Here’s the first-person story of how attorney Caroline Gozigian and pro angler Kyle Patrick built a seven-year love story across careers and lakes.

I’ve been planning to retire ever since I started working. That’s not as sad as it sounds. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to contribute to the broader world, but rather than my family and peers impressed upon me the need to start saving and planning for it early.

After 30 consecutive years of practicing law, I am either unemployed or underemployed. No office to go to. No need for a suit except for weddings, funerals and coronations. No lunch break, either – now, if I want, it’s all lunch break. Now comes some fun and risk-taking.

If you want to take an amazing trip that’ll also improve your photography skills exponentially, let us sign you up for a swamp photography workshop in South Louisiana with Bassmaster photographer Andy Crawford.

Elite Series pro Brandon Cobb and his wife Amy mix the fishing lifestyle with the world of equestrian activities. Here’s the story of how they met and how their relationship evolved.

The 2025 Bass Fishing Hall of Fame induction banquet read like a road map of my fishing writing career. Here are just a few of the people who made it special and brought me full circle.

Dixie Canterbury tells the story of how she and her husband — 2019 Elite Series AOY Scott — first met, along with never-before-heard details of their life together at home and on the road.

My first turkey hunt involved training, learning, patience and physical effort. Luckily I had Outdoor Life editor Scott Einsmann as my mentor — and I WILL get that bird in the future.

Bryant Smith qualified for the Bassmaster Classic in his rookie year on tour. He made six cuts that year, including two top tens. Perhaps his most impressive accomplishment came at the St. Lawrence, when he set a B.A.S.S. 5-fish smallmouth record with 29 pounds 5 ounces.

Kasper Parfomak is a 16-year-old extreme angler from Arlington, Virginia. He targets everything from huge crappie to trophy stripers and everything in between. Kasper spends almost every weekend on the water chasing fish or plotting for the next trip.

Dave Mercer talks on a lot of different platforms. When I saw an opportunity to speak with him, I asked him to talk some more. “I live and breathe this,” he said, but unfortunately he also had a various coughing fits throughout our chat that almost ended that breathing.

Last year Kyle Patrick not only qualified for a second straight Classic, but turned out epic social media content and won tons of followers. I caught up with him at Lake Hartwell to try to find out what makes the poster boy for Sour Patch Kids and Ritalin tick.

Jeff Gustafson is the people’s champ, a prime example that sometimes nice guys win…and then win again. Since joining the Elite Series in 2019, he’s yet to miss a Classic, and he’s due to win another one sooner rather than later.

Since meeting her at the Swimbait Universe Gathering, we’ve consistently gravitated to Jen Kravassi of Jekyll Bait Company anytime we see her. She’s relentlessly positive, insanely talented, and always willing to give up time to share her skills and wisdom.

Lea Anne Powell’s 12 pounds, 3 ounce record-setting bass was practically as big as Lea Anne herself. But she’s more than just an angler — we were amazed by how many different things she’s tackled.

You may not know Mandy Pascal, but you know her work. She’s omnipresent in BASS-world, working on the company’s magazines, coordinating tournament coverage, and making sure that all of the details are perfect.

We’ve watched Melinda Mize grow up in the fishing industry and now she’s making her own impression. It’s no surprise that she’s raising her daughters to be fiercely independent and dedicated, with a subtle unnecessary nudge toward fishing.

New Hampshire is very important to my life and I was therefore thrilled when the Bassmaster Elite Series added it’s first New Hampshire pro: Tim Dube. I decided I needed to get to know him a little better, so we cornered him at the 2025 Bassmaster Classic Expo.

Mark Menendez has certainly been on tour for a quite a while, but it’s not just longevity that sets him apart – it’s the signature wins and moments. Those include a teener largemouth, massive bags of smallmouths, and a yellow lab who led the Classic.

Pat Schlapper joined the Elite Series in 2021, one of an onslaught of Wisconsin pros who got added to the roster over the course of a handful of years. Pat has made four of last five championships. We caught up with him on Media Day in Ft. Worth.