You ’ ve done just about everything there is to do in the sport of bass fishing . What ’ s something that ’ s still on your list of goals or career achievements ?
I ’ ve won on most levels , and I ’ d love to win another tour-level event , but that ’ s always an immediate goal . This year , if you win one of our [ Invitationals ], you make REDCREST , so that ’ s a goal .
What inspires you to keep doing what you ’ re doing ?
It ’ s just passion . I just love it and it ’ s been part of my life competitively since the beginning of 1984 – so I love every bit of it and the passion is still there . I love fishing . I went yesterday with my grandson ( Bryce , 15 ) and a buddy of his . Fishing is what I do and who I am , and as long as I can be competitive , that ’ s what drives me – the love of the sport .
How did you initially get into tournament bass fishing ?
A friend invited me to fish a tournament when I was about 17 . I was racing motorcycles at the time , and he invited me to fish a buddy tournament and I didn ’ t have a race that weekend . It was an old-style blastoff where they shot a flare gun , and it was an amazing experience with boats racing and tackle flying . I was showing him how to run straight lines instead of making big arcs and circles , and it was an incredible experience . I said ‘ This is the sport for me to race and fish .’ It wasn ’ t long after that they ended the blastoffs because it ’ s dangerous , but it certainly was fun at the time .
You were inducted to the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame in 2017 . How has that experience impacted you ?
That moment in history for me is impressive ; it ’ s forever there . My kids and grandkids can go to Bass Pro Shops and see it . You ’ re part of history at that point , and that ’ s extremely special .
When I think of the Hall of Fame , I think of all the [ people ] who paved the way who truly make up an incredible Hall of Fame . To even be mentioned is an amazing accomplishment . I don ’ t know if I deserve it , but I ’ m honored to be part of it .
Your show “ One More Cast with Shaw Grigsby ” ran from 1996 through 2016 . What ’ s your favorite episode ?
There were so many with just really great people and great times and special things that happened . I remember filming with Earl Bentz one time at Lake Michigan and we got on some giant smallmouth and it was insane . He caught a 6-10 ; it was a giant smallmouth that will always stick in my memory . He had a limit of well over 25 pounds .
I had some special ones in saltwater , too . There ’ s one where I was fly fishing in Florida in Silver Springs , and I hooked a little bass and he jumped . All of a sudden it got heavy , and I caught one that weighed 4 pounds that ate my little one . It was one of those instances where if you didn ’ t have it on film nobody would believe it . I have so many wonderful memories from the show and I met some amazing people and had great times .
If you weren ’ t a professional angler , what would you be ?
I have no idea , but as much as I love the outdoors I don ’ t know where life would have led me . Maybe I ’ d be a fishing guide . I guided a few times , and it was the most pressure I ever felt . No pressure compares to taking their money and saying , ‘ Let ’ s go catch ‘ em !’ I don ’ t know that I would be a guide . I was in business at the University of Florida , so maybe I would just run a business and get into being a tackle rep . I don ’ t where I would be , but I am sure happy I decided to go fishing because I ’ ve been very blessed in doing it .
At 66 years old , you ’ re one of the most “ experienced ” touring pros , but it seems like there ’ s still plenty of years left in your career . What are your goals between now and retirement ?
Just to be competitive . It works on you mentally when you don ’ t catch them . The biggest drive is that you hate that feeling and you want the feeling of success and figuring them out and catching them . That drives you every day . There isn ’ t a day on the water where that isn ’ t your goal , and when you do that , everything just falls in place .
You mentioned that you used to be a motorcycle racer . How long did that last and how does it compare to competitive fishing ?
( laughing ) I wasn ’ t any good . I loved hauling butt , but I was never fearless , and you needed to be that way . I was always kind of back in the pack and enjoyed every minute of it . I kept my bike for many years . When I worked a family job , at lunch break I would get my motorcycle out there with acres of planted pine and I ’ d race the dirt tracks until the shifter didn ’ t work anymore .
In addition to fishing , you ’ re also a skilled hunter . What ’ s your proudest moment in hunting ?
We alligator hunt every year we get drawn . One time we got an 11-6 and 11-5 . A 10-foot gator is a big gator . One my son had to get under the boat to get the gator in , and that was really fun . An 8-footer is best if you ’ re going to make boots or wallets , but eating them , they all taste good . An 11-footer is a really big one . I ’ ve seen 12 and 13 , but it ’ s rare to get bigger than that .
Where ’ s your favorite place to fish ? We got to go to Falcon Lake in its heyday and it was amazing , but overall , I love catching the big smallmouths up north . Any of the Great Lakes are heaven . After our June event , I ’ ll try to go to the Potomac , and halfway there I ’ ll go up with my grandson to New York and fish and spend a few days in the 1000 Islands area . When I get away from bass fishing , my favorite is peacock fishing in the Amazon – that ’ s a trip I would still do to this day .
Is there a location you haven ’ t fished yet but would like to try ?
There ’ s so many places you can catch a lot of sailfish on fly , so that ’ s a bucket list deal . There ’ s a bunch of places that are real good – most of it is in South America and Panama . Sailfish would be in the Atlantic and Pacific and some in the gulf .
As for bass fishing , I ’ ve done so much – especially when filming – so I don ’ t have a bucket list on it . Going back to those places like 1000 Islands or Falcon , where you can just have some fun and catch something really big , is always a treat .
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