What Truck, Boat and Outboard does Paul run?

I run a Bass Cat Puma FTD powered by a Mercury 250 Pro XS, Humminbird electronics and MinnKota trolling motor, My tow vehicle is a Chevy Suburban.

My Sponsors

My sponsore are Favorite Rods, Berkley, ABU Garcia, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses Rayjus Outdoors and Stanley Jigs. I would like to thank my sponsors for the support they give me.  I am very proud to represent thsee great companies. They have wonderful products and I would not use them if I didn't think they were the best available. The ABU Garcia Revo reels and the Favorite Rods serve me very well. I have the upmost confidence that I will have no issues with my equipment every time I go out. The Costa sunglasses have the clearest and most scratch resistant lenses I have ever used and I have used a lot of glasses.  

What Paul does for a living:

I work for the Arkansas National Guard.

What you should know about Paul:

I've been in the Army for over thirty years.  I am gonna retire in about two years. Looking forward to more fishing and promoting my sponsors products.

How Paul started fishing

I started fishing as a child and I started tournament fishing in a small coub is south Arkansas.

Aspirations or goals with fishing

Favorite way to fish

I would like to say I am a versatile but I constantly find myself with a flipping rod in my hand.  I guess I am comfortable fishing a jig or soft plastic around shallow cover.  I also catch a lot of fish on on crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

Most exciting fishing experience

I have several in mind but I think my favorite whould have to be fishing with my best friend Terry Neal the day I caught my biggest 5 fish limit.  It weighed just over 36 pounds and had a 10LB 6OZ kicker (my biggest fish ever).  Very exciting day!

How Paul preps for a tournament

Most of the time I fly by the seat of my pants and rely on past experience.  Which is probably not the best way but that is what I have to do with the little time I have to fish..

Three favorite search baits

Berkley Frenzy Ratler, Squarebill crankbait and War Eagle Spinnerbait.

Best tournament finish and what you did that day when you were fishing.

I finisheded fourth in the Arkansas BASS State tournament one year. that was a pretty good tournament for me. It was one of the first cold fronts of the year and a very tough tournament.  I only caught four fish over two days. I cought my fish flipping a jig around shallow stumps on the edge of the creek all the way at the back of a creek I was fishing.

Most challenging part of tournament fishing

For me the most challenging is finding time. 

When tournaments don't go my way

Well fishing is fishing. You are not always going to catch them.  So when I don't I put that behind me and move on to the next one. A short memory is a good thing.

Advice to give to an aspiring tournament angler:

For the younger angler that is getting started today.  I would tell them that honesty and integrety are very important in this sport.  If you don't have that you can make a bad name for yourself very quickly.

Some shared general bass fishing techniques for people just getting into the sport

Just remember there are always fish shallow no mater what time of year or what the weather is.