Jennifer and Keith Combs fishing on their wedding day

From boat partners to life partners, Jennifer and Keith Combs made the most of a one in 200 chance. Although they were competitors on the water something lured them towards each other and a lifetime of happily ever after, minus a pet peeve or two, or three.

HPFC: Can you share the story of how you and your husband first crossed paths?

Jennifer: Keith and I grew up in the same area and we fished the same lake growing up. There is a 5 ½ year age difference so while we knew of each other, we weren’t really friends. I knew of him because he was dominating all our local fishing events, but we didn’t really talk until we drew out together in the now-defunct FLW Texas Tournament Trail on Lake Texoma in 2006. Who knew that a 1 in 200 chance pairing would set all of this in motion?

HPFC: What were your initial impressions or your husband when you first met him?

Jennifer: I was a nervous wreck as I’d had a crush on him for a while. We were in a fishing tournament though and he was ALL business. Super serious and laser focused.

HPFC: Did you know anything about fishing when you first met?

Jennifer: I grew up in a fishing family. My parents fished tournaments and they had me in a bass boat before I could even walk. I started fishing tournaments with my dad when I was about 12 years old.

HPFC: What if anything did you know about professional bass fishing before you met?

Jennifer: I was a huge fan of the sport. I remember watching it on TV growing up and my parents and I attended the Bassmaster Classic. There was a period in my early twenties when I had aspirations of a fishing career myself. I’ll admit I thought it was much more glamorous than what it really is.

HPFC: Was there a specific moment or event that made you realize your feelings were more than just friendship?

Jennifer: Hmmm. How should I answer that? It was never only friendship for me. It seems silly but I honestly believe I knew deep down we would end up together even before we met. Having said that, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. We went out a few times in 2006-2007 and then we went our separate ways. We didn’t reconnect until 2010.

HPFC: How long have you been married?

Jennifer: We’ve been married for 7 ½ years and together for 13 ½.

Jennifer and Keith Combs Wedding Day Texas

HPFC: When you met was he already fishing professionally or did he have another job and what was his profession?

Jennifer: When we got together for good, Keith was wrapping up the 2010 Open season and he qualified for the Elite Series. He had fished FLW forthree3 years prior. Before going pro, Keith was a machine shop supervisor at Texas Hydraulics.

HPFC: How did the two of you come to terms with him going out and living his dream?

Jennifer: When we started dating seriously, we lived five hours apart. We were used to being apart, so it wasn’t really hard.

HPFC: What doubts might you have had with him going on tour and how did you overcome them?

Jennifer: No doubts really. I was fully supportive, and I think my love for bass fishing probably helped that. In some ways, I get to live my childhood dream through him.

HPFC: What challenges or obstacles did you have to work through? Jennifer: Living hours apart I’d say the main challenge was finding time to be together. Keith would sometimes only come home for a few days during the week, but his home was hours away from me. I had a full-time job so I couldn’t just take off in the middle of the week. There were several times over that first year when he would drive five hours to take me on a date and spend one night together. That was tough but we made it work.

HPFC: How do you manage the frequent separation and limited time together due to his road schedule?

Jennifer: It’s normal for us now. I miss him when he’s gone but I like my own time too. I’m used to being alone and it’s not that big of a deal. Our two dogs keep me company.

HPFC: How do you adjust when your husband returns home after being away for weeks at a time practicing or from competitions?

Jennifer: It ain’t easy!! Lol. Again, because we are so used to being apart, it definitely takes some time to get used to being around each other every day. He takes control of the TV and the bed which is super annoying.

HPFC: Are there any activities that you enjoy doing when you are together after he has been gone all season?

Jennifer: We love to hunt and the last few years we’ve gotten more serious about that. We also really enjoy different types of fishing. We like to crappie fish at Rayburn, but we also enjoy fishing saltwater. Overall, we are pretty low-key people. We like to stay home.

HPFC: Do you have any pet peeves?

Jennifer: I don’t think you have enough space in this article for that! Keith claims to be super neat and tidy but that is a LIE! I always know where he’s been in the kitchen because there will be a mess and dirty fingerprints everywhere. Also, he leaves shaving cream, toothpaste, and whiskers in the sink. It drives me MAD!

HPFC: What do you think your husbands pet peeves are of you?

Jennifer: He says I have too many shoes and clothes. I take too long to get ready, and I spend too much time drinking my morning coffee.

HPFC: What are your retirement plans?

Jennifer: We haven’t really decided on that. Fishing will always be a huge part of our lives. We will probably travel and fish across the US.

HPFC: What is something off the wall that no one knows about the two of you?

Jennifer: I’d say most people don’t know that the reason we are together now is because I drew out as his co-angler. I think that’s pretty cool given his profession. I have an immense love for bass fishing, and I think it’s one of the reasons our relationship works.