Regular job: Fishing guide on Tennessee River, including Wheeler, Wilson, Pickwick and Guntersville. He specializes in largemouth and smallmouth bass.
Family: Single
Boat: Triton TR21X3
Truck: Toyota Tundra
Reel Sponsor: Ardent
Rod Sponsor: Kistler
Dog’s Name: Lucky
What was your biggest tournament win or place and why?
I’d have to say the American Bass Anglers National Champ on Wheeler Lake in 2004. It pretty much allowed me to fish full time. I won $60,000, and it opened a lot of doors like the Triton slot into the Bassmaster Southern Opens, through which I qualified for the Bassmaster top 150 trail. During that tournament I caught them on a combo of ways, primarily topwater (Super Spook Junior) and a soft jerkbait. Backup was flipping docks with a YUM Megatube. I led all three days and ended up winning by 9 pounds.
What’s your go-to when nothing is working?
It’s gotta be a an Xr50, then later in the summer it’s a Carolina-rigged YUM Lizard.
What do you like about fishing tournaments?
It’s the competition; the rush of the competition, the rush that you get when it all comes together and your plan works out. I also like it when nothing you try works, then you hit on that one thing that puts bass in the boat and turns a bad day into a good one.
What’s your fishing goal?
Like everyone else, it’s to win the Bassmaster Classic.
What’s something few people know about you?
Not a lot of people know that I have a degree in engineering and was a computer engineer for seven years before I started fishing full time.