A trio of decisions for ‘Bachelor’ Byron Velvick

FLW angler culls another round of potential female suitors

FLW angler Byron Velvick will appear Sept. 22 as a contender on the ABC TV show 'The Bachelor.' Photo by ABC Television Network. Angler: Byron Velvick.

November 11, 2004 • Rebecca Czaplewski • Archives

With only a field of three remaining, love is on the line for every participant in this game. This week, FLW Outdoors angler Byron Velvick hit the road and traveled to the hometowns of the three remaining bachelorettes.

The first stop on this romantic road trip was a date with 31-year-old Tanya in Plano, Texas. He met the teacher at a traditional Texas bar – accompanied by four of her closest friends. The girls grilled him about his life and profession. One even asked him about the day-to-day life of a bass fisherman. “I don’t understand how this (angling) career thing works,” Tanya’s friend said. Velvick told them a little about tournaments and sponsors, giving them an idea of his angling life. But he was just as interested to get a glimpse into Tanya’s life, saying: “It was great to see her in her environment, just being Tanya.” After a dinner date at her house, it was apparent that Tanya felt the same way. “I feel like he’s completing a part of me,” she said. “A part that’s been missing for a long time.”

The next stop on Velvick’s whirlwind dating trip was a visit to Mary’s hometown of Tampa, Fla. Openly laughing and smiling as soon as they saw each other, there was an obvious connection between these two. Mary and Velvick first met up with two of her close friends, Marc and Lisa. The couple asked Byron some tough questions while getting to know him. When they asked about his life as a professional angler, they were quick to ask if he’d be able to relocate for love. He scored points with Mary and her friends when he said he could. All during the date, Mary made it clear that she knew she had a real chance at love with Velvick. “At this point, I’m not only thinking with my head,” Mary said. “I’m thinking with my heart.”

The third and final date for Velvick was a stop in Hermosa Beach, Calif., to visit Cindy, a 37-year-old West Coast native. Velvick and Cindy took to the water right away, enjoying each other’s company during a walk on the beach. Two of Cindy’s close friends also stopped by to meet Velvick, and they noticed the lovestruck change in her right away. “I have never seen her have that much chemistry with anyone,” friend Tamara said. Velvick and Cindy made dinner plans at a local restaurant, one that Cindy had a stake in with a few other investors. Even after some intense dinner discussion about their future, the two seemed to keep their connection going. “There’s a lot of chemistry between me and Cindy,” Velvick said. “And she is exceptional.”

All those promising dates made a rose-ceremony decision even more difficult for Velvick. After three “last-chance talks” with the ladies, he was forced to make his choice. He handed out roses to Mary and Tanya, sending a stunned Cindy home. Velvick said it was one of the toughest decisions of his life. With the show finale coming up soon, it looks like things won’t get any easier.