Marcos Padilla – Team CITGO
A Wal-Mart FLW Tour pro team member profile
Marcos Padilla of East Windsor, N. J., a member of the Citgo Professional Team who participates on the co-angler side of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, had an excellent tournament on the Pascagoula River near D’Iberville, Miss., earlier this year. Padilla led the Citgo Professional Team of co-anglers by finishing the event in a tie for 20th place. Padilla fished with pro angler Keith Williams of Conway, Ark., one day of the tournament and was very impressed with the angler.
“I put my trust in Keith and when we got there, it was a place where a creek was coming into the main river,” Padilla said. “The creek contained clear water, but the river was all dark (off-colored). I knew right away we were going to be on fish. The mouth of the creek just looked inviting for fishing. In just four minutes, Keith caught his limit and then some. Then he told me, `Look, it’s been a long ride and I’m going to give you an opportunity to fish along with me.’ Right away, I mixed spinnerbaits and crankbaits real quick, I ended up catching 12 fish, but only two of them were keepers.
“We were only able to fish the spot for 10 minutes because we were having motor trouble,” Padilla said. “The good spot was also a considerable distance up the Pascagoula River and us making the weigh-in was imperative.”
Padilla and Williams’ boat did eventually break down and another competitor actually brought the pair to the weigh-in. This is typical of the sportsmanship found among the anglers who compete in the FLW Tour events.
Padilla is a native of Honduras whose ancestors are Mayan. He works as a courier and he and his wife, Barbara, have a son and daughter. When not working or fishing, Padilla coaches soccer, a sport he also loves. With his current job, he is allowed to take off and fish the tournaments he chooses, which is a distinct advantage for any working angler.
The angler grew up in the small village of Copen, Honduras, and was introduced to peacock bass, tiger bass and other fish native to Central America at age 6 or 7 by his father and grandfather. Padilla moved to the United States in 1981. “It’s been a good experience for me,” he said. “This country has got a lot to offer me.”
For many years, Padilla wanted to be a tournament bass fisherman. “In 1996, I saw the first FLW Tour (on TV). I knew the moment after watching the television show, there was going to be an opportunity for me in the FLW. I believe the FLW and Operation Bass is one of the best organizations in the world because they really brought fishing to the next level.”
Not only did the FLW bring the best money, but also brought along a whole lot of family values. Padilla said, “When I saw the first FLW show on ESPN, I knew it was time for me to follow my dream.”
It’s somewhat humorous to hear Padilla talk about his first couple of FLW events:
“When I made it to my first tournament, I felt real small,” he said. “I mean smaller than the small, when I saw Roland Martin, Larry Nixon, Denny Brauer and all my idols I’ve been watching on TV. There was Darrel Robertson, the guy who won $600,000 in one tournament. A lot of people just dream to be with those guys. Then one of the Citgo Professional Team members now, Bud Goeke, stuck out his hand and said, `Welcome to the FLW,’ and that made me really feel like I belonged.”
Obviously, Padilla has recovered from his initial stage fright. “I really thank Citgo and appreciate them giving me a chance,” he said. “I would like to be a spokesperson for Citgo among the Spanish countries and the Spanish communities here in the United States.”
Those are lofty goals, indeed. But Marcos Padilla has already accomplished a lot and stands ready to accomplish much more.