Meet the Fans of B.A.S.S.

This season we teamed up with Mountain Dew to profile Fans of B.A.S.S., specifically those who attended our Elite Series weigh-ins. In the following photos and captions youâll meet people who came to the weigh-ins at Ross Barnett Reservoir in Miss., Lake Dardanelle in Ark., and Lake St. Clair in Mich.

âIâm in sales, sales, pressure to make sales goals, long hours, big ticket dollars, thatâs what I live on, thatâs what my family lives on. Fishing, when I have the chance gets me away, no matter how short, but it gets me away from all that, gives me chance to be myself, be Jacob not some salesman guy, not some guy working it. Fishing gives me a chance to slow down. There is flat out nothing better than that, flatâ¦outâ¦great.âJacob Barrett, Mendenhall, Miss., tile & flooring sales

âAs soon as Iâm done with my military career, fishing is the path Iâm going to take. Iâve started preparing for it. Fishing is big in our family. We love it. We love competitive fishing. With my dad and grandfather, thatâs all we did when I was growing up â every Saturday and Sunday morning. Those were our times. It was kind of our church. We fished all over â O.H. Ivie, Alan Henry, Lake Fork. We always love to come to these weigh-ins. We do it whenever we can. We just love the sport. This spring my 11-year-old son, Eric, caught a 10-pound, 12-ounce bass at Ross Barnett. It was about 8:30 one morning. We pulled into what they call Alligator Alley. Thereâs about a 10-foot drop and matted grass. Eric threw his black-and-blue jig down there and set his pole down to get a drink of water. He popped the jig once and the bass almost ripped the rod out of his hands. It took him a good five or 10 minutes to get it in. Iâve had him out since he was four or five, throwing his own rod and everything. Iâve never caught a double-digit bass.â Brad Frost, U.S. Army Sergeant First Class from Amarillo, Texas, with daughter, Kinley

âI build cell towers for a living, but for a life I would love to fish. Fishing is exciting to me, but the greatest part of fishing is doing it with my son, my 7 year old boy, having him on my boat opens a whole new world of fishing to me, I see it through his eyes, see the excitement, see the wonder, see the joy it brings to him, just brings it to me as well. The other day we were in a tackle store and [Elite angler] Edwin Evers came in and my son was just so excited, he was just so joyful. It made such an impact on Edwin that he asked my son to sign his hat. NOT that Edwin would sign my sons hat BUT that my son would sign Edwinâs hat. Edwin said that with my son being so excited and so much in love with fishing that him signing the hat would bring him good luck. How cool is that.â Chris Martens, Clinton, Miss., construction manager

âI work hard, fish when I can, I have three children, two boys and a little girl. I try to spend as much time as I can with them, I try to not tell them how they should lead their lives but rather show them. I believe you can be a blessing for someone else in life and when you do that it becomes a blessing for you as well. I have a group of friends who give of their time for what we call, Fishing With Legends, not legends like you would think but with veterans, those who serve this country are the true legends, so me and my buddies get together and take these legends, these soldiers, especially those suffering from PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, we take them out on the water, and we try to bring them peace. Itâs tough to talk about it especially when you have personally seen what being on the water does for them. It just helps them, it helps them.â Chad Bradley, Mendenhall, Miss., construction worker

âI want to be an orthopedic surgeon and got accepted into medical school at the University of Buffalo [N.Y.]. Iâm involved in a lot of activities at school, vice president of my fraternity, will be the president next year. So Iâm really busy. Finding balance is hard. I want to give my all to everything I do, but I also try to have boundaries. We had finals this morning and my mind was loaded. So we just wanted to come over here, check this out, spend some time in nature and unwind. What better way to do that than being outside? Being around water is relaxing. With Shantasia, she studies all the time. You have to nag her to get her to do something fun.â Aswad Jackson (left), Raymond, Miss., junior in biology at Tougaloo College

âI want to be a pediatric oncologist, thatâs a doctor who works with children who have cancer. I got interested in this field when I was younger and met a child in my church who had leukemia. I have an internship at the University of Alabama Birmingham doing research. Iâm also the junior class representative for the student government association, and Iâm an ambassador for the college. So I have a lot on my plate. What I admire about Aswad is his dedication. He inspires me to do as good as heâs doing.â Shantasia Thomas (right), Hazelhurst, Miss., junior in biology at Tougaloo College

âAm I a fan of B.A.S.S.? Iâve been to two Classics, Birmingham and Tulsa, been to Elite events in Shreveport, New Orleans, Decatur, Alabama twice, the All-Star event in Montgomery, went to that as well, now here at Ross Barnett. Iâm a Life Member of B.A.S.S., I have a 12-year-old son and he too will be a Life member of B.A.S.S. In fact when we go to the events where the Life Members can go behind the stage I give him my life member badge and my cell phone and he goes back there and meets all the anglers and takes a whole bunch of photos. Then when we get back home we sit on the couch and go through the photos one at a time and at each one he stops and tells me what the angler was like, what the angler said to him. Man I have to tell you, I cherish that time, thatâs quality family time right there. Am I a fan of B.A.S.S.? You bet I am because the moments B.A.S.S. gives me with me son, thatâs what itâs all about, and if you will, please thank B.A.S.S. for that from me, please.â Lidel Field, Petal, Miss., pest control

âIâm 25, you know I have a great job, cool job as a lineman but you know what, Iâm still young. The main reason Iâm a fan of B.A.S.S., the main reason Iâm here at this lake is that I follow the young Elite anglers, guys my age and they always talk about following your dreams, that they had a dream of being an Elite angler and that they followed their dreams and they made it. Well you know what, I have dreams too, Iâm happy to be a lineman but I have dreams too and when I listen to these guys I hear what they say about following dreams but you know whatâs different? They do it from up on stage, they do it standing on their dream. And that tells me that it ainât B.S., that these young guys had dreams, worked their tail off to reach them and did reach them. I sit here and listen and when I do I tell myself this, dreams do come true, and someday my dreams will come true for me as well.â Matthew Emerson, Sumrall, Miss., lineman

âI moved to Arkansas about two years ago, and I love to bass fish. We fish Beaver Lake a lot, and itâs tough. When I was 3 years old, we went camping, and I was introduced to a fishing pole and a night crawler. We threw it out there, and I caught a small bluegill. The thrill of having something on the end of that line and bringing it in, I was hooked immediately. It was my first camping trip too. My dad and my uncle took me out there. You donât remember a lot of stuff, but I do remember catching my first fish. Coming from Cincinnati thereâs not too many tournaments, so coming down here I have the opportunity to see the guys I watch on TV all the time. Iâve always wanted to figure out what the pros do differently that can put them on fish. More importantly, itâs the idea of getting together with a whole bunch of other guys that share the same passion I do.â Chris Beatty, Fayetteville, Ark., sales manager

âIâve been a bass fisherman my whole lifeâ¦fishing from California all the way to Arkansas. Iâm here for college, and when I heard Bassmaster was coming I knew I had to come. I just love the patience and all the reward that comes with bass fishing. I have early memories with my dad out on San Diego Bay saltwater fishing, and every day after school me and my best friend would go out to the lake and bass fish. It has a special place in my heart. Iâm engaged, Iâm in grad school and I have a job, so I have a lot of responsibilities, but I try to get on the water as much as I can. Iâm studying strength and conditioningâ¦Iâm getting my Masterâs Degree in that field. Here, I get to see some of my favorite anglers like Iaconelli and VanDam and see the whole Bassmaster production. Itâs really cool.â Brian Commerford, Russellville, Ark., graduate student

âThis Bassmaster event is right down the road from us, and I like watching all the boats. I really enjoy sitting on the lake and watching people bring fish in. I havenât been fishing in several years, but I like dirt biking, motorcycling, camping, RVing, hiking, all kinds of stuff. Iâve played outside my entire life, especially being from West Virginia. Right now, Iâm retired U.S. Navy, but I was into the outdoors way before that. Being on the carriers and watching the dolphinsâ¦all the sea life would swim by the ship. My favorite outdoor activity is definitely boating, mainly just lakes. But I did deep sea fish in Japan once, and that was a lot of fun.â Harley Haymond, Russellville, Ark., retired from the U.S. Navy

âWhatâs not to love about bass fishing? Itâs awesome. I actually live right across the lake. I try to keep up with the Bassmaster Elite Series, the whole deal. I love tournament fishing and all the pros. I follow tournaments online and on TV, and I record just about anything that comes on. Youâll watch these fishing shows and the pros will give you a lot of tips, and I try to pick up as much as I can. I try to get better myself. I also follow fishing on Instagram, Facebook and all that. Itâs just a good time. I go fishing just about every day. I get off work about 2:00 or 3:00, and especially during the summer when it doesnât get dark until 9 p.m., Iâll fish every day. I just bought a jet ski so Iâll be doing that too. Really, I like anything that involves water â being in a boat, kayak, jet ski, duck hunting, anything outdoors really.â Blake Swain, Russellville, Ark., works at a food processing plant

âBass fishing has been a big passion of mine, and Iâve always loved it. My dad showed me the way. My dad used to live in California, and heâd ride his bike 10 miles just to fish for a couple hours and then go home. When I was born, the first thing I learned was fishing. We went all the time. I just love coming and seeing the pros do what they do and someday I want to be like them. The adrenaline, setting the hook on a 5-pounder, getting all excited, shakingâ¦nothing beats it. I fish Thursday night tournaments every week out of Shoal Bay, and once a month we have a tournament here. We usually have them on Lake Dardanelle, but tomorrow weâre going down to Blue Mountain to fish. Iâm pretty excited; Iâm going to Alabama to fish a national championship event this year. Arkansas Tech University has talked to me about fishing for their college team and doing a lot of the college circuits.â Juan Barrientos, Russellville, Ark., student

âWe wanted to take a little road trip after college was done. And I really wanted to stop by and see the Elite pros weigh in. Iâve been to all the Bassmaster tournaments in Oklahoma â the two Classics, 2013 and 2016. I used to live near Jason Christieâs home in Park Hill, so I like him. And I like Edwin Evers too, of course, because I live in Claremore now. I study business at Rogers State there, and sheâs pursuing a nursing degree at Oklahoma State.” Cale Backward (left), Salina, Okla., college student

âIâm excited to be at my first bass fishing tournament. And Iâm pulling for whoever heâs for. Fishing is pretty cool, my dad used to fish a lot. Cale hasnât taken me yet,â she said with a smile. Jamie Surine (right), Broken Arrow, Okla., college student

âI started watching bass fishing at a very young age. I remember watching it way back when Kevin VanDam first came in. Then I went to a bass tournament, and I was pretty much addicted. Iâve been following the Elites before they were even Bassmaster Elite Series anglers, and I keep up with every bit of it. I enjoy the competitiveness of it. Iâm just an outdoors guy, I like to hunt and fishâ¦ that whole aspect of it. I think fishing is good for people, especially if they work all the timeâ¦ itâs relaxing. I was in the U.S. Marines for eight years and now Iâm a full-time firefighter. I fished all the way up until I went in the Marines, and then when I got out of the Marines I came home and started fishing again. Working with the fire department, we work 24 hours on and 48 hours off, so we have time to fish. From those two jobs, fishing is a good way to get away from that stress. Just go fishing. For the pros, itâs a whole different deal, theyâre doing it to earn a paycheck. When we go fishing, itâs just for fun. I fish all of our local and state-level tournaments here.â Daniel Standridge, Little Rock, Ark., firefighter

âI set up business meetings here so I could come and see some of the Elite guys and their boats. I paid the 10-bucks to get in the park, and itâs so cool. Itâs my dream to be an Elite. I fish the B.A.S.S. Nation, done okay. Practice when I can to get better. Iâm just giddy. Canât believe Iâm standing here. I just stand here and wait. Itâs a beautiful area. Every once in a while an Elite boat goes by, and I just wish it was me in that boat. Someday it will be.â Ray Turner, Indianapolis, Indiana, director of retail at a tire center

“Iâm the ‘mom’ of a mom and popâs auto repair service station. Not many of us around anymore. I do the books and the worrying. My husband also race motorcycles. I worry about that, too. We work hard to keep the business going, keep the kids happy and healthy, but one thing weâve got is that we live on a lake. We as a family fish, fish every day, swim in the lake every day. Weâre just a regular all-American family like millions of others who are just trying to get by, teach the kids to do the right thing, and yep, catch a bunch of fish. Itâs our saving grace, our family time.” Patti Kory, auto repair service station, White Lake, Mich.

Brandon (left): “I work in a private club, dinners. My specialty is scallop scampi risotto, been doing it for 10 years now. The coolest thing I got to do is cook dinner for Willie Nelson once and Reba McIntyre once. I mainly do steaks, but love to experiment. The job is cool. Itâs different every day.”

Tyler (right): “Iâm getting married in September, pretty pumped about that. Iâm the breakfast guy, cook about 1,200 plates a week. Once made eggs Benedict for Tim Allen, he was nice. Eggs Benedict though, man, sometimes they arenât nice to you. Tough to make. Me I just slam down some breakfast sandwich, something easy.” Two brothers, two chefs: Brandon Quackenbush, Tyler Quackenbush, Kalamazoo, Mich.

“I have my Masters in Fire Protection Engineering. Itâs a very specialized field, 100 percent job placement. I specialize in Special Suppression and work in the design of buildings with a million or more square feet. I write a lot, write a bunch of technical stuff but you know what, I want to write more emotional stuff, more stuff with passion. I think the world needs more passion. Itâs hard to step back and let your emotions flow in print, but thatâs my dream, to make a difference and be passionate about it.” Matt Connolly, from: âA town youâve never heard of in Maine, now living in a town youâve never heard of in Georgia.â

“This is the first Elite Series tournament Iâve been to. Really excited to see what itâs all about. I was at home for the weekend, and itâs not every day they come to your backyard. Iâve followed the Elites for five or six years now. I really like Iaconelli because of his passion. Itâs kind of odd how I got into fishing. My parents arenât huge outdoors people. But weâd go up north to visit friendâs cottages, and thatâs how I started fishing. Then I started begging them to go out, and once I got my driverâs license, I could fish on my own. I like it because itâs calming, itâs challenging. Every day is a new day, so what worked today probably wonât work tomorrow. So you go out and try to put the puzzle together.” Andrew Novetsky, Troy, Mich., junior business major and baseball player at Kalamazoo College

“I teach second grade, and I wouldnât change grades for anything. You know what I love the most about it? LOVE the most, itâs what I call the ‘light-bulb moment.’ Itâs the moment when I see the child suddenly get it, suddenly understand. I can see, actually see, them working it through. See them grow in front of me as they problem solve. I donât care what job you have, there is nothing like it when the light bulb goes on in a childâs mind and you know, you know in your heart that you turned the switch on. Tell you one other quick thing, when the child gets it, you know what happens 100 percent of the time? They smile, and 100 percent of the time, I smile too.” Linda Elliot, teacher, Chesterfield, Mich.