What Truck, Boat and Outboard does Stephen run?

I currently run a Skeeter ZXR 21.  I drive a 2021 Dodge 1500

My Sponsors

I do not have any sponsors.  

What Stephen does for a living:

I am the Superintendent at a school district.

What you should know about Stephen:

I am happily married for the past 30 years and looking forward to the next 30 years with my wife.

How Stephen started fishing

I grew up fishing and started tournament fishing when I got out of coaching.  It feeds a competitive fire that I have within myself.

Aspirations or goals with fishing

Fishing is my release from the pressures of work.  I fish to have fun as well as compete, my goals are to do as well as I can each time I go out.  

Favorite way to fish

I like to junk fish and piece things together as the day presents itself.

Most exciting fishing experience

Catching over 27 pounds in a tournament.  I lost another fish well over 5 pounds that would have given me 30.

How Stephen preps for a tournament

I usually look at maps and check my lures and equipment.

Three favorite search baits

Rattletrap, spinnerbait, squarebill crankbait.

Best tournament finish and what you did that day when you were fishing.

I have finished 1st in several tournaments and I just fished in the moment and did not panic when my original plan did not go my way.

Most challenging part of tournament fishing

Figuring out those little green fish is the most challenging thing there is.

When tournaments don't go my way

Chalk it up as a lesson learned and move on.  You can usually learn more from failing than you do from winning.  

Advice to give to an aspiring tournament angler:

Do not get bent out of shape when you do not finish well.  I have donated more entry fee's than I have won.  

Some shared general bass fishing techniques for people just getting into the sport

The most important techique that I can think of is learn to read the water and the conditions.  When you can do that you improve your chances of success tremendously.