Taking the Next Step

A rookie pro prepares to go out on the FLW Tour trail

I can promise you something out of the gate. As I sit here writing this entry I’m doing it with a giant smile on my face. Ten years ago I bought my first boat and set forward a plan to make a living bass fishing. Today, I get the privilege of typing my first blog about my upcoming rookie season as an FLW Tour pro.

I know it’s cliché as all get out, but this is something I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid. I’ve always wanted to chase bass all across the country and do it against some of the absolute best in the world. It’s a dream I know I’ll probably always carry and will chase for as long as God will grant me. As long as there are bass willing to bite and competition willing to throw down, I’m going to go and try to catch me five. It’s just what I love to do, and the FLW Tour is the next big step for me.

I’ve worked hard over the years to progress to this level of competition and am looking forward to the opportunity to continue to develop my game against some of the sport’s best such as David Dudley, Andy Morgan and Cody Meyer. These guys have been cashing checks and winning tournaments at the highest level for years. Aside from those three, and of course several others I failed to mention, there are still 160-plus other competitors all hungry to one day be mentioned in the same breath.

My goals for my rookie season are simple. As easy as it is to let my mind go and dream up some pretty awesome highlights for what’s to come, the true reality is that the season will be an absolute grind. The Rookie of the Year award – as absolutely cool as it would be to win – is really not my focus. Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to fight like crazy to get myself in contention, but my true only goal is the same as every single one of the other anglers on the 2017 roster: to earn my spot in the Forrest Wood Cup.

Fishing the Cup is an opportunity that can make a fisherman’s career. I’ve fished lots of tournaments and in a short amount of time, but nothing stacks up to the opportunity of being crowned Forrest Wood Cup champ. That’s the big time and is a title every professional bass angler seeks. That very thought makes every long drive, every late night and every early morning worth every bit of the sacrifice to get it, and I promise you I’m going to have a blast trying.

Being an angler from Minnesota has its advantages and disadvantages. It’s an awesome state to develop your skills, and our lakes are some of the absolute best for an aspiring tournament angler, but unfortunately we have that nasty thing called winter. As I sit here writing this, we’re in the midst of a whiteout snowstorm, and this northern angler is trying to get the new boat rigged, organize tackle and get to more southern pastures in the very near future. 

Traveling in and out of the state for these early-season tournaments can be a bit of a hazard. Good thing I’ve got fellow Minnesotan and good buddy Andy Young to travel with along the way. He’s getting ready for his third year on Tour and no doubt will be a huge asset to have along the way during my rookie year. I’ve looked up to Andy throughout my entire fishing career, so it’s only fitting that I’m following in his footsteps and making the jump to the Tour level.

Our first stop of the season is Guntersville in northeastern Alabama. I have a little bit of knowledge about Guntersville from a Costa FLW Series event I fished there a couple years back during roughly the same time of year. Guntersville is one of the best fisheries on the planet, and big weights WILL come across the scale. The weather we see for the event will dictate what the fish will be doing. If things are on a warming trend we could start to see a good bit of prespawn going on, but if things stay cold like they are now then the fish will still be dead smack in the middle of their winter patterns. No matter the bite, fish will be caught, and to do well on G-ville I’m going to have to step up right out of the gate.

As for now, I’ve still got so much to do to get road ready. Before heading back out into the frigid cold, I’d like to thank my sponsors, friends and family that all helped make this dream a real-life reality. I’m so fortunate to have a giant support wagon back in Minnesota and am looking forward to getting out on the water and making them proud all season. 

Lastly, a big “thank you” to my wife, Bri. Without you, there’s no way I’d be chasing my dreams today, and because of you our future looks bright!