20 Questions with Justin Lucas

Justin Lucas is still just a rookie in the Bassmaster Elite Series, but he's already poised to qualify for his first Bassmaster Classic and he's just weathered our 20 Questions. Keep clicking to see how he did.

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Justin Lucas is still just a rookie in the Bassmaster Elite Series, but he's already poised to qualify for his first Bassmaster Classic and he's just weathered our 20 Questions. Keep clicking to see how he did.
Justin Lucas is still just a rookie in the Bassmaster Elite Series, but he’s already poised to qualify for his first Bassmaster Classic and he’s just weathered our 20 Questions. Keep clicking to see how he did.
1. Where were you born and raised? I was born in Sacramento, California, and raised in Clarksburg — on the north end of the California Delta.
1. Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Sacramento, California, and raised in Clarksburg — on the north end of the California Delta.
2. How did you get started in bass fishing? My uncle took me bass fishing when I was 11 years old, and I fell in love with it. My parents owned a marine contracting business, and after school each day I'd go to their workplace and fish. They let me wait and do my homework at the end of the day when I got home. I started fishing tournaments with my grandfather (Jack Schmidt) when I was 13.
2. How did you get started in bass fishing?
My uncle took me bass fishing when I was 11 years old, and I fell in love with it. My parents owned a marine contracting business, and after school each day I’d go to their workplace and fish. They let me wait and do my homework at the end of the day when I got home. I started fishing tournaments with my grandfather (Jack Schmidt) when I was 13.
3. How old were you when you caught your first fish and what was it? I was 10 years old, and I caught a couple of really tiny catfish. I thought it was the coolest thing ever! I emptied out a Doritos bag, filled it with water and put them in it — my first livewell!
3. How old were you when you caught your first fish and what was it?
I was 10 years old, and I caught a couple of really tiny catfish. I thought it was the coolest thing ever! I emptied out a Doritos bag, filled it with water and put them in it — my first livewell!
4. How old were you when you caught your first bass? I must have been 11 or 12 and fishing with my uncle on Lake Oroville. My first bass was a tiny spotted bass.
4. How old were you when you caught your first bass?
I must have been 11 or 12 and fishing with my uncle on Lake Oroville. My first bass was a tiny spotted bass.
5. Who were some of your earliest fishing heroes? It would have to be Skeet Reese and Aaron Martens because they were both from California and making a living with their fishing. They gave me hope when I was 14 and decided I wanted to be a bass pro.
5. Who were some of your earliest fishing heroes?
It would have to be Skeet Reese and Aaron Martens because they were both from California and making a living with their fishing. They gave me hope when I was 14 and decided I wanted to be a bass pro.
<p>6. What's the biggest bass you've ever caught? Thirteen pounds, nine ounces. I caught it in an FLW Western Series tournament on the California Delta in 2008. I was fishing a drop shot, and it was the last cast of the day. I was fishing as a co-angler with Jeff Billings, and he had already lifted the trolling motor out of the water. I asked him if I could make one more cast, and he said "Better make it fast." The big fish hit and it was on! Eventually, I got her near the boat and he was able to net her. I culled a 12-inch bass with that 13-pounder and we took off — made it to check-in with less than a minute to spare!</p>
6. What’s the biggest bass you’ve ever caught? Thirteen pounds, nine ounces. I caught it in an FLW Western Series tournament on the California Delta in 2008. I was fishing a drop shot, and it was the last cast of the day. I was fishing as a co-angler with Jeff Billings, and he had already lifted the trolling motor out of the water. I asked him if I could make one more cast, and he said “Better make it fast.” The big fish hit and it was on! Eventually, I got her near the boat and he was able to net her. I culled a 12-inch bass with that 13-pounder and we took off — made it to check-in with less than a minute to spare!
7. What do you love most about bass fishing? I love the challenge of new water — of going to a lake I've never seen before and figuring out where and how to catch a big bag of fish.
7. What do you love most about bass fishing?
I love the challenge of new water — of going to a lake I’ve never seen before and figuring out where and how to catch a big bag of fish.
8. Who has been the biggest influence in your fishing or fishing career? My grandfather — Jack Smith. When I got into bass fishing, my grandfather had never owned a bass boat, but he bought a 16-foot Ranger and took me to tournaments for four or five years. We learned bass fishing together, and in all those years he never drove the boat or ran the trolling motor. He let me do it so I could learn. Later on, when I started fishing some bigger tournaments as a co-angler, my friend Dave Nollar let me practice with him for two or three years, and I really learned a lot.
8. Who has been the biggest influence in your fishing or fishing career?
My grandfather — Jack Smith. When I got into bass fishing, my grandfather had never owned a bass boat, but he bought a 16-foot Ranger and took me to tournaments for four or five years. We learned bass fishing together, and in all those years he never drove the boat or ran the trolling motor. He let me do it so I could learn. Later on, when I started fishing some bigger tournaments as a co-angler, my friend Dave Nollar let me practice with him for two or three years, and I really learned a lot.
9. What is the best advice you ever received in your career? It would probably be something I heard Mike Iaconelli say: Listen to the fish and keep an open mind. It took me a couple of years as a pro to really let that sink in and put it to use.
9. What is the best advice you ever received in your career?
It would probably be something I heard Mike Iaconelli say: Listen to the fish and keep an open mind. It took me a couple of years as a pro to really let that sink in and put it to use.
10. What is the biggest lesson you've learned in your career? Most of the time, fish in a productive area are not going to replenish fast enough to help you in a tournament. You're going to have to go after new fish in a new area each day, if you want to finish on top. You just can't beat up the same spots day after day during the course of a tournament and expect to do well.
10. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career?
Most of the time, fish in a productive area are not going to replenish fast enough to help you in a tournament. You’re going to have to go after new fish in a new area each day, if you want to finish on top. You just can’t beat up the same spots day after day during the course of a tournament and expect to do well.
11. What is your greatest strength as a professional angler? Being able to pick up a spinning rod when I need to and use it with confidence. It may not be my favorite thing to do, but I know I can do it.
11. What is your greatest strength as a professional angler?
Being able to pick up a spinning rod when I need to and use it with confidence. It may not be my favorite thing to do, but I know I can do it.
12. What is your greatest weakness as a professional angler? Deep cranking — anything more than about 12 feet. I can do it ... and I've caught fish doing it, but I struggle with it sometimes.
12. What is your greatest weakness as a professional angler?
Deep cranking — anything more than about 12 feet. I can do it … and I’ve caught fish doing it, but I struggle with it sometimes.
13. What question do you get asked most by your fans, and how do you answer it?
13. What question do you get asked most by your fans, and how do you answer it?
“How do you become a pro?” If a young angler asks me that question, I tell them to get started through a high school or college bass fishing program. Those are great platforms to prepare you for the Bassmaster Opens. It’s a step-by-step process.
14. What is the biggest mistake you see from casual or weekend anglers? It would be easy to say that they fish the same areas with the same techniques and don't pay attention to the conditions, but I think another mistake is not keeping up with what's happening in other parts of the bass fishing world — new techniques and methods — and applying them to your fishing situations.
14. What is the biggest mistake you see from casual or weekend anglers?
It would be easy to say that they fish the same areas with the same techniques and don’t pay attention to the conditions, but I think another mistake is not keeping up with what’s happening in other parts of the bass fishing world — new techniques and methods — and applying them to your fishing situations.
15. Do you have any fishing superstitions? Zero. I eat a banana in my boat every day of practice and most days of competition. I have bigger things to worry about than lucky underwear or stuff like that.
15. Do you have any fishing superstitions?
Zero. I eat a banana in my boat every day of practice and most days of competition. I have bigger things to worry about than lucky underwear or stuff like that.
16. If you could only fish one lure for the rest of your life, what would it be? It would have to be a drop shot. I've caught fish in every state I've been to on a drop shot. If the world was coming to an end, I'd grab my drop shot rod and run!
16. If you could only fish one lure for the rest of your life, what would it be?
It would have to be a drop shot. I’ve caught fish in every state I’ve been to on a drop shot. If the world was coming to an end, I’d grab my drop shot rod and run!
17. If you could only have one, would it be an AOY title or Classic championship? For me, it would probably be the Classic. I feel like I've been pretty consistent with my tournament performance so far in my career, but I've had a hard time winning tournaments. I need to learn how to win, and winning the Classic would be a great way to do that.
17. If you could only have one, would it be an AOY title or Classic championship?
For me, it would probably be the Classic. I feel like I’ve been pretty consistent with my tournament performance so far in my career, but I’ve had a hard time winning tournaments. I need to learn how to win, and winning the Classic would be a great way to do that.
18. What is your pet peeve? A dirty boat. I hate it when we don't have a courtesy dock at tournaments and my co-angler gets into my boat with muddy shoes. I just feel a lot better about my fishing when my boat is clean. I don't want to look at dirty carpet all day ... especially if I'm not catching fish.
18. What is your pet peeve?
A dirty boat. I hate it when we don’t have a courtesy dock at tournaments and my co-angler gets into my boat with muddy shoes. I just feel a lot better about my fishing when my boat is clean. I don’t want to look at dirty carpet all day … especially if I’m not catching fish.
19. Tell us something about yourself that would surprise your fans? When I was a kid, I loved playing baseball and basketball, but I quit baseball at 13 and basketball at 14 because I wanted to focus on fishing all the time.
19. Tell us something about yourself that would surprise your fans?
When I was a kid, I loved playing baseball and basketball, but I quit baseball at 13 and basketball at 14 because I wanted to focus on fishing all the time.
20. What profession (other than your own) would you like to have tried? I'd either want to travel the world as a professional photographer or go back to school and study weather. I wouldn't want to be a meteorologist, but maybe a storm chaser. I'm fascinated by extreme weather.
20. What profession (other than your own) would you like to have tried?
I’d either want to travel the world as a professional photographer or go back to school and study weather. I wouldn’t want to be a meteorologist, but maybe a storm chaser. I’m fascinated by extreme weather.