Trick or Treat!

A special 5 In The Box Halloween edition with the lovely Kate Dattilo.

How long have you been fishing?

I've actually been fishing as long as I can remember.  It's been a part of my life so long I couldn't tell you the first time I went.

How were you introduced to it?

My Dad has always loved it.  When I was a kid growing up he always had the newest lures and gear, and our basement was like a tackle shop.  If needed anything at all, I could just go downstairs and get it.

Do you have brothers and sisters that share the same love for it that you do?

I have a sister, an older brother who has a daughter, and we all love it.

Why do you love it?  I mean, do you love it?

LOL, YES!  I'm on the water as much as I can be and I still get out with my dad at least once or twice a week.  

Does he still teach you things?

Absolutely.  My Dad fishes very slow, patiently.  He's not the type of person to run all over the lake hitting as many spots as he can for like 5 minutes before running to the next spot and the next and the next.  He takes his time, finds the fish, finds what they want to eat, and is really great at taking his time through it all.  I love that the most about fishing with him.  

Traditionally, most men would not look at a woman of your beauty and say "yeah, sure she baits her own hook".  Have you found it to be difficult for you to gain any sort of respect among men and even women for that matter, and if so how do you deal with that?

Yeah I have found it difficult but only with men; not all men, it seems like it's 50/50.  I feel like men either don't take me seriously at all, or are like "WOW!  She's a badass!".  But the people that I meet and interact with through social media have all been (for the most part) really positive and supportive.  

When guys think of female anglers right now they immediately think of like, Allison Shaw, Trait Crist, Claire Ansley, Stephanie Hemphill, Hillary Hughes, or like a Callie Shumway.  Do you find yourself able to identify with any of them or anyone like them, and do you have anyone like that who is also trying to accomplish the same things you are that you can reach out and talk to?

I don't talk to any of them, but for sure I think we all can identify with each other even if it's just because we all love to fish.  

What's your favorite way to fish?

God, I don't know.  Whatever they're eating.  lol.  Seriously though, that's really hard.  I love flippin a jig.  But I also really like a good topwater bite, or cranking when fish are active.  And who doesn't like throwin a Sick Stick or any old soft plastic Texas rigged?  

You're the first female angler to join Power Team Lures.  Congratulations!  How awesome was that?!?

Amazing!  It's a HUGE honor.  I'm so lucky to be a part of a company that I can honestly say "I was using this stuff before I joined the team" and to trust their baits and believe in them.  And to be the first woman is great, and gives me the opportunity to hopefully pave the way for other women as well.  I don't use any other soft plastics when I'm fishing.

What's the biggest bass you've ever caught?

You're lookin at her!

That's a great fish!

Thanks!  She was 6 lbs.

What's your favorite lake?

Lake Winnipesaukee.

Wait...Lake What?!!??

LOL...Winnipesaukee.  It's ok, everybody calls it Winni.

Least favorite?

Don't have one.

OK...let's get down to the nitty gritty!

1.  What's it like on a Sunday at your house when you're not fishing?

I'm always fishing, but if I'm not I'm probably watching the Packers!

Gross.

HAHAHA!  Shut up you know you love them!  

2.  Do you have any rituals or superstitions other than kissing every fish?

(Laughing) I organize all my tackle, it has to be all nice and neat.  By the end of the day everything is thrown everywhere.  I also pray to my grampa (he passed away two years ago) that he'll guide me through the day (and help me catch a toad)!

3.  What was the best day you had this year?

It was in May or early June.  My father and I went out and every fish I caught was like 3 lbs or bigger.  All chunks!  What a blast!

4.  What's the one place you're looking forward to fishing in 2014?

Lake Okeechobee.  There are just so many big fish there and I'm DIEING to go after them and try to catch my first 10 plus!

5.  What's one thing nobody knows about you?

I actually caught my face on fire when I was a little girl.  Thankfully I don't have any scars!  Other than that, I'm an open book!

5 In The Box: 2013 Year in Review/Outtakes

It's true, the end of the 2013 fishing season is fast approaching.  New licenses will go into effect soon, people up north begin preparing for winterizations, and the focus turns to 2014.  So rather than look back in sadness, I wanted to share some of the more comical moments from 2014.  The highs, the lows, the moments I shared with each of the people who were kind enough to share their time with me that either didn't make the article for one reason or another, or that stick out to me.  So here you are, my 2013 Year and Review, and 5 In The Box Outtakes, in no particular order, done "Jim-Root" style.  ;)


Tyler Mohr
My friend Tyler posts his new address as he officially begins his freshman year in college in a Facebook status "...in case anyone wants to send me food, money, fishing stuff...or money...lol".  Claire Ansley and I agree that she'll use that address as her own when she's asked by creepy guys where she lives.  Cheers, Tyler.

A swim in the cold water of Smith Mountain Lake in April

It's Friday night.  Tyler Meadows and I make a bet with his brother Zach and roommate Josh Wilson, that the team with the smallest weight after two days will have to go in the water.  Josh and Zach left Saturday night without saying goodbye.  Moral of the story here boys, is that guys our age would never risk going in the water like that if we weren't betting on a sure thing.  They owe us a swim.  #OlderAndWiser

Pictured left to right:  Tim Hawley, Josh Wilson, Zach Meadows, Tyler Meadows, Jim Root.

Cliff Pace

Less than a month after winning The Bassmaster Classic, Cliff Pace is talking to me on the phone Sunday Morning while I'm eating breakfast.  It's incredibly kind of him.  I can't tell you how many people I reached out to asking to do this and didn't hear back from.  It meant a lot to me that he did that.  Thanks, Cliff.

I join the team at Quantum

I sent out over 400 letters last year.  FOUR HUNDRED.  Ya know how many I got responses from?  Five.  But one of them happened to be from John Kushnerick at Quantum, offering me an opportunity to join them.  It's been an incredible opportunity to be a part of their team.

Randall Tharp

I fished with Randal Tharp at Lake Oneida.  During the day he tells me how much it would mean to him to win the Forest Wood Cup.  I say something like "maybe this is your year".  Then he goes out and wins it.  Congrats, Randall.

Pictured left to right:  Greg Pugh, Jim Root, Randall Tharp

Allison Shaw

My first ever "5 In The Box" interview is published.  Thanks to Allison Shaw for spending the day on the phone with me.  I had over an hour of phone conversation recorded where Allison talked to me about everything from paintings to guys she dated who turned out to be horrible.  She was actually really sick before her first tournament of the year and was limited in her practice.  Thankfully I didn't get blamed for that.  She's really great to talk to.  An hour will fly by.

Brandon Palaniuk

I meet Brandon and we fish together on the James River in Virginia.  Our day begins at 70+ mph in his Skeeter.  We come into a corner of the river and he spots a guy in the water and quickly stops to see if everyone is ok.  Somehow the man in the water had been thrown from his boat while driving.  This stands out to me because as we stop, slowly motor over to offer help, and wait to be sure everyone is ok, no less than 25 other boats speed by, and nobody even slows down.

He's extremely funny, full of energy, and an incredible angler.  "I'm about to show these fools right here how to throw a square-bill" and with that, he throws his Arashi prototype underhanded, into a space about a foot wide between two trees, 20 feet away.  He tells me about a saying he and his friends utter just before they tackle each other off of the boat.  I remind him of that phrase when I see him in August at Oneida.  He grins "Hey man that's cool, just make sure you call it out".  I'm looking forward to fishing with him again.  

The Potomac River

Little good came out of my FLW EverStart Event at the Potomac, but I was able to take my son on stage with me for the first time, and I met John McGoey, who's since become one of my best friends on the Tour.  I got to fish with him at Oneida for 3 days, and he is without a doubt one of the nicest and most giving people you will ever meet.

Callie Shumway

Because of time constraints this interview took quite a while to complete, and it was all done over chat through Facebook.  I've seen her pictures, I knew she could fish, but I didn't know she had a cummulative GPA of 3.78 while earning her Bachelor's Degree.  What I remember most was that she's the only one who wasn't aspiring to fish as a Pro on Tour.  Her main goal was just to be able to fish out of her kayak and documenting and photography were her main focus.  She, like Allison Shaw, got really sick shortly after this interview.  Is 5ITB contagious?!?

Gary Dobyns

I get a phone call at 9:40 pm from a number I don't recognize, but it shows up as a California number.  At first I'm shocked to hear from him, but it's refreshing, and after 20 minutes or so, I see that he's someone I can relate to, and it means a lot to me to hear him say certain things.  My friend Timmy said to me that this sport is full of people coming and going all the time and that switching teams is a part of the business, but that's not been the kind of experience I've wanted.  Gary presented me with an opportunity to be with one rod company for my entire career.  I can't thank him enough.  He, his family (yes, even you, Miranda), and the rest of the team at Dobyns Rods have been incredibly kind to me.  Loyalty, appreciation, trust, these are not things you find in every company in this industry and the longer you're in this industry you'll learn that.  So when you find it, cherish it.  Just don't ask Miranda to pick out the color of your son's Jr. Pro Staff shirt for you...

John McGoey
I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason.  John and I fished together at the Potomac river.  While it wasn't a day we could both celebrate on stage, we did find we had a lot of similarities; not the least of which being that we each lost our Dad within the last year due to similar illnesses.  Even if I never fish again I know he and I will remain great friends.

Bridget Allen
I had been Facebook friends with Bridget for awhile but hadn't talked to her, and then one day I read that she was freezing in Upstate NY!  I spent more time on the water with her this year than I did with anyone else.  We had some great times at Oneida, and I'm sure we'll keep fishing together in 2014.  There's even a little friendly competition that's starting to brew between her and I, and rumors of a title belt in the works...

Bass Snax

I join the team at Bass Attacker Lures in March, and by the end of June we have my first product I help to design completed.  We run a promotion on Facebook to name it, and settle on "Bass Snax".  Within a year this deadly little finesse worm has already won three tournaments.  Oh, and most importantly, I smoked my mouthy little brother with it!  :)

Claire Ansley

The most fun I've had doing any of the interviews that I did.  She's not what I expected.  She's a lot funnier and kinder than I think a lot of people would expect.  At one point she says to me "It is sad that your little Yankee butt recognized rudeness rather than a "southern gentleman"."  I didn't tell her she lost 5 points for hating on us Yanks.  I'll be sure to send that along.  Oh, and FYI, to this day her interview is the most read thing I've ever written.  But just because she's beautiful and loves to hunt and fish does NOT mean guys should show up at her work or send her creepy stuff.  Besides, we already know it's gonna end up delivered to a teenage boy's dorm room anyhow.  ;)

Rahfish

Oddly enough it's Tim Hine, owner of RahFish, that I have to thank for the opportunity to join Dobyns.  I inquired about joining the team of writers at RahFish and Tim asks me to send him a review of Cashion Rods.  At that time I'd been with Cashion for almost 3 years, and I felt really confident with my ability to write that article.  Not only did it land me the place with Rah, it also delivered me into the land of Orange.

Teresa DePalma

This was the first, and to this point, only interview I have done with someone who's primarily not an angler.  Teresa's main focus is hunting, and while a lot of the questions were easy enough to reword, the interview itself was different because of the change of focus.  She's also the only fellow New Yorker I've (as of yet) had the opportunity to interview, and that was also really exciting for me as I felt it gave me an opportunity to share parts of this great state with the rest of the world.  The thing I remember most about this piece was that she asked me to change one of the pictures that I used.  Everyone I interview always sends me pics, gives me permission to take any I want from facebook, or does both, Teresa included.  But when she viewed the finished product there was one picture I used that she felt didn't fit with her vision for this interview.  She sent me a different one, pictured below, but I chose to go with a different photo of her rather than this one (at the time).  I don't mind doing that at all.  I want the people I interview to feel they're portrayed fairly.  With the women I've interviewed this year, it's been really important that they not be objectified in a negative way.  I've wanted to demonstrate that women can compete with men in sports and be sexy simultaneously.  Hopefully that has been conveyed.

Casey Martin

Casey was the only one I interviewed twice (I'll finish up part two and get it posted next week).  I wish I could just post a recording of my conversations with him, because they're really funny when they happen, but sadly some of that humor just won't translate onto type.  The thing that I admire the most about him, is that nothing that happened to him this year; Circuit Breaker, fishing in his first Forest Wood Cup, winning his first FLW Major as a pro, changed who he is or how he relates to people.  If you watch, he responds to every tweet, every facebook post, and he's getting TONS!  That's really not easy to do.  I mentioned that to him and he said "I was a fan first, I will always be a fan, and I will always try to do my best to be grateful and friendly to people who reach out and support me."  Amen.

My first youth fishing clinic

I was very fortunate to have had an opportunity to partner with Citizens Bank to provide a youth fishing clinic in my hometown.  My goal was to eliminate all cost, so no child would be denied an opportunity to participate and learn an alternative to drugs, violence, or crime.  Because of Citizens Bank, Roma's Pizzeria, Friendly's Ice Cream, and the staff at Cook Park, we were able to provide all the kids with gear, bait, free entry, pizza, ice cream, and coupons.  It was an amazing day and I hope we can do it every year.

Hillary Hughes

Hillary was another interview that took a couple days to complete over the internet.  I was trying to wrap up Claire Ansley, Teresa DePalma, Callie Shumway, and Hillary all in the same two weeks.  I remember thinking at one point "I should just combine them all into one", but I didn't want them to lose any of their individuality or for one to overshadow another.  But to be honest, interviewing those 4 women at one time, was more than I bargained for.  Thankfully they're all very patient, a necessary trait for anyone who thinks they want to make hunting or fishing more than just a "hobby".

Navionics and Drop Shotting

I write two reviews that are posted on corporate websites.  The first is a how-to about Drop Shot, which is a technique that many people are unfamiliar with.  The other was about the Navionics App for iPhone and Droid.  I know this seems like a bit trivial to some people, but this more than anything else is something that my Dad would have really been proud of.  If he can see it wherever he is now I know he's smiling.

The world says goodbye to BBH

After a lot of bickering and bad blood, my best friend and co-owner of Big Bass Heaven and I decide it's best that we dissolve the partnership, effectively leaving BBH in an unknown state.  While I retain the rights to the store, the branding, and the website, it's more than I want to handle on my own at this point.  Who knows what's in store for BBH in the future.  But for now, all things Big Bass Heaven are put on hold, indefinitely.  

Stephanie Hemphill

Steph was really great when we did the interview.  One time I tried her "eat pickles before you fish for good luck" trick and I ended up hanging over the side of the boat.  Never again.  But I do think she's a sweet gal and I hope those pickles bring her happiness all around.

I guess what I'll remember most when I think of this year is that it was my worst year ever in terms of my overall finishes in the tournaments I competed in, but I met guys like Charlie Evans, and Greg Pugh.  I got to spend time with my great friends Zach, Tyler, Timmy, T-Live, and "Bassin Bill" at Smith Mountain Lake.  I fished with some incredible people, made new friendships that will last my entire life, shared my knowledge and love for the sport with young kids, saw some of the most breathtaking places in the country, and learned some valuable lessons about this business.  John McGoey told me "you can fish, buddy".  On an otherwise uneventful night in August I got an alert on my phone from Twitter "Brandon Palaniuk is now following you".  I held my son on stage while my fish were weighed in.  My brother, Mike, said "I'm proud of you".

I feel like the luckiest man in the whole world.  And I didn't win anything.  I can't wait to see what 2014 will bring.  

Be safe, be kind, and smash 'em!

Me and my son, JJ.

Smith Mountain Lake, FLW EverStart

This is how your hair looks after a full day of 70 mph if you lose your hat.  

On stage at Oneida Lake, Bassmaster Northern Open #2.

The James River, Virginia.

5 In The Box with The 2013 Bassmaster Classic Champion Cliff Pace

How has your life changed since winning The Classic?

It really hasn't "changed", I mean it's busy, but I wouldn't say it's really changed at all.

Did you know it was going to be like this, that it would be as  busy as it is?

Yes absolutely.  If you win The Bassmaster Classic it's gonna be busy for you for a while.  But I enjoy it, people want to talk to you and it's been great it really has.

 

Did you think you had a shot to win it going in?  Did you have a great practice or great luck on that lake, or did it just kinda come together for you all at once?

I had a great practice so I thought I had a shot but you never know.  I thought what I was doing was the right thing to do but there's a lot that needs to go right, the fish have to be there when you need them so you can get the bites you need. 

 



How did you manage to get into fishing?  Was it something you did as a child with a family member or did you find it later via some other avenue?

Yeah I've always been into fishing.  I grew up doing it and always knew I wanted to make a career out of it.

Is it still relaxing if you're tournament fishing?

 

I love fishing no matter what.  Now I'm happier when I'm catching a lot of fish than I am when I'm catching just one but I still love fishing.

 

 



 

Is there anyone that you look to as a teacher or that you can turn to for advice, tips, help with new lakes or are you completely self-taught?

 

Nobody is 100% self-taught.  Everybody has people they meet along the way who give them tips or pointers or things of that nature but with the amount of information that is available today you can learn from just about anybody.  I never stop reading magazines or things on the internet.  Our sport is always changing and I think that's part of why I enjoy it so much.  You never know what's going to be the next Alabama Rig.

 

 

 

 What's your favorite technique?

 

I really don't have one.  But I prefer to fish for schools than for one or two bites up shallow in a bay.  It's harder to find schooling fish, but when you do find them you can usually find lots of them.

 

What's your favorite lake?

 

Louisiana Delta.

 

Least favorite?

 

Old Hickory.

Other than life as a Professional Angler, what is your "dream job"?

I don't know if I'd say it's my dream job but I'd be doing construction work, that's what I was doing before I began fishing full time as a pro.  I really enjoyed it and I still miss it.  I miss the interactions you get to have with the people.

 

 

 

Ok Cliff, time for five in the box!

 

 

 1.  What's it like on Sunday morning when you're not fishing?

Probably go to church, have some friends over, spend some time with my wife.  I'm always fishing, even in the off season.  We have such long off-limits on the Elite Series that anytime you have to prefish a place you need to take it.  I hunt a lot too so I might be doing a little hunting.  I love to bowhunt.

2.  Do you have any pretournament rituals or superstitions?

Nope.

3.  Where do you think your best finish will be in 2013 (other than winning The Bassmaster Classic)?

I have no idea.  It's really so hard to tell because so much has to go right or wrong.  I will say that I'm looking forward to getting to spend some time fishing some of the lakes up north.  St. Clair, Champlain, the St. Lawrence, they're all places that are tremendous fisheries.

4.  What's the one body of water you would fish in 2013 if you had your choice?

Probably Big Sam (Sam Rayburn) because it's got the potential for such big fish.

5.  What's one thing that nobody knows about you?

Absolutely nothing, lol.  There's nothing about me that people don't already know.

Thanks for your time and good luck out there!

 

 

5 In The Box with Allison Shaw

Allison Shaw is relaxing at home in California watching the Everstart weigh-ins live at Lake Okeechobee, Florida's "Big O".  Our initial greeting is interrupted by us both being shocked at the weight of the current leader, Ben Todd, who is currently waaaaaaaay ahead.
Allison
"Dude that's a six pound average...God I wanna be there right now!!!"

We laugh; hers is more of a giggle really, but it's infectious and makes you want to laugh more when you hear it.

Q:  Allison, why do you fish?

I got the bug, I grew up fishing, I caught a huge, I mean I caught a 7 pound bass when I was 8 which is huge for any 8 year old, and I've been fishing ever since.  My Dad and Pappa (my grandpa) taught me how to fish.

Q:  Is it different now?  Does the pressure of competition take the fun out of it?

It's different but if anything it's more fun.  I'm competitive by nature.  I don't have all day to just lay around, get a tan, wait for the bite and reel it in, and that requires an understanding of the science and biology of fishing:  migration, prespawn, postspawn, and you'll never know everything.

Q:  We've talked before about techniques and presentations and I know you love to throw a drop-shot whenever you can.  Who do you watch or read about to get better?

I watch a lot of Aaron Martens videos, in fact I watched a few of his the night before my first day of filming The World Series Of Bass.  I mean I know how to drop-shot for the most part, but just watching someone do what you like to do the most is really helpful.  There are so many different ways you can throw it, bring it in; there are a million different things you can do with that one simple bait.

Q:  Some people have said that you're the Danica Patrick of fishing, how does it feel to have your name said in the same sentence as someone who's had such a tremendous impact for a whole world of women on what has for years been considered a "male dominant" sport and what do you see as your responsibility to other women who look at you and see an opportunity that maybe they didn't see before?

Ever since that all started when I was back in college (people referencing her to me) I've interpreted that to mean being an advocate.  It's really flattering to be put in the same category as her, I mean honestly I'm nowhere near her level yet but if I help promote this amazing sport to other women then maybe I'll have an impact on them in some small way that will lead them to trying to positively impact others.

Q:  Along with that likeness to her comes the image of you as being just a sex symbol as opposed to a real threat to compete.

Yep.  That's always been a concern.  There are advantages to being a woman, of course.  But I was lucky enough to show people in college that I'm not just trying to take pictures with fishing rods.  I watch videos and read and practice every day to get better and to become a better angler.  I'm from LA, I'm not from the country, though I am at heart and spent my summers fishing at my Grampa's.  But honestly, at the end of the day my goals are the same as everyone else's on the water:  catch big fish and win. 

Q:  What's your favorite lake?

That's tough.  I love The Delta because I like the idea of having tides in fresh water I feel like it adds a whole different dynamic and it really offers many different places for you to fish your strengths.  But at the same time when I was in Texas I had an opportunity to fish Lake Amistad and oh my goodness it was like Lake Mead on steroids and there are huge fish.  The water is really clear and the landscape is breathtaking. 

Q:  What do you have planned for 2013 other than fishing?

I was a child development major in college, and this year I've started a program called "My Mom said there's nothing I can't do".  Basically I'll be travelling to elementary schools all over the country, talking to them about pursuing their dreams, working 100%, and not letting anyone tell them they can't reach their goal to be whatever they aspire to be.  I mean, a girl from LA, who would've thought she would be competing professionally with all these guys from the south?!?  So if I can do it, and I'm in my fifth year now, then clearly anyone can do it.

That's really great.  I have always given back to my community so I value that in others.

Yeah there are a couple of charity tournaments that I'm going to be at as well.  One of them is in Newtown Connecticut, there hasn't been much detail released yet, but it'll be coming out soon and I know it's going to be a great event.  And the other is The Indy Bass Club there are two people who are members of that club who have been diagnosed with cancer and they wanted me to come out and be a guest speaker at their fundraising event.  I'm going to record some footage from everywhere I go and put together a sort of memoir that should be really cool to watch because it'll show that you really can accomplish a lot if you want it bad enough. 

Q:  You're an artist too, right?

Yeah, (laughing).  I paint anything:  horses, people, babies, dogs, pets, pictures from trips to Fiji, poems, really I can paint anything.  I paint a lot at Holidays or as gifts.  I paint with my fingers.  I put white on my pointer finger, black on my ring finger, and the color that I'm using on my middle finger, and that, in my opinion, is the best way to blend water-based acrylics.  That's how I taught myself.  Then when I'm done I go back over everything with a really, really fine painter's brush.  It takes me between 18 and 30 hours per painting and I am taking deposits all the time. 

Q:  How do people contact you if they want something painted?

Most people contact me through Facebook or they can email me.


OK Allison, it's time for the 5 in the box:

Q:  Let's start with the obvious, the one that I'm sure a lot of guys want to know:  Who is Allison Shaw dating?

Allison Shaw is dating herself (giggling).  I'm being selfish for the first time in a while.  Everyone thinks it's really cool to date a tournament angler until they actually date one and for the moment I need to focus on myself.

Q:  Tell me one thing nobody knows about you?

(Laughing) I was on two really lame MTV dating shows when I was in high school. 

Q:  Do you have any pretournament rituals or superstitions?

I have a wooden fish key chain that my Gramma gave me that I always take with me.  I always used to have it with me as a kid when we would fish as a family and have a contest to see who could catch the first fish for a dollar and I had it with me when I qualified for the National Championship in College.  (Between giving this interview and it being written almost all of Allison's gear was stolen out of her boat, including that wooden key chain.)

Q:  If you had to guess where your best finish would be in 2013 where would it be, and where do you think you might struggle?

Probably The Delta.  Oroville is closer to Chico but I only fished Oroville once.  And I really wanna do well on The Delta.  Clear Lake will definitely be the hardest for me just because I've never fished it before.

Q:  What's the one body of water you would pick to fish in 2013 if you had your choice?

I wanna go to Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia.  I heard it's really beautiful there.

I'm sure they'd love to see you there.  Good luck this year, Allison! 

Thanks, Jim.  You too.  And a huge thanks to Hennessy Funds (Title), ATF Fishing News, My Webfix, Topwater Clothing, ATX wheels, YoZuri, Heroes on the Water, Lake Fork Trophy Lures, Dobyns Rods, Rod Glove, PCI, Phoenix Bar and Irish Gathering, Golden State Orthopedics, Rayjus Jerseys, Oakley Big Bass Tour, Salamander Sinkers, Pizz Customs, Lake Fork Tackle, Lazer Trokar, Damiki, Bass Hookups, Pink Fishing, and all my family and friends for supporting me!