|
Who is this dude? Won the most money ever with soon to be fellow Auburn Elitist Tucker Smith at that Bass Pro Shops US Open, then bought a Lambo and hung out with the stars in Nashville, then decided to fish the Elites. Or something like that...😁 Also has a real cool college-HS tourney every year. Had to learn more, here we go.
1. What were the biggest surprises for you your rookie year?
> "Probably like how I knew everyone was good, but it was still surprising to see how good everyone was.
> "No matter how good you think you did, always at least a few guys had a better day than you. Even when it's tough conditions and they're not biting well, they still catch literally everything that swims out there.
> "So I would say that's biggest surprise – how good everybody is."
2. Do you love using FFS or do you just use it because it's effective?
> "I just love fishing dude. I like catching fish.
> "We all love catching them on topwater and on a frog. I went to LaCrosse this year for the Open and caught 18 lbs on a frog. It was one of the most fun days fishing I've ever had, but there's not many places you can go do that and compete. That's just the way it is.
> "Fishing has changed, we've adapted and the pressure is unbelievable no matter where we go in the country. Every place gets blown up on social media and it gets really tough.
> "I like [FFS] – it's a lot of fun. But I like fishing any way they'll bite and I have to do what I need to do to catch 'em."
3. What's your favorite way to catch 'em?
> "...I did have one of my best days of fishing of all time at LaCrosse a couple months ago, on the Berkley Swamp Lord. I literally ran to my spot, dropped my Raptors, and made the same cast for 6 hours and caught a fish or had a bite almost every single cast. It was unbelievable.
> "I literally had a rash and it scabbed over – my side was so sore from winching those suckers out on 65-lb braid. So catching a big largemouth in the slop is definitely up there for me.
> "Either that or swimming a jig. I grew up on the Coosa River, and swimming a jig on that bank grass is hard to beat.
> "Contrary to popular belief it's not shaking a minnow, but I do really like that too."
4. Pairing a HS fishermen with a college one at your tournament is a really cool idea. What's your thinking there?
> "...I always loved bass fishing but I didn't really have that mentor in my family to teach me how to tournament bass-fish. My dad pond-fished some and my grandparents pond-fished, so I kind of grew up fishing in ponds.... I'd go to the golf course every day after school, me and my buddies...but never tournament-fished.
> "Me and my buddy started our HS fishing team and he was the same way – he just liked fishing. Luckily we got to know some people – Jordan Lee and some of the other guys on the Auburn Bass Team...really mentored us and taught us a lot. ...taught me about what fishing is, how to approach a tournament day...sometimes it's better to fish for 5 bites all day. Stuff like that.
> "I realized I was super-fortunate to have that opportunity to learn at a quick rate thanks to the college guys who took us fishing. A lot of HS guys are in the same shoes I was...don't have anyone to mentor them and teach them. So I wanted to create an opportunity for everybody.
> "That was the purpose of starting the Logan Parks Fishing Foundation...bringing those 2 groups together. That's what it's about, passing the torch.
> "If we don't get more guys into fishing, it seems like the sport is somewhat in the decline with how negative everyone is on social media. My goal is to make sure people don't quit fishing because of a lack of opportunity."
[How #stout is that! Remember he's a 20-something Elite rookie doing this.]
5. If you're going fun-fishing right now, what are you throwing?
> "I've been throwing the Berkley Krej a lot lately. There's 3 sweet new colors that I've been chucking a bunch around the house...they're really juicy.
> "I love this time of year because the bait gets high in the water column a lot of places around here, and I chase those fish that are roaming on the bait...the middle of creeks, the edges of points, stuff like that. I see a lot of groups of 2-3 fish right under the surface...even just singles I see on FFS. They won't really bite a Damiki-style jighead minnow as easily because it's so high in the water column.
> "When Berkley came out with the Krej, I was like, This the deal for those fish. You can bomb it out there and reel it on the surface or slightly subsurface over those fish, and catch one almost every time."
Gear deets
> Krej: 7' M Abu Garcia Veritas Winch Rod, Abu Zenon MG-X Reel (8.3 – "I'm burning it typically pretty fast"), 12-lb Berkley Trilene 100% Fluoro.
|
