What Truck, Boat and Outboard does Robert run?

I run a 2023 Nitro Z21 XL with a Mercury 250 Pro XS and tow it with a Dodge Ram 1500 with a Hemi.

My Sponsors

Sponsors include:

Larry's Marine Wichita Falls TX.

Marksmen Firearms and Outfitters

Pride Rods

Discount Tire

Texas RoadHouse

DABA Custom Lures

Primitive Cuts

Line Cutterz

Evolv Fishing

 

What Robert does for a living:

I curently work for M1 Support Services at Sheppard AFB TX as the T-6 Branch Manger

We provide the maintenance on T-38 and T-6 trainer aircraft for the 80th Flying Training Wing / Euro-Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training Program producing the best pilots in the world.

What you should know about Robert:

I am a 20 year Veteran of the USAF. My career consisted in aircraft maintenance on T-37, T-38, F-15's and Quality Assurance.

Love sports, my 2 children and spend as much time on water as I can.

How Robert started fishing

Always loved fishing as a kid in the creeks and ponds in Arkansas but really got into bass fishing on lake Amistad in Del Rio TX at my first duty assignment at Laughlin AFB TX. Got into fishing tournaments in North Carolina while stationed at Seymour Johnson AFB NC.

Aspirations or goals with fishing

Well of course to win the ABA national tournament someday and to promote the ABA and bass tournament fishing in the area.

Favorite way to fish

My favorites are to worm fish, pitch and flip creature baits and jigs. Love to feel that thump then set the hook!

Most exciting fishing experience

Winning the the ABA 112 two day championship on lake Arrowhead with 27.13  pounds and finishing 20th at the 2012 Nationals on lake Grand OK.

How Robert preps for a tournament

Prefish a few days before the tournament and study my notes from previous tournaments on that particular lake.

Three favorite search baits

All depends on the time of the year but my graph first then swimbaits and soft plastics. Once i find them then I will thoroughly fish the area with jigs and worms.

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

On Lake Ray Roberts throwing chatter baits in the hydrilla and catching 18 pounds and wining 1st place.

Most challenging part of tournament fishing

For me its having the patience to keep working an area thoroughly before giving up on it and moving. The fish are there and sometimes you just have to wait for them to come to you.

When tournaments don't go my way

Shake it off and analyze what I did wrong and right to make those adjustments necessary to be competitive at the next tournament. More time on the water always helps also.

Advice to give to an aspiring tournament angler:

Practice as often as possible and to realize what your strentgh is and stick with, perfect it before moving on to the next style of fishing. Patience and not get frustrated when fishing gets tough and you can bet that it will.

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

When just starting off with bass fishing, keep it simple. Start off by learning how to catch bass on spinner baits, crankbaits and worms. Once you've caught fish on those techniques then progress into some of the more technical baits to improve your game.