What Truck, Boat and Outboard does Travis run?

I run a 2015 Nitro Z-8, powered by a Mercury ProXS 225, and I get my rig to the fishing destination with my 2500 Dodge Ram Diesel!

My Sponsors

I am sponsored by Nitro boats, Mercury marine, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Chompers, Pink Fishing, Craw-Cane fish attractants.

What Travis does for a living:

I am a foreman for a contractor company that does many different trades such as scaffolding, sheet metal,  insulation, and hydro blasting to name a few

What you should know about Travis:

I've been tournament fishing from the age of 9, which would be roughly 30 years now!

I have a wife and son that help me prep for my tournaments.

My mom and dad are my biggest supporters.

How Travis started fishing

My dad got me started fishing and he then started to run a small tournament trail which is where I got introduced to tournaments. Now, 30 years later, I still cannot get enough of the competition.

Aspirations or goals with fishing

I would love to make a Classic or the FLW Cup. 

Favorite way to fish

I prefer to pitch an flip heavy cover and docks, but will do what it takes to catch those green and brown fish.

Most exciting fishing experience

I few years back and every year since we was able to have 4 generations out fishing in a friendly competition. My dad and my son was a team and my grandpa and I was a team. So far we are tied at 1 win each? Anytime I get to spend with all 4 generations is my most exciting trip fishing. With this group it's hard to tell what will happen?

How Travis preps for a tournament

Once I get the tournament location announced I start preparing. I start by gathering lake information such as, what forage is there, lake composition, cover, summer pool. Then I start gathering area info, hotel/motel, emergency numbers and location. Then I start with google maps, aerial photos, tournament results for that time of year, and map study. Pre fish comes and I am on the water from safe light till dark running pre determined weigh points and fine tuning my game plan and different patterns!

Three favorite search baits

While running a lake searching for fish I will use a buzz bait , spinnerbait, and a swimbait!

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

I had a tournament win severals years ago where I had found a pattern that nobody around was running that day. What I did was target the outside corners of docks that was on the shady side on a depth change of about 8' from the inside corners. If it didn't have that drop I would only catch smaller fish. I was using 3 baits to catch my fish a jerkbait in white color, a swim jig in white with a paddle tail trailer to match, and a small shad swimbait. I would use all the baits on these deep shaded corners and cover lots of water. I probably hit close to 200 dock corners that day and went through 4 limits of bass!

Most challenging part of tournament fishing

The most challenging part of tournament fishing would be all the time I have to spend away from my family. They go to as many event as they can, but with have a son in school and my tournaments running pretty much 10 months out of the year it's hard.

When tournaments don't go my way

I take them as a learning experience! I keep track of my events good or bad, so I can look back at them when I return to that location. Good notes help for future events, what the water temp/level was, weather conditions, time of year, what I did, what the top finishers did and so forth. The more info you can gather the easier your return trip will be.

Advice to give to an aspiring tournament angler:

Start on the back deck (co-angler) learn as much as you can from as many guys/gals as can before jumping straight to the front deck. Each person has something that they do different that can be a big difference in catch fish or catching winning limits. Pay attention to what they are willing to share with you.

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

Take time to learn how to properly fish a Texas rig bait, a crankbait, and a top water bait. Use the proper rod for each bait. These three presentations will go a long way.