PHOTO BY GARRICK DIXON ring up the name Jacob Wheeler in any bass fishing crowd these days and the phrase , “ hottest angler on the planet ,” is likely to follow . Going into the 2022 Bass Pro Tour season , Wheeler ’ s list of fishing accolades at the age of 31 was already enough to put him in a league of his own . But it ’ s what he accomplished during the 2022 season that has left his fans , pundits and fellow competitors scratching their heads in awe .
With a Bally Bet Angler of the Year trophy now secured , Wheeler becomes the first back-to-back winner of the prestigious award in Major League Fishing history . En route to winning the title a second time , Wheeler dominated a top-ranked field of pros with an astounding margin of victory of 70 points . The spotlight once again has been cast on Wheeler ’ s lures , equipment and electronics to find the secrets of why he ’ s such a supreme competitor in the realm of tournament bass fishing .
While the mechanical and electronic tools certainly play a part in his success , Wheeler believes the more visceral reasons for his triumphs can be found in his upbringing .
In a sport where strong financial backing appears to increasingly bring competitive advantage for young anglers , Wheeler ’ s modest childhood was devoid of such affluence . His ability to excel in intense situations comes from a road of adversity and perseverance . During his childhood , fishing opportunities didn ’ t come easy . He grew up in Indianapolis , Indiana , which is not even close to any water that resembles what some would consider a good bass fishery .
“ My parents worked hard to provide the essentials ,” Wheeler recalls . “ It ’ s not like we did without , but luxuries like going to restaurants , wearing trendy clothes or going on vacations were out of the question . Needless to say , buying new bass boats and premium tackle or paying huge entry fees for bass tournaments weren ’ t happening either .
“ My sisters and I were homeschooled , and we learned a lot about chores and work at a very early age . If we didn ’ t do what needed to be done around the house , no one else did it for us . Responsibility was a raw reality early on . I loved fishing and it was my escape , but the house rules were : I had to finish all my schoolwork and chores before I could go fishing . Every day I would hustle to get it all done just to make a few casts down at the river in the fading daylight – it was my reward . Fishing was my motivation to live up to my responsibilities and keep moving forward , and that has been a lesson that has served me well in this career .”
Hustling up Luck
When Wheeler was a teenager , his father Curtis took him to the annual boating and sporting shows around Indianapolis where Wheeler was introduced to local “ big-time ” bass pros with fancy boats and shirts laden with patches . Those pros performed tank and casting demos for the crowds . Wheeler absorbed every bit of the atmosphere , plotting a way to become a part of it .
At those shows , the teenage Wheeler would brazenly challenge pros to casting contests – for money . His dad recalls stories of how his son earned money at the shows .
“ I ’ d give Jacob five bucks to go bet pros that he could cast better than they could ,” the Wheeler patriarch remembers . “ He would win five bucks off one guy and then go challenge another , and then another . Pretty soon he had a pocket full of money .”
Curtis never had doubt in his son ’ s ability to beat the pros .
“ As a kid , Jacob spent hours in the back yard casting , pitching and flipping a lure into a coffee cup ,” he recalls . “ It didn ’ t matter how cold it was outside , he would pile up a mound of snow , stand on it and cast for hours until he could ring that cup with any kind of lure .”
In addition to hustling pros in casting contests , Wheeler also shoveled snow in the winters and mowed grass in the summers for money . He would use the money to buy lures to tie onto fishing rods he borrowed from his dad . Fishing opportunities were meager
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