AOY Scott Canterbury o’ course — and the Qs are dead serious o’ course:
1. Since the highest you ever got in the points on the FLW Tour was 8th, can you say that the Elites are a bunch of wusses and deserved to get a beat-down from you this year? (Heehee!)
> “Most definitely not. I think it was a super-humbling field. I had some really good years at FLW and had been in the hunt for [AOY] with couple tournaments left…[then] had a bomb. You just can’t do that.
> “There’s no wusses out here on this trail. They’re all a bunch of hungry guys, and I think it made me step up my fishing a little more. I just had a lot of things that went my way this year too.”
2. With 5 top 12 finishes in 9 tourneys, can you explain that 49th at Fork — were you even trying in that one? Did you check in early??
> “No I didn’t check in early [laughs]. Guntersville and Lake Fork were the 2 I looked forward to the most because I’d been to them before and had preconceived notions on how I was going to catch them. But I tried to force it, and you can’t do that.
> “Over half [the Elite lakes] I’d never been to, so I had to fish what they looked like that week. I fished the moment and it seemed to work out better that way. Like at Winyah — day 2 I struggled so bad…I caught 7 lbs…. Day 3 I just went fishing up the river and caught 17 lbs….”
3. How many times did you think about gang-tackling Zaldain and shaving his mustache?
> “[Lol] that’s pretty good! None! He had that mustache going and he had his vibe going — he called it the smallmouth mustache. He had one of the best years anyone could ever have. I looked to see how in the world he didn’t win AOY…he had one of those bombs. But he had an outstanding year for sure.”
4. What kind of food disgusts you the most?
> “Anything with mayonnaise on it, or cream cheese. I don’t eat much that’s got white stuff on it. The only thing white I eat is whipped cream.”
5. Okay then what’s your favorite kind of donut?
> “I don’t eat a whole lot of sweets. I stayed with Jay Yelas [on tour], and we stopped at Krispy Kreme, which is my favorite. I had a Reese’s peanut butter donut and it was the best I’ve ever had…peanut butter-flavored and chocolate icing. It was unbelievable. I had 2 — wish I’d have gotten 4.”
Love it! Nice influence Yelas…lol. Couple actually serious Qs:
Were you nervous at any point about the points race?
> “I’m sure I was, but not like I have been in the past. …halfway through the season I knew I had a chance at it. It felt weird — I felt at peace with it all year. Even during the final tournament I felt at peace with it.
> “It worked out that way all year. Things don’t always go your way but they did this year.”
I read that you had a Bible verse for the year — what was it?
> “Psalm 16:8 — I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
> “My rookie year on the FLW Tour…my wife came down with cervical cancel [while he was at] the 2nd tournament. I came home…didn’t practice the last day and half…. She wanted me to fish, and I ended up finishing 2nd place in that tournament — I won $50K in the 2nd [FLW] I’d ever fished.
> “The 3rd tournament was at Lake Norman…surgery was scheduled for the day after the tournament…. I finished 3rd at that tournament…a lake I’d never been to.
> “That was her verse. It got her through a lot of things. She’s doing well. She’s been cancer-free ever since, 12 years now….”
Congrats to ya man and bless you both. Awesome.