swap the Old World for the New World . To live his dream , Gallelli would have to leave behind the city of Da Vinci , Michelangelo , Dante , Vespucci and the Medicis . He would sail away from its cobblestone streets and Renaissance skyline . And most of all , he would have to leave his family .
PURSUING THE DREAM
Fifteen years later , Gallelli would find himself doing just that , launching his career on the Tennessee River , fatefully blasting off at Pickwick Lake from the town of Florence , Alabama at the 2018 B . A . S . S . Nation Championship .
Gallelli placed third in the event . That was good enough to qualify for the Knoxville-based 2019 Bassmaster Classic , won by Major League Fishing superstar Ott DeFoe . He finished just 49th in Knoxville , but the experience was enough to convince Gallelli he could compete at the highest level in the United States . It was enough to push him to leave Italy for a full tournament season , fishing Phoenix Bass Fishing League events and Bassmaster Opens in a bid to qualify for the top tier of professional angling circuits .
That leap of faith both battered and thrilled him . Gallelli ’ s inaugural season stateside was a rollercoaster of finishes from 40th to 115th , shaped by completely new waterways and the learning curve presented by new species of bass ( with spotted bass and smallmouth being noticeably absent from Italian fisheries ).
Gallelli notched two Top 10s in the Toyota Series during his sophomore season in 2020 , which coincided with a worldwide pandemic that he says only served to widen the distance between he and his family and friends in Italy .
“ Last year , the hardest part was to be alone , to be alone with your thoughts ,” he explains . “ When you ’ re alone , you are always with your thoughts . Some of those can be sad , and you have nobody there that can bring you another point of view or pick you up . Luckily , I have some good friends that I heard from on the phone that could help me . Some of them are Italian , but some are American , too .”
Gallelli says those Americans include other anglers , marshals and tournament officials that he ’ s met on his fledgling journey . To a person , he says they are rooting for him . To a person , he says Americans have been eager to help .
“ That is what I love about America ,” he beams . “ Everyone wants to be my friend . Everybody very much appreciates what they do , and they have an admiration for my dreams . They hear my story and they fight for me . In Italy , people can be envious of my dream .”
2021 : FROM LOW TO HIGH
Through 2021 , travel restrictions between the United States and European Union meant that Gallelli had no chance to see his family during the tournament season . Weathering lonely nights , breakdowns and bad days on the
Gallelli ’ s 2021 season was highlighted by a final day flurry on the Potomac River that resulted in a Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit trophy .
PHOTO BY KYLE WOOD
DECEMBER-JANUARY 2022 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM 45