David Fritts has won just about everything there is to win in professional bass fishing. Including the Bassmaster Classic and the Forest Wood Cup. Fritts is already in the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame as a professional angler. But he could also be in the HOF as a bait designer. Whether it’s fishing or designing David Fritts would definitely be on the Mount Rushmore of cranking, but who else would be there? Fritts answers that question and many more on this week’s podcast. A celebration of the...

Randy Blaukat has qualified for 8 Bassmaster Classics and 9 FLW Cups but he may have more people watching him today than he ever did at the height of his tournament career. Some take his word as gospel, others dismiss it as nothing more than gossip and click chasing. But Randy Blaukat and his polarizing opinions has found himself on the right side of relevancy more than a decade after his last national tournament victory. Some see him as a fearless crusader, trying to single-handedly ban...

Jordon Lee is a fishing phenom that has succeeded at every level of competition. He is a former Bassmaster College Bass Champion, a two time Bassmaster Classic Champion, with multiple MLF wins including an Angler of the Year title. He has won over 2 million dollars and now this young legend has decided to return to the Bassmaster Elite Series. But before that, he joins this week’s podcast to talk about all that and so, so much more.

Jacob Foutz is a former Bassmaster College Bass Champion, a Bassmaster Classic Qualifier & a Bassmaster Elite Series Pro. After two years on the Elite’s Foutz has had 4 top Tens including two back-to-back top Tens at the tail end of 2022 that literally saved his Elite career.  From the outside it looks like he is living his childhood dream but that dream has felt like a nightmare at times when it comes to sponsor support. He is a quiet, unassuming guy, that has focused on fishing while...

He is an eight time Bassmaster Classic qualifier and she is the podcast host some folks fear the most. Together they host The Bilge, one of the fastest growing fishing podcasts in the world.  Chris and Trait Zaldain join this week’s podcast and as always they tell it like they see it with their unapologetically honest approach to podcasting. 

Lee Livesay is a 4 time bassmaster winner, 4 time classic qualifier with 2 bassmaster century belts. But before all of that he was one of the guys. This week we are joined by the Lake Fork legend and as always, he tells it like he sees it. He is loving life as a pro angler but he will remind you it’s not all popcorn, piñata’s & princesses in pro fishing. 

Ben Milliken is one of the biggest YouTube anglers in the game. But that was not enough for him. He wanted more-he wanted to chase his childhood dream of fishing the Bassmaster Elite Series. In one year he did what many people predicted was impossible. Not only did he win a Bassmaster Open and qualify for the Bassmaster Classic but he qualified for the Bassmaster Elite Series. This week Ben joins the podcast to talk about all of that and so much more. 

This week's guest is a 18-time FLW Cup Qualifier, a 6-time Bassmaster Classic Qualifier, a 4-time Angler of the Year with over $3 million dollars in winnings, Clark Wendlandt joins me this week from somewhere deep in the heart of Texas.

Qualifier. This week he takes some time away from hunting to join the podcast. We chat about his early years traveling with Bassmaster Classic Champion Woo Daves, what drives him, what he would like to see changed in the tournament world and ultimately, his thoughts on the current fishing world going bananas.

The always open and always honest Pat Schlapper once again returns to the show. Hot off of qualifying for his 3rd Bassmaster Classic, the former Bass Nation National Champion opens up about everything and we mean EVERYTHING. Get your popcorn ready because Pat always tells it like he sees it and no topic is off limits this week. Warning - this episode is both awkward and honest. 

This week we have another double dose of goodness. First we are joined by Bassmaster Elite Series rookie Bryant Smith hot off setting the Bassmaster record for the biggest single day smallmouth bass limit in history (29lbs 5 ounces). Then we have Jake’s Take, Bassmaster Videographer and friend of the show, Jake Latendresse returns with the ultimate behind-the-scenes Bassmaster break down of everything that happened at the Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks.

This week we once again double down with two incredible guests. First, we are joined by two-time Bassmaster winner and three-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier Bryan New, with a very open and honest look back on his toughest Elite Series season ever. Then it’s time for Jake’s Take. Bassmaster Videographer and friend of the show, Jake Latendresse returns with the ultimate behind-the-scenes Bassmaster break down of everything that REALLY happened at the Watts Bar Bassmaster Open that was just...

This week we once again have a double dose of goodness. First, former Bass Nation National Champion Matty Wong joins the show hot off an amazing northern swing that literally saved his Bassmaster Elite Series career. Then, Bassmaster Opens EQ angler Logan Parks joins the show on MERCER-127.

Stone Cold Kyle Welcher just won one of the most coveted titles in pro fishing. He is the 2023 Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year. Welcher, a former professional gambler, is one of the brightest young stars in pro fishing. His incredible mind and unique outlook on angling is truly remarkable. We can’t thank him enough for making this podcast his first stop only days after becoming the newest Bassmaster Angler of the Year.

This week we have a double dose of goodness. The newest Bassmaster Elite Series Champion Patrick Walters, hot off setting the record for the biggest winning weight of smallmouth bass joins the show and of course we have Jake’s Take. Bassmaster Videographer and friend of the show, Jake Latendresse returns with the ultimate behind-the-scenes Bassmaster break down of everything that REALLY happened on and off the water at the Bassmaster Elite Series on Lake Champlain and the St Lawrence River.

Kevin VanDam is the most dominant professional angler in the history of the sport. For over 30 years he has been on the top of every single aspect of the Sportfishing, both on the water and off - KVD has simply set the standard. After recently retiring from tournament competition Kevin joins this week’s podcast to remind us all that he is “far from done”.

He is less than 24 hours away from kicking off the final two events of the 2023 Elite Series where he has a one point lead in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year race. Not bad for a guy that says he sucks at practice. What’s going though his mind as he attempts to seal the deal on one of the most coveted trophies in professional fishing. Well, we ask him that and so, so much more on this week’s podcast.

He grew up in Towamba, Australia - a part of the world that does not even have bass.  So to say Carl Jocumsen is an underdog is an understatement. But what he lacks in experience, he replaces with heart, thus his motto, 'Fear My Heart'.  This week, the only Australian to ever win a Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament, Carl Jocumsen joins the podcast in a very open, raw and honest conversation about the agony of angling along the way. 

This week we double down on great guests. Just back from the 7th stop on the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series on Lake St. Clair and so is Jake’s Take. Bassmaster Videographer and friend of the show, Jake Latendresse returns with the ultimate behind-the-scenes Bassmaster break down of everything that REALLY happened on and off the water at Lake St. Clair. But that’s not all - we are also joined by the St. Clair Champion himself! Two-time Bassmaster Elite Series Champion and Dakota Lithium Rookie...

Mark Zona is the the colourful off-the-wall host of Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show, Bassmaster TV and BassLIVE. This week he once again returns to the podcast but this time Z agrees to talk about everything going on recently in the crazy world of competitive bass fishing and so, so much more.

There are a lot of ways to make a living in sport fishing and Jay Siemens just may have done most of them. He started as a 16 year old fishing guide, turned photographer, videographer, YouTuber, influencer, lodge owner, fishing batter company co-owner, and ultimately, a very successful YouTuber and content creator. So successful in-fact that outside of his own channel (@JaySiemens) he actually hosts and produces fishing content for Steve Rinella’s ultra-popular MeatEater brand. Above all the...

Darold Gleason is a Bassmaster Open winner, a Classic Qualifier and a full-time Bassmaster Elite Series Pro. But it was not always that way. After spending 7 years as a school teacher, he decided to leave the security of that job behind, to chase his dreams and start living life because as he says “you can’t buy more time”. Gleason joins this week’s show with a very revealing & honest conversation about the highs and lows of pro fishing and life.

Cooper Gallant came into the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series as a highly hyped rookie, with a head full of confidence, hot off his first Bassmaster Open win. Now with just three events to go and all in his wheelhouse, Coop has once again put himself in contention to qualify for another Bassmaster Classic. But what’s it REALLY like to be an Elite Series rookie? This week he joins the Mercer podcast to share his thoughts on the season so far and so, so much more. 

Sure Gerald Swindle is a 2 time Bassmaster Angler of the Year and a walking weigh-in highlight reel. But he is also a starch defender of the rules and his way of playing the game. This week, he once again joins the podcast to talk about the recently acceptable grey area in rules, his trip to Jamaica and his belief in pro anglers defending the shield that they have earned the right to wear.

Stone Cold Kyle Welcher is a two-time Bassmaster Classic Qualifier and the current leader in Bassmaster Angler of the Year points. Welcher, a former professional gambler, is one of the brightest young stars in pro fishing. His incredible mind and unique outlook on angling is truly remarkable. This week he joins the podcast to have a very open and honest conversation about angling and so, so much more.