Taking It All In… My LAST Bassmaster Elite Derby! Bass Fishing Video

Folks at home, this one feels different.

I’m fishing what could be the final day of my Bassmaster Elite Series career, and I’m trying to do something that isn’t always easy in tournament fishing — slow down and take it all in. The launch. The MC. The crowd. The energy. The sights and sounds. Not just catching fish, but everything that has made this journey so special.

And somehow, life has a way of putting things into perspective. While one chapter of my life is coming to an end, a brand new one is beginning. My daughter Riley and her husband Kyle welcomed their first child, Walker, into the world during this tournament — making me a grandfather for the first time!

Out on the St. Lawrence, I’m still doing what I’ve always loved: making adjustments, fighting big smallmouth and chasing that feeling that NEVER gets old. The hook. The fight. The landing. After all these years, there’s still nothing else like it.

And YES — we brought back the RED! That old-school red jumpsuit is my tribute to all the anglers who came before me through the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and 2000s. The fishermen who built this sport, inspired me as a kid and helped make bass fishing what it is today.

This may be my last Bassmaster Elite tournament, but the love of fishing isn’t going anywhere.

This is Going Ike. One last dance.

NEVER GIVE UP!

IKE