler Taylor Smith exited the 2020 Bassmaster Classic stage in Birmingham after a disappointing two days on Lake Guntersville, he told the crowd he would be back for redemption.
The Washington state resident made good on that statement just two years later during the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk at Lake Hartwell by catching more than 17 pounds on the final day to finish eighth with a total of 47-13. It made him one of the highest finishing Nation anglers in Classic history.
“It is a dream come true to fish at the Classic, and you want to prove to yourself and others you can fish at that level,” Smith said. “That third day, after making the cut and climbing out of a hole, I didn’t feel as much pressure, and I felt like I could fish free.
“I started understanding what was happening. A lot of stuff changed throughout the week, and it took me a little bit to figure it out. I knew I was going to catch them, but I didn’t know how big they were going to be.”
After catching a limit very early on the final day with friends and family watching from a rented pontoon boat, Smith landed a nearly 7-pound largemouth that vaulted him up the leaderboard and ballooned his confidence for the rest of the day.
“I think I blacked out,” he said. “I watched him eat a fluke on top of the water 15 feet in front of the boat. It was an adrenaline rush, and I saw the fluke in his mouth, so I knew he wasn’t hooked real deep. I was nervous about him coming off.
“I had a high school angler as my observer that day, and he was freaking out as much as I was. It was a huge relief when I landed it and there was enough time in the day where I thought I could get another one.”
When he checked in at Green Pond Landing and Event Center at the end of the fishing day, Smith knew he wasn’t going to have a chance to claim the trophy. He did, however, feel he had proven he can compete on the sport’s biggest stage.
“It was a great drive to the arena knowing I was probably going to be in the Top 10,” he said. “It felt really cool. I didn’t want to let my family and friends down that I know have faith in me, and I didn’t want to let all the weekend anglers across the Nation who were rooting for me down.
“Bass fishing is unique because there are a lot of people who aren’t professionals but can compete at a professional level, and I wanted to represent those people well. I felt like I let them down at Guntersville.”
This Classic isn’t the first time Smith has had success on Lake Hartwell. He qualified for the 2020 Classic by finishing second at the 2019 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship there utilizing his forward-facing sonar. Although there are no blueback herring or shad in the lakes of the Northwest, Smith’s experience on deep, clear-water lakes in his home region made tackling Lake Hartwell less daunting.
Originally from Idaho, where he became close friends with Elite Series pro Brandon Palanuik, Smith qualified for his second Classic by winning the 2021 B.A.S.S. Nation Regional at Lake Havasu and then finishing second at the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on the Ouachita River.
Along with a successful fishing season, Smith married his longtime girlfriend, Michaela, in August. They bought a house and were making plans for their future together, but their world was turned upside down in December when Michaela was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer.
Chemotherapy began in late December, and unsure of how effective or quick the treatment would be, a trip to the Classic for both Smith and Michaela was put on hold.
“It completely rocked our world,” Smith said. “It has put it all in perspective. I am one of the most competitive people you will ever meet, and I always wear a shirt that says ‘Hard work rewarded.’ It reminds me that I’ve put a lot of hours in on the water because it is my passion, and I take pride in not getting outworked in any tournament and this set that back.
“There were people graphing for a lot of December, and it was hard for the competitive side of me not to go. But in the end, what mattered wasn’t bass fishing. Not that I didn’t know that before, but it reiterated it and the only thing I care about is her getting better. That is all I want.”
A couple weeks before anglers were set to arrive in South Carolina, Michaela’s doctors gave her the OK to attend the Classic with her husband and plans were set in motion. Smith said a wig arrived just in time for the trip, and they both attended Night of Champions, her favorite part of the Guntersville Classic.
The Day 1 weigh-in was emotional, as Smith rolled into Bon Secours Wellness Arena to the song he and Michaela walked out to during their wedding.
“I said on stage she is the strongest person in that arena, and I truly believe that,” Smith said. “She is tough as nails. She is so inspiring on how she has been fighting this thing. It makes you realize even more what the important things in life are, and it’s not fishing the Bassmaster Classic. As much of a dream as that is for me, her health is so much more important to me.
“You come back from having a good showing at the Classic, and I would give all that up just for her to get better. We are working toward that, and she is kicking butt.”
With a $21,000 check in hand, Smith made the long trek back to Washington and immediately went back to work as a Progressive Insurance agent. Along with Michaela being able to attend, he said several moments stick out.
“When I was in a tackle shop in Anderson, a little kid who was around 7 or 8 came in with his dad just to ask me if he could get my signature,” Smith said. “In that moment, it made me realize how cool it was to be on that stage and be able to impact people in some positive way.
“One of my marshalls posted on Facebook how inspired he was with my ability to face challenges head on. I realized through this that there are more people that I was impacting than I ever thought I would. I keep to myself, and I’m not big on social media, so I guess it created a stage where I could do that.”
Smith is unsure what the future holds for his fishing career. With his second-place finish at the Nation Championship, Smith earned paid entry to all nine 2022 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, but won’t be fishing in any of them given how far from Washington each event is.
He has a great career and right now he knows he needs to be home supporting Michaela as she continues to heal.
“I just want Michaela to get better,” Smith said. “Long term, it’s hard to leave a good, stable job. I am just trying to keep an open mind. There are a lot of unknowns, and she is my main focus.
“I will probably fish some local stuff. When you fish a Classic and do well, I can unequivocally tell you that it makes you hungry for more. I would love nothing more than to fish another Classic. It is a dream that will never not be a dream.”