Jones Sr . has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years , thanks partly to Jones Jr .’ s energy .
PHOTO BY TYLER BRINKS once not experiencing organized bass fishing through the lens of his dad ’ s career . For the first time , destiny was in Alton Jr .’ s hand , and it suited him well .
“ That ’ s when the lightbulb went off . It was like a flip of a switch ,” Junior says .
Liberated by the ability to captain the ship , so to speak , Junior quickly took command of his own tournament fishing experience . From that point on , there was no turning back from a career in the game that he had grown up around .
“ I knew immediately after that ( tournament ) that I was going to do all I could to be a professional fisherman ,” Jones says . “ It ’ s funny I never realized it until that day .”
Becoming his own angler
Jones Jr . would eventually qualify for the Elite Series after two grueling seasons fishing the Bass Opens in 2015 and 2016 . Early in his Elite career , he found himself mirroring his father , with mixed results . While Senior was pulling down $ 10,000 to $ 25,000 checks virtually every tournament , Alton Jr . struggled .
Perhaps Alton Jr . was destined to become a career angler himself , since most of his youth was spent on a boat with his father , tagging along as a practice partner in lakes , river and bays around the country .
“ I got to see more fisheries than anyone in the world at that time ,” Jones Jr . says .
Along with the highlights of travel and the success of Senior ’ s career came Junior ’ s exposure to the downside of professional fishing : “ It ’ s dirty truck stops , grueling drives , sleeping in your vehicle for a couple hours so you can get back on the road ,” Junior says . “ People only see the small snippets and perks . It ’ s not a glamorous life .”
By his early teens , Alton Jr . wasn ’ t entirely sure of his career path . Home schooling – a necessity to allow the family to live full-time on the road – found Junior missing friends and sports . Balancing the hours was a challenge for everybody , and other interests began to appeal as much as fishing .
But around age 15 , Alton Jr . jumped into a tournament with a friend , for
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Alton Jr . is enjoying a prolific year in 2023 , thanks partly to knowledge gained from his dad .
MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2023
PHOTO BY TYLER BRINKS