In Texas with Todd Faircloth

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Todd Faircloth is a quiet, steady Texan who has made way more right decisions than wrong in his Bassmaster career. <p><em>Captions: Mike Suchan</em>
Todd Faircloth is a quiet, steady Texan who has made way more right decisions than wrong in his Bassmaster career.

Captions: Mike Suchan

Faircloth, sitting in his tackle room, suffered the worst stretch of career last season, missing five consecutive cuts.
Faircloth, sitting in his tackle room, suffered the worst stretch of career last season, missing five consecutive cuts.
He sat down and discussed how at that point he thought there was no chance he could qualify for his 14th Classic. He headed to Chesapeake Bay just hoping to earn a check and finish the season on a positive note.
He sat down and discussed how at that point he thought there was no chance he could qualify for his 14th Classic. He headed to Chesapeake Bay just hoping to earn a check and finish the season on a positive note.
After a Top 20 finish at Chesapeake Bay, Faircloth climbed to 63rd in the AOY points standings. In the regular season finale at Lake St. Clair, his weights improved each day.
After a Top 20 finish at Chesapeake Bay, Faircloth climbed to 63rd in the AOY points standings. In the regular season finale at Lake St. Clair, his weights improved each day.
Looking confident as he headed to the weigh-in stage on Day 4, he went on to win his fifth Elite title by 6 pounds.
Looking confident as he headed to the weigh-in stage on Day 4, he went on to win his fifth Elite title by 6 pounds.
The victory put him in the AOY Championship, where he qualified for the Classic. The $100,000 first prize at St. Clair made Faircloth the 12th angler in B.A.S.S. history to top $2 million in career earnings.
The victory put him in the AOY Championship, where he qualified for the Classic. The $100,000 first prize at St. Clair made Faircloth the 12th angler in B.A.S.S. history to top $2 million in career earnings.
Faircloth has come close to winning both the Bassmaster Classic and the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year. He began the 2010 Classic on Lay Lake in second place behind Kevin VanDam.
Faircloth has come close to winning both the Bassmaster Classic and the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year. He began the 2010 Classic on Lay Lake in second place behind Kevin VanDam.
He was 3 ounces off leader Jeff Kriet going into the final day, but KVD outdid both to capture the title.
He was 3 ounces off leader Jeff Kriet going into the final day, but KVD outdid both to capture the title.
Angie Faircloth cheers on her husband during his 2013 victory on the Sabine River.
Angie Faircloth cheers on her husband during his 2013 victory on the Sabine River.
Faircloth embraces his daughter in the celebration. He is known to get choked up.
Faircloth embraces his daughter in the celebration. He is known to get choked up.
The entire family joins Todd on stage. That’s Helen Claire, Hudson and Harrison.
The entire family joins Todd on stage. That’s Helen Claire, Hudson and Harrison.
That crew was a year younger when Faircloth won the Elite on the Mississippi River out of LaCrosse, Wis.
That crew was a year younger when Faircloth won the Elite on the Mississippi River out of LaCrosse, Wis.
An event that still stings occurred in 2008, when he led the AOY points race but faltered in the final event, which allowed VanDam to take the title from his grasp.
An event that still stings occurred in 2008, when he led the AOY points race but faltered in the final event, which allowed VanDam to take the title from his grasp.
The season had been going great for Faircloth, who didn’t miss a cut and had a victory on Lake Amistad.
The season had been going great for Faircloth, who didn’t miss a cut and had a victory on Lake Amistad.
Faircloth’s family was somewhat smaller, but growing, when he won his first Elite event in 2006 at Table Rock Lake.
Faircloth’s family was somewhat smaller, but growing, when he won his first Elite event in 2006 at Table Rock Lake.
The Faircloths live in Jasper, Texas, close to famed bass lakes Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend.
The Faircloths live in Jasper, Texas, close to famed bass lakes Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend.
They have a beautiful home, which is next door to the house that Todd grew up in.
They have a beautiful home, which is next door to the house that Todd grew up in.
Todd's
Todd’s “man cave” area is stuffed with everything the longtime pro uses during the Bassmaster Elite Series.
There are a lot of plastics in those plastic boxes.
There are a lot of plastics in those plastic boxes.
Each is labeled with the exact contents, even broken down and sorted to similarity.
Each is labeled with the exact contents, even broken down and sorted to similarity.
A pegboard holds bags and bags of soft plastics, in all sizes and colors.
A pegboard holds bags and bags of soft plastics, in all sizes and colors.
Strike King has been one of Faircloth’s sponsors. Say, who is that guy on all the packages?
Strike King has been one of Faircloth’s sponsors. Say, who is that guy on all the packages?
Across the room is another pegboard with all sorts of tackle, from spinnerbaits, to crankbaits, line and terminal tackle.
Across the room is another pegboard with all sorts of tackle, from spinnerbaits, to crankbaits, line and terminal tackle.
The variety of lines and test weight are stacked.
The variety of lines and test weight are stacked.
But next to an assortment of crankbaits is his line-changing station, with a variety positioned on rods for ease of spooling on his reels.
But next to an assortment of crankbaits is his line-changing station, with a variety positioned on rods for ease of spooling on his reels.
This stack of rods needs new line, and Faircloth said he needed to take a day to accomplish that.
This stack of rods needs new line, and Faircloth said he needed to take a day to accomplish that.
Here’s the desk where he does any fiddling with lures.
Here’s the desk where he does any fiddling with lures.
He has tools at the ready to work on almost anything, including his preferred modifications.
He has tools at the ready to work on almost anything, including his preferred modifications.
Here’s an insider trick: He uses toothpaste to get his spinning blades super shiny.
Here’s an insider trick: He uses toothpaste to get his spinning blades super shiny.
Faircloth says the boxes on the bottom are what he will take with him on the road.
Faircloth says the boxes on the bottom are what he will take with him on the road.
Oh, and these stacks as well.
Oh, and these stacks as well.