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Duo builds competitive fishing partnership

For every person who fishes, there is a moment when a spark flickered in just the right spot, lighting an ember in their psyche that fans into flames whenever they pick up a rod and reel. The spark is the “Why” that guides anglers to pursue their passion for fishing. College football player turned pro bass angler Destin DeMarion recalls the time in his young life when fishing became more than a curiosity and began his chase for success in the major leagues of professional bass fishing. Now, just over a week since he and teammate Tyler Woak of Niles narrowly missed an ...

Poland’s Cappelli reflects on competitive fishing career

Had the chips fallen differently decades ago, Sammy Cappelli might very well have become a diehard bass fisherman. Instead, the forces of the planet flung young Cappelli into headlong pursuit of walleye fishing and a passion for national competition. Now a multiple major champion, Cappelli took time recently to reflect on the “Why” behind his decisions to direct his fishing efforts on walleye and to jump into competitive fishing. “Dad started me off fishing when I was very young,” said Cappelli, who now resides in Poland. “We used to go to Berlin to a place we called ...

Angling great Clunn answers why he fishes

The “Why” that has directed the life of the man who is arguably the greatest professional bass angler of all time is anchored somewhere between pragmatics and genetics. In my own effort to understand why we anglers are so passionate about fishing, I arranged for a conversation with bass angling’s legendary Rick Clunn to learn why he chose to focus on bass, to make his living in the sport and to still compete full throttle at age 77. Clunn, celebrating his 50th year as a pro bass angler, certainly has no shortage of accomplishments. He won the Bassmaster Classic four times (as ...

Addressing the ‘Why’ of being a fisherman

Often asked but rarely truly answered, the question “why” seeks to understand the motivations for our actions. Why this? Why that? Deep questions, when you stop and ponder them. The answers might come quickly, but do they really tell the back story? So why, you might ask, does Jack like fishing? Good question. I could spew a lot of pat answers, the kind that anybody might offer in response to why. But there’s more to the story. “Why” is really about another way to gain understanding not just about ourselves, but the world around us. Allow me to borrow a passage ...

A lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving

Regardless of our personal circumstances, most of us have many good reasons to be grateful this Thanksgiving season for the wonderful people and happy circumstances in our lives. While we may occasionally grumble and sometimes wonder whether we’ve made all the right decisions, we mostly have much to celebrate as we reflect this Thanksgiving. That applies to us anglers, as well. What a fishing year 2023 has been. I’m a glass-half-full guy anyway, so it’s especially easy for me to max out on happiness while fishing. But even so, this spring, summer and fall delivered some of ...

Riffle brings passion to angling business

Ask Mike Riffle about his retirement project and be prepared for a thorough recap of his 40 years of bass tournament experience and all manner of other influential moments in his life. Riffle is the epitome of the passionate angler with exuberance that spills over into operation of his 330 Bait Co. He makes and markets everything from jigs and sinkers to spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and other lures popular among bass anglers. Blessed with a bubbly knack for storytelling, Riffle seizes the opportunity to spin the features and benefits for the tackle he makes in his shop at home in ...