Tristen Turley
Growing up, I fished countless farm ponds and community ponds where throwing any bait almost guaranteed a bite. I grew up reading B.A.S.S. magazines and dreaming about catching fish like Kevin VanDam, Mike Iaconelli, Greg Hackney, all the guys who make it look easy. So, when I turned 16, I decided it was time to invest the money I made from building fences into a boat. Little did I know, bass fishing a lake took more skill and knowledge when compared to a farm pond.
I started with what I like to call “research,” which consisted of watching tips and tricks on how to fish lakes for bass on YouTube. After watching every Bassmaster event on YouTube, I decided I was ready to tackle lake fishing. It wasn’t easy, but after a few trips to the lake and draining my bank account on lures, rods and reels, I slowly began to figure out how to catch bass out of lakes. With \each fish I caught, I paid specific attention to where I caught the fish, what the water depth and temperature was, and the weather conditions. As time has passed, I’ve grown to know what lures to fish with, how to fish them, and what parts of the lake guarantee the best chance at pulling out a nice fish.
For some people, fishing is a hobby, a chance to pass time. But to me it's more than that. It is something that drives me, and pushes me to be better. My obsession with fishing got bad enough that any spare change would go toward tackle, and I would skip lunches and save my money to put toward a new rod. Anything that I could do to benefit me on the water, I did. Soon enough, I got a bigger and better boat to accommodate my needs.
I got involved on a local bass fishing team and began fishing tournaments and small jackpots across northern Oklahoma. This is where my love for fishing exploded. By nature, I’m a very driven and competitive person, and fishing in tournaments allowed me to not only engage in something I love but challenged my skills and knowledge against other anglers.
Nowadays, fishing is something that is always on my mind, and I fish every chance I get. People think I’m crazy when I pull my boat to school just so I can swing by the lake on my way home. I enjoy more than anything taking friends and family out, especially those who have never been exposed to lake fishing or fishing at all, and showing them exactly how my love for the sport started.
I want to share my knowledge with anyone who has an obsession with fishing and the outdoors as much as I do. Hopefully, with enough hard work and dedication, I can someday compete as a Bassmaster Elite angler.
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