MERCER-The Awkwardly Honest Fishing Podcast

Stone Cold Kyle Welcher just won one of the most coveted titles in pro fishing. He is the 2023 Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year. Welcher, a former professional gambler, is one of the brightest young stars in pro fishing. His incredible mind and unique outlook on angling is truly remarkable. We can’t thank him enough for making this podcast his first stop only days after becoming the newest Bassmaster Angler of the Year.

This week we have a double dose of goodness. The newest Bassmaster Elite Series Champion Patrick Walters, hot off setting the record for the biggest winning weight of smallmouth bass joins the show and of course we have Jake’s Take. Bassmaster Videographer and friend of the show, Jake Latendresse returns with the ultimate behind-the-scenes Bassmaster break down of everything that REALLY happened on and off the water at the Bassmaster Elite Series on Lake Champlain and the St Lawrence River.

Kevin VanDam is the most dominant professional angler in the history of the sport. For over 30 years he has been on the top of every single aspect of the Sportfishing, both on the water and off - KVD has simply set the standard. After recently retiring from tournament competition Kevin joins this week’s podcast to remind us all that he is “far from done”.

He is less than 24 hours away from kicking off the final two events of the 2023 Elite Series where he has a one point lead in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year race. Not bad for a guy that says he sucks at practice. What’s going though his mind as he attempts to seal the deal on one of the most coveted trophies in professional fishing. Well, we ask him that and so, so much more on this week’s podcast.

He grew up in Towamba, Australia - a part of the world that does not even have bass.  So to say Carl Jocumsen is an underdog is an understatement. But what he lacks in experience, he replaces with heart, thus his motto, 'Fear My Heart'.  This week, the only Australian to ever win a Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament, Carl Jocumsen joins the podcast in a very open, raw and honest conversation about the agony of angling along the way.

This week we double down on great guests. Just back from the 7th stop on the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series on Lake St. Clair and so is Jake’s Take. Bassmaster Videographer and friend of the show, Jake Latendresse returns with the ultimate behind-the-scenes Bassmaster break down of everything that REALLY happened on and off the water at Lake St. Clair. But that’s not all - we are also joined by the St. Clair Champion himself! Two-time Bassmaster Elite Series Champion and Dakota Lithium Rookie of the Year leader, Joey Cifuentes.

Mark Zona is the the colourful off-the-wall host of Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show, Bassmaster TV and BassLIVE. This week he once again returns to the podcast but this time Z agrees to talk about everything going on recently in the crazy world of competitive bass fishing and so, so much more.

There are a lot of ways to make a living in sport fishing and Jay Siemens just may have done most of them. He started as a 16 year old fishing guide, turned photographer, videographer, YouTuber, influencer, lodge owner, fishing batter company co-owner, and ultimately, a very successful YouTuber and content creator. So successful in-fact that outside of his own channel (@JaySiemens) he actually hosts and produces fishing content for Steve Rinella’s ultra-popular MeatEater brand. Above all the success, Jay stays grounded in the fact that he is simply Cataloging Memories of a life well lived. This week he joins the podcast to talk about all that and so much more.

Darold Gleason is a Bassmaster Open winner, a Classic Qualifier and a full-time Bassmaster Elite Series Pro. But it was not always that way. After spending 7 years as a school teacher, he decided to leave the security of that job behind, to chase his dreams and start living life because as he says “you can’t buy more time”.

Gleason joins this week’s show with a very revealing & honest conversation about the highs and lows of pro fishing and life.

Cooper Gallant came into the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series as a highly hyped rookie, with a head full of confidence, hot off his first Bassmaster Open win. Now with just three events to go and all in his wheelhouse, Coop has once again put himself in contention to qualify for another Bassmaster Classic. But what’s it REALLY like to be an Elite Series rookie? This week he joins the Mercer podcast to share his thoughts on the season so far and so, so much more.