Here Comes 5oz

Chef turns to pro fishing – we’ve heard that before. Goes like this: Peter T.

But this time it’s not BASS it’s FLW, and the chef goes by 5oz – guess that’s pronounced 5-O-Z?

More from the Miami Herald:

> For four years, Anthony Hunt, upscale chef, has been preparing for a career as a professional bass fisherman. Fishing for a living is something he has yearned for since childhood, growing up in a family of chefs in Laurel, Del.

> The 34-year-old Tamarac resident and father of three boys has fished as a co-angler, or amateur in the FLW Tournament circuit, winning $5,000 for third place at February’s Wal-Mart FLW Tour Event on Lake Okeechobee. One of a few African Americans in bass tournament fishing, Hunt’s moniker is 5oz, representing the amount of weight by which he lost a chance to compete in his first national event back in 2004. “Every good superhero needs a name. I took it and ran with it,” Hunt said, smiling. “The goal is not to blend in.” [Smart!]

> He may be the only fisherman to score a sponsorship with renowned tattoo artist Ed Hardy’s fashion line. “Four years ago, I was getting a lot of [sponsor] no’s. Now, not too many no’s,” Hunt said.

> Hunt and Adam Schulze, a Hollywood videographer, are producing a television show they plan to shop around to YouTube, Facebook and outdoor cable television channels, called Practice Day with 5oz. If that doesn’t work out, Hunt’s got a couple other ideas. Think Chopped or Top Chef on the Food Network.

I like this guy. (Here’s his website.) Intelligent planning, media-savvy. Now we just need to find out if he has the chops to hang with the big boys. Seems to be doing okay on the FLW co-angler side….