TAKEOFF
ANGLER PROFILE
OLD DOGS AND NEW TRICKS
I
TWO ANGLERS JUMP THE GENERATION GAP TO SHARE FISHING EXPERIENCE
n today’s ultracompetitive bass tour-
nament environment, it’s not uncom-
mon to see young anglers team up
and share information with each other
in an effort to bridge the experience gap
between them and veteran fishermen.
Even Justin Atkins, the most recent
Forrest Wood Cup winner, says his
friendships with other young anglers
he met in the college fishing scene are
critical to his success. If anything, the
constant information flow among the
new generation has certainly helped
their cause.
FLW Tour pro Alex Davis, however,
has taken a different tack than his mil-
lennial cohorts in seeking out a principal
confidant with whom to share fishing
secrets. Instead of teaming up with
someone of his own age and experience
level, Davis jumped the generation gap
and befriended T-H Marine FLW Bass
Fishing League icon Marshall Deakins.
Over the last eight years, Deakins,
65, and Davis, 32, have become trusted
buddies on and off the water who ben-
efit each other’s fishing efforts despite
their 33-year age difference.
Davis is a full-time fishing guide in
Albertville, Ala., and Deakins is a custom
cabinet builder in Dunlap, Tenn. The
common ground that solidified their
unique partnership is Lake Guntersville,
where both anglers have compiled
By Rob Newell
PhOTOS By chRIS IRWIN
impressive regional resumes. Collectively
they own a total of seven FLW wins on
Guntersville: four BFL wins for Deakins
and three victories for Davis, including a
Costa FLW Series win in 2012.
In 2017, both anglers reached new
highs: Davis, who is fishing in his sev-
enth season on the FLW Tour this year,
experienced his best season yet with a
41st-place finish in the standings, and
Deakins won the BFL All-American on
Pickwick Lake.
When asked what has made the dif-
ference in their best fishing season to
date, each one points to the other, put-
ting their close friendship at the top of
the list of reasons.
Despite a 33-year age gap, Marshall Deakins and Alex Davis have become best friends and fishing partners, a relationship that has benefitted each in his career.
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