We’ve had a lot of success stories throughout 2023, including great fish catches of our own and helping others enjoy amazing on-the-water experiences, but our greatest achievement may have occurred while we were nearly 1,000 miles away. 

I’ve increasingly learned to really appreciate our great and diverse group of traveling angler friends. Accordingly, as I look back on my days on the water during 2023, I’m fortunate that I have a lot of great memories on the water with friends to remember. Here are four friends’ catches that stand out.

At this year’s Bassmaster Classic I caught up with many members of our fishing family. Even with those I finally met for the first time, we hugged liked family. Afterward, one of my first comments to Pete was that I have a running list of people I want to fish with. Somehow, someway, I hope to make this happen.

While I may not have matured as a human being, I believe that in recent years I’ve matured substantially as an angler. I’ve been fortunate in my life to catch lots of different finned freaks of nature, and now I get a thrill when a newcomer gets their shot. Accordingly, as I look back on our travels during 2022, I’m glad that I can recall others’ catches fondly.

Since meeting Pete back in 2003 my life has changed in so many ways. I never thought my life would be so focused on fishing, or that we’d have met so many incredible people from around the country and around the world. Of course we combined friends initially, but we’ve added hundreds more through our fishing adventures -- some are as close as family.