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made the leap to the flW tour in 2014 at age 24, fresh out of college at clemson university. only, cobb admits, he was“ a little green” that first season. in fact, while it’ s easy to focus on the early successes at the Bfl level, it wasn’ t all top 10s and cashed checks leading up to his tour debut.
“ i’ ll admit, i lost a lot,” says cobb.“ i got my teeth kicked in for a while, especially once i started trying to fish at the regional level. the year after i graduated, yeah, i finished second and third in those two Bfl Regionals to make the all-american, but i also fished the B. a. s. s. southern opens and was absolutely horrible.
“ But that’ s what made me a better fisherman. i never got discouraged. i always would spend time looking at what i could’ ve done differently to improve. and that year fishing the opens, i think i needed that to get the jitters out. i mean, when cody Meyer or Brent ehrler pulls up beside you, that’ s like‘ holy crap’ when you’ re only 23.” cobb’ s rookie season on tour told the story. he finished 154th in his first event at lake okeechobee, though, to be fair, reigning forrest Wood cup champ John cox finished 175th in the same tournament. cobb’ s next event was on lake hartwell, which was the one tournament he was banking on, since it’ s among his home waters. he cut his first check, but after day one he was in 93rd.
“ i remember thinking,‘ What am i doing? Why am i fishing this way? i’ ve never fished this way before in my life,’” cobb recalls.“ the second day i went out and fished it like i would a local tournament and rebounded [ to finish 36th ], but that was just one of many mistakes i made that year.” cobb wound up finishing 99th in points, though that’ s a bit misleading as he had to
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skip one of the events to fish the Bfl all-american he’ d qualified for the previous year. his was a rookie season marked with many mistakes, yet it laid the groundwork for future success. cobb’ s second season saw him cut checks in the first five tournaments. he finished 17th in points and qualified for his first forrest Wood cup, which would prove pivotal. the 2015 cup at lake ouachita would serve as his coming-out party in the fishing world. there, cobb found himself in third after day one. as it turned out it was not a fluke, as he stayed consistent throughout the championship and ended up finishing third for his first top 10 at the pro level. he only notched one more top 10 in his third season, but again, it was in the forrest Wood cup at Wheeler lake. |
“ it’ s a little frustrating, because i’ ve only made a top 10 at the cup,” says cobb.“ i’ m usually better at tough tournaments, though, and that’ s the cup.” there’ s no doubt the 2016 cup was among the toughest ever due to intense heat and a pressured fishery. for cobb, though, the 2016 cup was challenging for more than just the fishing.
hot dogs, flowers and support
When you’ re 24 years old and become a professional fisherman, it begs one big question: how? how does a recent college graduate make the jump so quickly? how does he afford the boat, entry fees and travel expenses? the answer lies where the people of Greenwood county go for the best barbecue sandwiches and hot dogs:
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Barrett’ s. part gas station, part convenience store, part tire shop, part flower shop, Barrett’ s is the family business founded by cobb’ s grandparents, John and lounettie Barrett. and as supportive as cobb’ s parents have been in his career, his grandfather has been as well – and then some.
“ i wouldn’ t be where i am today without my granddad,” says cobb.“ he wasn’ t even a fisherman. he was just always proud of me and what i was trying to do.
“ every time i’ d come back from a tournament and i said i didn’ t win or do well, he’ d always say,‘ You’ ll win the next one.’” don’ t think cobb was gifted his first season on tour, though. he’ d pocketed his fair share of money from his local and regional tournaments, and paid for everything he could with it. But
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