Brent Chapman has committed to a rigorous program to combat fishing injuries .
No pain no gain :
Despite chronic pain , Grigsby has maintained a busy tour-level career .
The toll of the tour
Shaw Grigsby can ’ t recall the last time he fished without pain . The Tackle Warehouse Invitationals pro estimates it ’ s been 20 years , at least .
Grigsby , who completed his 40th season on tour in 2023 , might be the one angler who can rival Davis in terms of injury history . He ’ s undergone two back surgeries , two shoulder surgeries and one each on his knee , thumb and hip . That doesn ’ t include a pair of serious non-injury procedures : a triple bypass in 2004 and an operation to remove cancer from his kidney in 2020 .
That list might shock those who don ’ t closely follow the professional circuits , who view fishing as a relaxing pastime . After all , it ’ s not a sport that puts a premium on physical traits like size , strength or speed . Davis has often struggled to explain to those unfamiliar with the sport why he ’ s experienced so many ailments — including some of the doctors treating them .
“ People who don ’ t know anything about the sport , they ’ re like , ‘ Oh man , you fish for a living ? I bet that ’ s great ,’” Davis said . “ I tell those people , I say , ‘ Yeah , you ought to try it sometime .’ They have no idea .”
In reality , the cause of most anglers ’ injuries is no mystery : The hundreds of hours they spend each year casting , being jostled by waves and driving their boats or trucks add up .
“ Most athletes go play a game for an hour or two ,” Bass Pro Tour veteran Brent Chapman explained . “ On a tournament day , [ we fish ] 7 ½ hours . On practice days , it ’ s 12 , 14 , 15 hours . And then when we ’ re not doing that , we ’ re driving for ridiculous amounts , which is horrible for your body .”
Monte Ketchum , a non-surgical sports medicine physician for Andrews Sports Medicine , has treated several BPT pros during the past 10 months . Andrews Sports Medicine partnered with the Major League Fishing Anglers ’ Association during the 2023 season , allowing Ketchum and fellow physician Daniel Smith to provide on-site consultations and care at two BPT events and treat a handful of anglers at their three Alabama clinic locations . Ketchum said the most common ailment he ’ s observed is inflammation to anglers ’ shoulders , elbows and wrists due to repetitive use . Several pros , including Chapman , cope with arthritis in their joints .
Over time , the repeated motion can lead to torn muscles , tendons or ligaments . Davis knows that all too well . He ’ s confident that a distinct cast he used to throw light lures on a baitcasting setup is the reason he ’ s torn the labrum in his right shoulder twice . He ’ s also torn his left rotator cuff and a ligament in his left elbow .
“ It was a real powerful , underhanded roll cast , and I could cast a light lure and keep it real low to the water — like a little , small jig or little popping
32 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2023