college scholarship offers going in, but by the end of his senior year he knew he was finished with baseball.
“ i was kind of heartbroken about it for a little while. from the time i was in grade school i was crazy about baseball and wanted that to be my focus in life,” he recalls.“ so when it didn’ t happen i knew i was supposed to find something else. When God closes one door, he always opens another.” in Weaver’ s case, the open door was an invitation from fellow Georgia fisherman Micah frazier to go fishing. the pair had first communicated through social media, and they soon became friends. after his parents agreed that he would forego college for a couple of years and try his hand at professional fishing, Weaver started travelling with frazier and became a tour co-angler in 2014. that year and the following season, Weaver finished 21st and 14th, respectively, in the coangler standings, which suggested he had potential. following that apprenticeship, he turned pro in 2016 and had a slow start, but last year he earned $ 29,200 in the costa flW series southeastern division and $ 56,700 through the tour. that was the stake he needed to continue.
“ after 2016, i prayed every night:‘ lord, if this is what You want me to do, i can’ t do it alone. if it’ s what You want me to keep doing, please show me a sign,’” says Weaver.“ My winnings in 2017 kept me going. it was a huge relief financially, and helped me stay on. i’ d have to say my most satisfying tournament in 2017 was the costa on okeechobee when i
“ finished second. considering the caliber of the fishermen in it, it gave my confidence level a big boost.”
SO WHEN IT DIDN’ T HAPPEN I KNEW I WAS SUPPOSED TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE. WHEN GOD CLOSES ONE DOOR, HE ALWAYS OPENS ANOTHER.
”
— joShUa weaveR
Natural-Born Hunter there was nothing about Weaver’ s background to suggest that he was a pro angler in the making. in his pre-teen years he occasionally went fishing with his father, Joey Weaver, and younger brother, daniel, but his real interest was deer hunting. daniel, now 20 and a tour co-angler, was the fisherman of the family and was a standout on his the Bass federation-affiliated high school fishing team. last summer on lake champlain, he won a costa event. in february of this year, he placed third as a co-angler at harris chain of lakes.
Joshua Weaver’ s growing interest in fishing began with his association with frazier, and provided him with something to do when he couldn’ t go after trophy bucks. it didn’ t hurt when he landed a job as a hunting manager for a central Georgia plantation, which provides a steady income, though not enough to feed his fishing habit.
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FLWFISHING. COM I JULY 2018