What Truck, Boat and Outboard does George run?

2017 Triton 21 TrX Elite - Mercury 250 Pro XS

Ram 1500 Laramie Edition - that Hemi is AWESOME!!

My Sponsors

I greatly appreciate the assistance of the following companies who support me in my fishing endeavors.  I am proud to work with all of them to promote their products and services to increase their brand awareness and market share.

American Bass Anglers Inc.

Amphibia Performance Eye Gear

Hi-Seas Fishing Line

Mercury Marine

Owner Hooks

Power-Pole

Temple Fork Outfitter Rods

V&M Baits

What George does for a living:

I teach business and computer courses at the University of Arkansas - Pulaski Technical College.

What you should know about George:

I am a 30 year veteran of the USAF.  I spent most of my time repairing and calibrating precision equipment used to maintain various weapon systems.  The last two years were the most rewarding; I was the Chief of Quality Assurance for aircraft maintenance at Little Rock AFB.

I earned my Doctorate of Business Administration, Management concentration in Dec 2017.  My research interests include work-life balance...how to find more time to fish.

How George started fishing

I started fishing for bass from the shores of local lakes in San Diego County using 8# test line, 4 inch woms, and 1/64 oz bullet weights.  I would "stitch" the worm back to the shore.  My best bass weighed 14 lbs 6 oz with many others topping the 8# mark.

I started competing in tournaments in high school.  We didn't have boats so we fished from the shore and kept fish on stringers...there were no dead fish penalties.

I began fishing ABA (MBAA) tournaments in 1986 from the back of the boat.  I had some success from the back deck and eventually bought my own boat to compete from the front deck.

Aspirations or goals with fishing

I'd like to win the Ray Scott Championship and move back up into the AAA circuits sometime in the near future.  Additionally, I enjoy promotiong companies that provide quality service and produce quality fishing gear.  I'd like to get further entrenched in the fishing industry promoting quality fishng services and products since fishing has been the driving force in my life.

Favorite way to fish

I have become a big fan of throwing a homemade bladed jig with a V&M Baits Baby Swamp Hog trailer.  I pour my jigheads on Owner hooks and I make my own custom color skirts.  I throw a 1/2 oz bladed jig on 20lb Hi-Seas Quattro Fluorocarbon line fished on a Temple Fork Outfitters 7' 3" heavy action rod and a Lew's BB1 Pro Speed SpooI.  I also enjoy flipping and pitching soft plastic baits rigged on Owner Hooks to shallow cover using a 7' 9" Temple Fork Outfitters XH rod, Lew's BB1 Pro Speed Spool, and Hi-Seas 65# braided line.  I've caught fish on a bladed jig in every month of the year and in water temps from the low 40's to the upper 80's.  

Most exciting fishing experience

My most exciting fishing experience was a 3-day trip with some friends to Lake Fork several years ago.  I caught two "overs" (over 24 inches) and numerous bass up to 6 lbs.  Most every fish was caught flipping and pitching soft plastics.  I estimate I caught 50 fish over 4 lbs and just as many under 4 lbs during the trip.

How George preps for a tournament

I consider the time of the year and study lake maps and satellite photos to help determine areas I am likely to catch fish. I research the Internet for recent trends, popular techniques and winning weights for the time of year I am competing.  If I have experience on the body of water, I review my personal fishing log to see if any of the current condtions match previous conditions.

I also make sure my boat, trailer, motor, and trolling motor are in good working condition.  I've seen too many guys trying to get a trolling motor or running lights working while on the water waiting for take-off.

I prep and maintain my fishing tackle, clean up my boat from the last event and replenish tackle and baits as needed so I am ready to fish multiple days.

Three favorite search baits

Vibrating jigs have become my primary search bait is shallower water when water temperatures are above 50 degrees.  I have found the vibrating jig to be very versatile around all types of cover and water clarities.

Crankbaits are my go to search baits for deeper presentations when I'm trying to cover a lot of water.  Bass are focused on baitfish or crayfish most of the year and a crankbait really does the trick of imitating both depending on the color selected and how they are presented.

Jigs are my search baits to probe deep ledges and drops in the winter and summer.  If I can't get bit on a jig, I'll switch to a deep diving crankbait and give the fish a different look.

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

My best finish was winning a 2-day Ram Open Series Divisional Championship.  Heavy rains pushed the water level up and the fish were on the banks.  I threw a white swim jig and worked it from the bank to the inside edge of the emergent grass.  Most bites can within 2 cranks of the bank.  I won the event by .01 lbs.

Winning the 2017 ABA American Fishing Tour AOY is up there as well.  Most every fish I weighed in came on a 1/2 oz homemade bladed jig.

Most challenging part of tournament fishing

The most challenging aspect of tournament fishing is being efficient in actions and decisions throughout the entire day.  The clock is always ticking and being efficient with the time available is crucial.  Deciding when to leave a location, change baits, or change tactics can be the difference between winning and not winning.

When tournaments don't go my way

Regardles of how I finish at a tournament, I reflect back on the event and consider it a learning experience.  I take the time driving home from an event to analyze my practice time and tournament execution to determine what went well and what didn't go so well so that I can learn and increase my proficiency.  I capture the good's and the bad's in my fishing log for future reference.

Advice to give to an aspiring tournament angler:

Spend as much time on the water as you can.  Make mental notes throughout the day and keep a log of your fishing adventures.  Keeping a fishing log is a great way to identify patterns for future use and prepare for future tournaments under similar conditions.

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

A Texas-rigged 6-inch worm is a great way to start.  Let the worm sink to the bottom and move the worm by slowly lifting your rod tip to the 1 o'clock position.  Pause your rod and let the worm settle back to the bottom before dropping your rod and reeling in the slack line.  Continue to do this until your worm is back to the shore or boat.  Most bites will come when the bait stops or when the bait first begins to move.  A 6-inch Texas-rigged worm has probably caught more bass than all other baits combined.