June 21, 2019

Ott DeFoe on the Business of Professional Bassing

Mossy Oak Fishing recently spoke with Ott DeFoe of Tennessee, the winner of the 2019 Bassmaster Classic, about the business of professional bass fishing.

Ott DeFoe Bassmaster Classic Champion

When you won the Bassmaster Classic in 2019, what effect did it have on your family?

My children, my wife, my uncles and my nieces and nephews had people telling them that they saw them on TV and watched me win the Classic. People I didn’t know came up to me and told me how glad they were for me that I had won. I think my kinfolks were more excited about people knowing I was kin to them than I was about winning the Classic. While I was driving down the road, doing the interview for this Mossy Oak blog, a truck driver went by, seemed to know who I was and tooted his horn at me.

As far as me personally, I just thought I was busy before the Classic. But I seem to be twice as busy since then. I’m working with my sponsors, talking to new sponsors and trying to keep up with my fishing and my other responsibilities. I’d always heard that winning the Classic was a life-changing experience, but I really didn’t understand, and nobody could understand, what would happen and how your life would change until you’d had a Classic win and saw how very busy you’d become and would be.

How important was your wife to your fishing business before the 2019 Classic, and how important is she after your Classic win?

Jennie always has been important to my fishing business. I was on the road 200 days last year before I won the Classic, and I’ll probably be on the road more days this year. She handles all the phone calls and my appointments, makes my hotel reservations and works with my sponsors. I know I couldn’t do this effectively without her. For instance, we’ve got the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) show coming up. She will have set my schedule. She also sets up my phone to beep every time I need to leave an appointment to get to another appointment. Then I’m always on time. She allows me to spend my time and energy concentrating on my fishing, and she handles the rest of the business of bass fishing.

Watch Ott DeFoe's journey as a bass fisherman and learn more from his experience on his video series on Mossy Oak GO. Download the app and watch for free!

Ruger American Rifles: Specific Guns for Specific Jobs

Read on to learn more about the benefits of Ruger American Rifles from Mossy Oak.

Big Game, Deer, Predator, Gear, Mossy Oak Gamekeepers, Firearm

Latest Content

Toxey Haas's Tips for Brushing in a Duck Blind

Toxey Haas loves to hunt ducks. In these videos, he takes us through his essential kit for brushing in and repairing a duck blind as well as how he prepares his duck blinds every year.

Waterfowl, How-To

Mossy Oak's Woodsman Series is Back

The Mossy Oak Woodsman Series is Back. Rooted in everything core hunters expected from us in the early days, the Woodsman collection is thoughtfully designed, constructed with quality materials, quiet fabrics, sturdy stitching and of course, our timeless camouflage patterns. We're proud to celebrate the core of hunting, woodsmanship, and with seasonal collections on the horizon, we're excited to open the archives, add a few things and re-introduce these classic designs. The Mossy Oak Woodsman

Turkey, Big Game, Small Game, Deer, Waterfowl, Predator, Conservation, Land Management, Gear, Mossy Oak

From the Archive: Deer Calling Tips from the Pros

Originally published in the 1994 Mossy Oak Bowhunting Magazine, this article talks to professionals like Will Primos on calling in deer.

Deer

How a Fistful of Dirt Started a Revolution

"That day was the beginning of a revolution in hunter concealment. It was the beginning of Mossy Oak, America's most effective concealment system."

Turkey, Deer

From the Archive: Ask the Pros! Mossy Oak Experts Answer Key Questions

"Pay attention as Mossy Oak Pro Staffers Will Walker, Mark Drury, Mike Fine and Stan Oakes--archery hunting's A Team--delve deep into the sport for insight and info that only they can provide."

Deer, Bow

From the Archives: Tune-Up Clinic

Originally published in the 1994 edition of Mossy Oak Bowhunting Magazine, this article discusses how to make sure your bowhunting set up is perfect come season.

Big Game, Deer, Bow

From the Archives: Bob Dixon and Steve Burnett on the Art of Mix and Matching Camo

By Terry Madewell, originally published in the 1994 edition of Mossy Oak Bowhunting Magazine As big whitetail bucks are inclined to do, this one had done the unexpected. I'd studied this buck's pattern for a couple of weeks, being extremely careful not to leave any scent in the wrong places. I'd selected a stand site where the dense underbrush funneled into a 40-yard-wide strip. I was sure this was where he would walk and I

Turkey, Big Game, Deer, Waterfowl, Predator, How-To

Fall Foraging: Nuts, Mushrooms, and Fruit

Check out Mossy Oak's foraging mushrooms, nuts and fruit post and learn why fall is the easiest time to forage for Beka Garris.

How-To, Ingredient Wild

How to Use onX to Map Out Your Rut Hunting Plans

Here’s a look at how to use onX Hunt to map out your rut hunting plans in the weeks ahead.

Deer, Land Management, How-To

Field Judging Black Bears

Ask any experienced hunter and they’ll tell you that black bears are among the most difficult big game animals to field judge. Part of that is because they’re far less common than deer, so hunters just don’t get much experience seeing them. And part is just the nature of the beast. Any large, black carnivorous animal will look big, especially if you don’t have something for scale nearby.

Big Game, How-To

Black Bear Season Primer

Hunting tactics can be broken down into several schools of thought. Here's a 101-style overview on what to expect this fall if you're bear hunting for the first time.

Big Game, How-To

3 Hill Country Stand Locations for the Whitetail Rut

These key spots funnel deer into tighter spaces, condensing activity and greatly improving your odds of not just seeing more deer, but filling your tag when it counts most.

Deer

Explore All Posts