ILLUSTRATION BY JOE MAHLER
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As a freelance writer and photographer , Rob Newell has been reporting on fishing tournaments for more than 20 years , finding the stories between fish and angler to be a stretched line of triumph , heartache , torture and inspiration . sideline fishing reporter qualifications
The many hats of an on-the-water boat driver … and weatherman … and mechanic … and translator
O n occasion , friendly folks who like to make small talk in airports and restaurants ask me about my occupation . “ What is it you do for a living ?” When a stranger asks me this , I pause and momentarily consider going with something rather vague to avoid a lot of follow-up questions . Perhaps a director of administrators , a supervisor of TPS reports or a sales representative for a paper company .
In the end , though , I figure the truth will set me free , so I answer directly : “ I ’ m sort of a … fishing reporter .”
Usually , that opens the can of worms . “ A fishing reporter ? What are the qualifications of a … fishing reporter ?” Great question , so here we go … To describe my occupation , I start with the quick and simple version : I report on professional anglers during high-stakes fishing tournaments , which are streamed live on the internet . It ’ s sort of like a sideline reporter , except the field of play is a lake and my sideline is a bass boat .
Obviously , my job requires knowledge of fishing techniques and tactics , but also an understanding of the competitive aspects of fishing ,
20 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | FEBRUARY-MARCH 2023