MISSISSIPPI RIVER ROOTS AND A TITLE 34 YEARS IN THE MAKING
JIMMY WASHAM ’ S LIFE — AND BASS FISHING DREAMS — BEGAN 700 MILES DOWNSTREAM
By Joe Sills
J immy Washam Jr . rushed home when he got the call . As he sped through the Memphis suburbs , the frantic voice of the babysitter rushed through his head . His little boy , she said , had some sort of parasite , evidenced by an unnatural “ alien creature ” freshly deposited in his child ’ s diaper .
The child in question was the 2021 Tackle Warehouse TITLE winner , Jimmy Washam III . And the alien parasite , which manifested itself some three decades ago ? A 6-inch soft plastic lizard that he ’ d been playing with in dad ’ s boat .
“ Dad couldn ’ t stop laughing ,” recalls the younger Washam , who doesn ’ t remember eating the lizard , but does recollect using it to play with freshly caught bass in dad ’ s livewell the day before .
Thus began a lifelong love of bass fishing that culminated in capturing the sport ’ s most memorable trophy in August – the red and silver championship belt , seemingly ripped from the shelves of Memphis-born wrestling legend Ric Flair ’ s trophy room , that belongs to the TITLE champion . The strap came with a $ 200,000 payday that would make The Nature Boy himself proud .
50 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2021