Starting the season with a 14th place finish on the Harris Chain of Lakes was a success. Historically, the first event of each season has been tough on me. Over my years as a college coach, I have watched countless anglers go through the ups and downs of seasons and careers. When things are going right, decisions come easy, every obstacle is met with a positive attitude, and results simply happen. However, a string of bad tournaments can leave an angler second guessing himself, wondering what he needs to change, and pushing to find an excuse for the poor performances. Currently, I’m working with a few of my college anglers to get out of their slumps. I’ve been there in my personal career and the way that you overcome these thoughts may surprise you.

Before we talk about the tactics to get past a tough stretch, let’s dive into what a solid start does statistically. On average, you need to earn about 241 points per event (a 10th place finish) to be in the Work Sharp Angler of the Year conversation at the conclusion of the season. You also need to earn 205 points per event (a 46th place finish) to hover around the championship cut. A 14th place finish means that I need to average a 9th place finish over the rest of the season to win Angler of the Year and a 53rd place finish in each event to make the Championship. Compared to last season, where I started the year with a 52nd place finish, I couldn’t have won AOY even if I won the other 5 events, and I needed to average around 40th just to make the Championship! It’s easy to see why a solid start calms the nerves and helps set the stage to fish relaxed for the rest of the season.

In 2023, I had one of the toughest seasons of my fishing career. I finished outside of check range in nearly every event and couldn’t seem to get the ball rolling. I hadn’t quite committed to LiveScope, but I also wouldn’t commit completely to the shallow bite. I was stressed financially and dealing with a rapidly-growing program at Carson-Newman University. Somewhere along the way, I lost my enjoyment for fishing (no one enjoys getting beaten regularly). The harder I worked and the more I grinded, the more frustrated I became when it didn’t work out. I actually had a deep-rooted belief that even after a good practice, things wouldn’t pan out the way I hoped. Mentally, I was beaten before I ever launched the boat. Hard work and preparation are prerequisites for success in any endeavor, but enjoying the process is also critical to making good tournament decisions.

What helped me to stop spinning my wheels was surprising. I had an assistant coach at the time, Drew Traffanstedt, who told me, “Fishing another tournament every weekend and working yourself to death isn’t going to help you catch them.”

I probably argued with him and told him that hard work always pays off, but inside I knew he was right. To get back into a winning mindset, I had to remember why I was there.

Ten-year old me dreamed about traveling the country and fishing. I had made the pursuit of recognition, sponsorships, and a career in fishing such a priority that I had lost sight of the fact that I was already living my dream. I also realized that barring some turnaround, I probably didn’t have very many tournament seasons left. I set out in 2024 to enjoy fishing and make the most out of every opportunity in front of me.

It was eye-opening how much more efficient I was on the water, with decisions, and with my tournament approach. I didn’t focus on getting a check to be able to get home. I just caught what I could and let the rest work out. I camped out firmly inside the top 10 of the AOY race for most of the season and wrapped up 16th after a bad Lake of the Ozarks event. I finished inside the top 10 twice and competed for a win at Lake Hartwell, losing by just nine ounces.

Fishing is my career and I spend every day talking about it. Between my college team and NPFL events, I spend more weeks on the road than at home. It’s a huge blessing that I’m able to live the life that I dreamed of as young kid. I’m going to enjoy every season that I’m able to chase bass around the country and hopefully ride the positive momentum wave for as long as possible.