Professional Bass Angler Matt Robertson and Wife Kolleen

Officially, Jeff Gustafson won the 2023 Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville but if you ask Matt Robertson he won the best trophy – his wife Kolleen. I figured I’d go right to the source to find out how they met, and to get her unique insights on what it’s like to live with one of the true characters of the Elite Series.

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

Kolleen Robertson: Matt and I crossed paths while I was helping babysit at the Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville. We were introduced through a mutual friend, KJ Queen, at the hotel bar, and it was quite an experience. Being much shyer than Matt, I wasn't eager to walk over to his table, despite my friends pushing me to do so. They went over, told him my name, and pointed me out. The next thing I know, Matt and all his friends started shouting my name, calling me over. I finally walked over to him, and in true Matt fashion, he introduced himself with his mouth full of steak while wearing his cutoff jersey.

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

Kolleen Robertson: My initial impressions were all over the place. My first time seeing Matt was watching him smash Liquid Deaths above his head like Stone Cold during his Classic entrance. I thought… who is this guy?!?! My second time seeing Matt was at the hotel bar when we met - armpit hair showing… mouth full of steak…Bassmaster tattoo on his arm… I was truly not even sure what to think. Later that night, he asked for my number (I politely declined). I was recently single and just not ready), but somehow he managed to get my number (I’m sure from KJ) to which he texted me the next day with this line, “The tournament is over. You don’t have to pretend not to be a fan now.” I thought to myself, “Who in the WORLD is this man?!” One witty text led to another and the next thing I knew, we talked on the phone that night for four hours.

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

Kolleen Robertson: I knew about as much about fishing as I do now. That’s a bit dramatic, I do feel like I can identify a bass fish now. LOL. I was clueless about fishing (and baits obviously) when we first met. I knew that KJ fished at a professional level and that was the extent of it.

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

Kolleen Robertson: Yes. We had hung out with friends from March until May and talked every night on the phone. It was very casual - we both wanted to take it slow. I traveled to the Sabine River and one evening I was sitting on his boat with him watching him rig his rods. I snapped a picture of him and I remember thinking, “I don’t want to ever be without him.” I HADN’T EVEN TOLD HIM I LIKED HIM YET! I thought, “Kolleen you’re acting like a psycho, chill out.” He told me a little while later that he was ready to be official - to which my joking reply was, “You haven’t taken me on a date yet.” He asked what I was doing the following Monday and told me he’d see me then. He made the 16 hour drive to North Carolina and took me out that Monday night. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

HPFC: How long have you been married?

Kolleen Robertson: It's been six months since we got married in a small North Carolina town this past March. That day was incredibly special, surrounded by our closest loved ones. And a fun tidbit—Matt's vows were actually a poem. One of the lines was, "You're easy on the eyes, but don't taste like fries." Not even joking! Don't let his sense of humor deceive you though—he's genuinely the kindest and most thoughtful person I've ever known. I’ll keep his sappy vow lines hidden… for now.

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

Kolleen Robertson: With Matt living in Kentucky and me in North Carolina, dealing with distance was something we faced from the very beginning. I never had any doubts, though -- I believed that if being with Matt was part of God's plan for me, He would make it clear, and everything would fall into place exactly as He intended.

HPFC: What challenges or obstacles did you have to work through?

Kolleen Robertson: I feel incredibly blessed that we haven't faced many obstacles, aside from being apart for 2-3 weeks at a time. I still struggle to keep it together when Matt leaves for work; I always get emotional as he's heading out, but within a few days, I adjust. I was able to travel to a few tournaments this summer, which was wonderful! It brings me great joy knowing he's chasing his dreams, and that makes the time apart a little easier to bear.

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

Kolleen Robertson: Last year, I worked as a teacher and also coached at the high school. Even when Matt was home, my schedule was packed from 6AM to 6PM on practice days and sometimes until 10PM on game days. Matt is truly amazing and has always supported me in my passions -- he would come to games and practices whenever he was in town. Thankfully, we have FaceTime, so we use that every night when we're apart. We also take a lot of pictures for each other when we're away, so when we're together again, we remember to share things we might have forgotten about.

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

Kolleen Robertson: There’s really no adjustment other than me being super excited when he gets home. I truly feel like I’m married to my very best friend - Doing life with him is everything I’ve ever dreamed of. Sometimes, or rather most of the time, this lifestyle is hectic and really busy, but I’m grateful we get to experience it together. We don’t have kids at home right now like some of the other anglers, so that definitely makes things a bit easier to manage.

HPFC: Are there any activities or special events that you and your husband enjoy together after he has been gone all season?

Kolleen Robertson: In our free time, we love to either go on cruises or hit up Goodwill for some thrifting. When we got engaged, we kept it just between us for a bit to really enjoy that special time. To celebrate, we took a cruise to Haiti, just the two of us, and it was absolutely perfect. We had such a great time and can’t wait to go cruising again this winter! Matt isn’t a fan of the cold, so it’s the perfect warm-weather escape for us. Thrifting is probably our favorite thing to do together. Matt always jokes that I’m a cheapskate because it’s a rarity if I’m willing to pay full price for something. A lot of the furniture and decor in both our NC and KY homes comes from our thrifting finds!

HPFC: Do you have any pet peeves?

Kolleen Robertson: I’m having to ask him what my pet peeves are because honestly, I feel like I don’t really have any about him haha! Okay, one is that Matt likes to tap his hand on the center console when we’re listening to music in the truck. He does it completely off beat. I was in concert and marching band (band nerd) throughout my school years, and it just kills my soul to hear him clapping and tapping so off rhythm. Another would be how loud Matt talks on the phone when we’re traveling. If we’re on a 10-hour drive, he’ll be practically shouting on the phone for nine of those hours! Bless.

HPFC: What do you think your husband’s pet peeves are of you?

Kolleen Robertson: I’d say Matt and I are opposites in a lot of ways, it’s all about balance! lol. Matt is blunt and handles a situation immediately and I would rather keep quiet and let it go. Matt’s biggest pet peeve about me, without a doubt, is that he thinks I’m “too nice.” He doesn’t like it when I don’t stick up for myself or when I ignore it if someone’s wronged me (fair enough). I used to be the opposite when I was younger; I was a little too outspoken. As I’ve aged and grown in my faith, I try my hardest to love others the way Jesus loves each of us. It’s REALLY hard sometimes to show grace and love when I feel deeply wronged; I just never want to leave a negative impact on anyone. He also isn't a fan of my skincare routine. He insists that all anyone really needs is a bar of Dial soap. LOL. He’s simple, I’ll give him that.

HPFC: What are your retirement plans?

Kolleen Robertson: Matt has been playing around with crypto, so we're hoping that it takes off and works out in our favor for retirement.

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

Kolleen Robertson: Some people know this about us, but not many. The first night we met, I didn’t have my ID to get into Matt’s afterparty at a local bar in Knoxville. So, Mr. Wise Guy Matthew decided to pretend I was his wife to get me in. On the very first night we met, we pretended to be exactly what we are now.