“ I call you Champ because someday you will be a champ – a true champion , many times over .”
PHOTO BY PHOENIX MOORE rarely saddled by hesitation or ambivalence . He is always thinking two or three ( or more ) steps ahead . His brain is always processing mental calculations that factor in variables such as fishing pressure , impending conditions , cut weights and where he is on SCORETRACKER ®.
Wheeler ’ s in-boat workflow and organization are impeccable . There ’ s very little stumbling over stuff or fumbling around for tools or a piece of tackle or draining the game clock tying on lures . Duplicity is built into every system on the boat for backup . He has multiple rigs of the same lures in the rod box . If something breaks off , there ’ s another duplicate rigged and ready . When he gets a school fired up , it ’ s like watching a fish-processing machine stack weight by volume . His intensity of process only grows with the urgency of the situation , and he makes its all look so effortless .
The Safe Spaces in Between
Another critical facet to Wheeler ’ s success is creating a positive work environment on tour and at home . Given the gritty challenges of professional fishing , pro tours can be overwrought with a degree of despondency that ’ s fueled by everything from bad weather to stingy fishing conditions to industry politics . Stew in it long enough and bad attitudes can envelope anglers , sealing them into a permanent funk .
“ I ’ m lucky to have a great group of guys that I travel with ,” Wheeler says . “ Early in my career , I ran across Adrian Avena , Mark Daniels Jr . and Dustin Connell ; we were all just some dudes trying to make it in this crazy fishing business . Over time , we all became
great friends . We stay together at tournaments to make a home away from home . Our primary goal is to keep things positive , upbeat and fun in the house every night .”
Wheeler adds that his wife , Alicia , and his media producer , Brody McWilliams , are also part of the team that keeps a supportive environment intact .
“ In the evenings , after dinner , we always find something different to compete in for fun ,” Wheeler says . “ Whether it ’ s ping pong or bags or basketball or foosball or cards – whatever the rental house has , we ’ ll play it . The idea is to get fishing off our minds for a while , cheer each other up and get everyone in a positive mindset .”
From ‘ Champ ’ to Champion
When asked what amazes him most about his domination of the professional fishing world at his age , Wheeler ’ s response centers on defying the odds based on his background .
“ I grew up on the corner of 52nd Street and Broadway in Indianapolis , in a modest , hard-working household with two sisters ,” he says . “ We didn ’ t have a lot in terms of material things , and fishing opportunities were pretty slim . I had to borrow boats and rods and sleep in my truck in motel parking lots the first year I fished BFLs . I was working on the thinnest of margins at all times . I mean , if you look at the odds of me getting to where I am today … it ’ s just crazy .”
In retrospect , Wheeler says he simply didn ’ t know any better at the time . He wasn ’ t intimidated , nor envious , of all the high-end gear strapped to his competitors ’ boats that supposedly constituted an advantage . He was somehow immune to the concept of other anglers having better equipment and more experience and refused to let that be an impediment to his progress . If anything , ‘ being without ’ only drove him harder .
“ I remember going to my first BFL and seeing all these new bass boats with fancy electronics and 20 new rods on the decks and it never fazed me ,” he admits . “ I was in a borrowed , oldermodel boat with a repowered motor , basic electronics and five rod and reel combos that I borrowed from my dad – and I never felt disadvantaged .”
“ Why is that ?” he questions to himself . “ I honestly don ’ t know . All I knew was I had to make the best of what I had right then and there . I had no time to dwell on disadvantages . Besides , it ’ s a complete waste of time to do that anyway . In the time and energy it takes to complain about not having something , I could just fish harder .”
Maybe Curtis knows the answer . To hear him tell it , he used to always call his son , “ Champ .”
“ Even before he won anything , I called him Champ ,” his father says . “ It used to make him mad when he did poorly in a tournament and I still called him Champ . One day he asked me , ‘ Dad , why do you call me Champ ? I haven ’ t won anything , and you walk around here calling me Champ ; I don ’ t deserve to be called a champ .’”
“ And I would tell him , it ’ s not the boat that catches the fish . It ’ s not the new rod and reel that catches the fish . It ’ s the fisherman that catches the fish , and you understand that in your heart . I call you Champ because someday you will be a champ – a true champion , many times over .”
38 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2022