7 questions with David Mullins

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In no particular order, we quizzed Bassmaster Elite Series angler David Mullins on a handful of points relevant to his life on the road. His responses demonstrate the dedication and balance requisite for this lifestyle.
In no particular order, we quizzed Bassmaster Elite Series angler David Mullins on a handful of points relevant to his life on the road. His responses demonstrate the dedication and balance requisite for this lifestyle.
<b>1. Describe your relationship with your younger roommates known as “the two Drews” (Benton and Cook). </b> <p> “You can tell when you first meet someone if you can hang out with them or not,” Mullins said. “Drew Benton and I met several years ago, even before he made the Elites. Once he made it, I was still sleeping in the back of my truck, so we started rooming together in the second half of the season. <p> “It worked out good because we both like to cut up and have similar interests in the outdoors beyond fishing. When Cook made the Elites (2019 rookie season), I was kinda wary about bringing someone else on, but Benton told me Cook was a good dude and everything’s been good.” <p> Of course, getting along requires certain understandings, and Mullins said his younger roommates don’t mind him tossing his clothes in with their laundry effort. Levity also helps and this crew’s never far from mischief. <p> “I give Cook about as hard a time as I can any time of the day because he’s so much younger,” Mullins grins. “We’re always playing pranks on one another, and it stays pretty light.” <p> Hiding trash — used fishing line, plastic bottles, food wrappers — in one another’s boats; that’s a regular occurrence. In fact, Mullins said a particular bag of disposables rotated among the three boats for about a month last year. <p> “Drew (Benton) didn’t make the cut at Lake Lanier last year, and I stuffed his cooler to the brim with trash,” Mullins said. “I had gone to bed and he was outside packing and the next day, I go to the launch and when I got the livewell check, my livewell was filled to the top with the same trash I had put in his cooler. <p> “I had to go put it away on the dock. He got me back; that was probably the best one yet.”
1. Describe your relationship with your younger roommates known as “the two Drews” (Benton and Cook).

“You can tell when you first meet someone if you can hang out with them or not,” Mullins said. “Drew Benton and I met several years ago, even before he made the Elites. Once he made it, I was still sleeping in the back of my truck, so we started rooming together in the second half of the season.

“It worked out good because we both like to cut up and have similar interests in the outdoors beyond fishing. When Cook made the Elites (2019 rookie season), I was kinda wary about bringing someone else on, but Benton told me Cook was a good dude and everything’s been good.”

Of course, getting along requires certain understandings, and Mullins said his younger roommates don’t mind him tossing his clothes in with their laundry effort. Levity also helps and this crew’s never far from mischief.

“I give Cook about as hard a time as I can any time of the day because he’s so much younger,” Mullins grins. “We’re always playing pranks on one another, and it stays pretty light.”

Hiding trash — used fishing line, plastic bottles, food wrappers — in one another’s boats; that’s a regular occurrence. In fact, Mullins said a particular bag of disposables rotated among the three boats for about a month last year.

“Drew (Benton) didn’t make the cut at Lake Lanier last year, and I stuffed his cooler to the brim with trash,” Mullins said. “I had gone to bed and he was outside packing and the next day, I go to the launch and when I got the livewell check, my livewell was filled to the top with the same trash I had put in his cooler.

“I had to go put it away on the dock. He got me back; that was probably the best one yet.”

<b>2. Do you prefer eating out or cooking/preparing your own meals? </b> <p> A health-conscious mindset keeps fast food off his diet, but Mullins admits that long days often make dining out more practical than cooking. However, when more remote event locations present minimal restaurant options within reasonable driving distance, he and the two Drews take turns in the kitchen. <p> “Probably my favorite meal that we’ve cooked so far was fresh dove that we had shot in Tennessee and took them out to Oklahoma (Lake Tenkiller) and ate them the next day,” Mullins said. <p> Beyond such treats, Mullins said he can always count on Benton’s superlative mac-and-cheese skills. Something about that warm comfort food after a long day on the water.
2. Do you prefer eating out or cooking/preparing your own meals?

A health-conscious mindset keeps fast food off his diet, but Mullins admits that long days often make dining out more practical than cooking. However, when more remote event locations present minimal restaurant options within reasonable driving distance, he and the two Drews take turns in the kitchen.

“Probably my favorite meal that we’ve cooked so far was fresh dove that we had shot in Tennessee and took them out to Oklahoma (Lake Tenkiller) and ate them the next day,” Mullins said.

Beyond such treats, Mullins said he can always count on Benton’s superlative mac-and-cheese skills. Something about that warm comfort food after a long day on the water.

<b>3. On the road, what creature comfort do you miss most from your home? </b> <p> While some may miss their swimming pool, BBQ deck or that big, cozy football-watching recliner, Mullins said this season will find him yearning to get back to the 24-acre farm on the Holston River he purchased last June. <p> “There’s something I love about digging in the dirt and planting stuff,” Mullins said. “Me and some buddies built a 4-acre duck pond and planted about 15 acres of corn. I enjoy going down there, building fences and playing in the dirt. <p> “It was fun to hunt this past season in my Frogg Toggs waders and have birds work something that you own.”
3. On the road, what creature comfort do you miss most from your home?

While some may miss their swimming pool, BBQ deck or that big, cozy football-watching recliner, Mullins said this season will find him yearning to get back to the 24-acre farm on the Holston River he purchased last June.

“There’s something I love about digging in the dirt and planting stuff,” Mullins said. “Me and some buddies built a 4-acre duck pond and planted about 15 acres of corn. I enjoy going down there, building fences and playing in the dirt.

“It was fun to hunt this past season in my Frogg Toggs waders and have birds work something that you own.”

<b>4. Tell us about FaceTiming your dog. </b> <p> “I have a duck dog — a 2-year-old Chocolate Labrador named Jake — and that’s one of the cool things about coming home,” Mullins said. “But while I’m away, I FaceTime with a friend who puts him on the phone and I get to talk to him for a little while. <p> “Soon as he hears my voice, he starts getting excited, and he’ll usually go grab a toy and bring it back to the phone. He definitely hears me, and it’s pretty neat. It makes me miss home even more.”
4. Tell us about FaceTiming your dog.

“I have a duck dog — a 2-year-old Chocolate Labrador named Jake — and that’s one of the cool things about coming home,” Mullins said. “But while I’m away, I FaceTime with a friend who puts him on the phone and I get to talk to him for a little while.

“Soon as he hears my voice, he starts getting excited, and he’ll usually go grab a toy and bring it back to the phone. He definitely hears me, and it’s pretty neat. It makes me miss home even more.”

<b>5. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced on the road and how did you get through it? </b> <p> Recalling his first few Elite seasons, when funds were tight, Mullins said using his truck for lodging required creativity. <p> “Sometimes I’d find a campground that had a shower, or some of my buddies would be renting a house and I’d go over there and wash up over there,” he said. “I always carried bottled water and a toothbrush so I had that covered. <p> “Some people say they slept in their truck, but I actually did it for three years. It makes you appreciate where you came from when you come from doing it that hard.
5. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced on the road and how did you get through it?

Recalling his first few Elite seasons, when funds were tight, Mullins said using his truck for lodging required creativity.

“Sometimes I’d find a campground that had a shower, or some of my buddies would be renting a house and I’d go over there and wash up over there,” he said. “I always carried bottled water and a toothbrush so I had that covered.

“Some people say they slept in their truck, but I actually did it for three years. It makes you appreciate where you came from when you come from doing it that hard.”

<b>6. During long drives, what are you listening to and why is that your choice? </b> <p> “I have a broad taste in music, so I can listen to rock, I can listen to country, some bluegrass; I don’t really narrow it down to one thing,” Mullins said. “In the house, Cook tries to listen to some hardcore stuff, and I make him turn it off because I can’t handle listening to it. <p> “A lot of times when I’m driving, I just sit there in silence. I don’t know if I get dazed off, thinking about stuff but before I know I’ve driven two hours without any music on.
6. During long drives, what are you listening to and why is that your choice?

“I have a broad taste in music, so I can listen to rock, I can listen to country, some bluegrass; I don’t really narrow it down to one thing,” Mullins said. “In the house, Cook tries to listen to some hardcore stuff, and I make him turn it off because I can’t handle listening to it.

“A lot of times when I’m driving, I just sit there in silence. I don’t know if I get dazed off, thinking about stuff but before I know I’ve driven two hours without any music on.”

<b>7. After an Elite event, do you ever stick around and fun fish?</b> <p> Mullins usually likes to get home ASAP after an event, but he recalls a local opportunity too good to miss. <p> “When we fished the Delaware River in 2014, we had some time off before going to the next event on the St. Lawrence River,” Mullins said. “Instead of driving home, I got to go yellowfin tuna fishing off Atlantic City, N.J., and that was one of the funnest trips I’ve ever had. That’s one of the few times I actually did something between tournaments other than go home. <p> “One of my sponsors, TackleDirect is up in that area, and they hooked me up and we all went out and had a really good time. The biggest one I caught was about 80-90 pounds. We took it to the St. Lawrence River and made tuna tataki the next week.”
7. After an Elite event, do you ever stick around and fun fish?

Mullins usually likes to get home ASAP after an event, but he recalls a local opportunity too good to miss.

“When we fished the Delaware River in 2014, we had some time off before going to the next event on the St. Lawrence River,” Mullins said. “Instead of driving home, I got to go yellowfin tuna fishing off Atlantic City, N.J., and that was one of the funnest trips I’ve ever had. That’s one of the few times I actually did something between tournaments other than go home.

“One of my sponsors, TackleDirect is up in that area, and they hooked me up and we all went out and had a really good time. The biggest one I caught was about 80-90 pounds. We took it to the St. Lawrence River and made tuna tataki the next week.”