I’ve heard two different versions of your quote-unquote origin story into bass fishing, whether it’s watching Kevin VanDam win the 2001 Bassmaster Classic or seeing the lure catalog in your grandfather’s shop. So, with the intention of this interview being an in-depth analysis of your journey to the Elites, are there any other angles to your story that remain untold.
Bryant Smith: “There’s a lot in between both of those. You know my love of fishing in general started with the lure catalog in my grandfather’s workshop, gosh I don’t even know how old I was, I couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8. Then my dad bought a boat for us when I was 10.” Bryant continued through a chuckle “I know that! And, that’s when I got kinda heavy in the bass fishing and when I was 10 I also saw Kevin VanDam win in 2001 and it all just kinda came together during that time.”
You traveled the infamously difficult path from the West Coast to the Elites. Are there any special advantages or viewpoints you think this uphill battle has given you?
Bryant Smith: “Yeah absolutely there’s a lot to coming from the not-so-regular areas like the southeast region when you don’t come from that area you’re always traveling whether it’s the west coast, Canada, or the guys from Japan or whatever. You know it always adds a little extra and it’s more difficult no doubt with the travel where you’re going to leave your boat that list just goes on and on. But, that being said it will weed out some guys and it’s not for everyone you really have to love it to do it like that. I can’t imagine some of the Japanese anglers who just leave their country and go to a whole other country giving everything up to chase this dream.
“There’s a lot of motivation to coming out of the west coast cause there’s not a lot of me there’s not a lot of west coast anglers there’s Matty Wong, maybe Palaniuk too there’s only a handful of western guys. I put a lot of pressure on myself to represent the west coast ’cause I know we’ve got some special stuff out here, some special anglers there’s a lot of cool people out here that motivate me to power through those more difficult times.”
Your second-place finish at Lake Hartwell placed the final nail in the coffin for your Bassmaster Open run and allowed you to move up to the Elites. Is there anything special from that competition or a specific moment that made you realize this may be your shot at the big leagues?
Bryant Smith: Yes there was. It’s kind of weird how we grab onto little moments. I knew where I was in points and I knew I had a shot going into that tournament. Day 1 I had a decent day and when they updated the points that night I was in the Elite Series qualifications. So I go through the motions that night, tie everything up and I was a late boat Day 1 but I was like 4 or 5 the second day and I push off the dock and I remember just kind of taking in the moment and Destin Demarion was in front of me And I just stared at his motor thinking this could be the day I qualify for the elite series. That just stuck with me. You know the fishing that day I had some little good things that went right but that was what really stuck with me.”
This year will likely be remembered as the year of the rookie with four of nine tournaments won by newcomers. What was that experience like being among one of the greatest rookie groups the Elites Series has ever seen?
Bryant Smith: “We all knew going into it this would be one of the strongest classes there had ever been and 4 out of 9 that’s unheard of, we had two in the top ten and I finished 13th. The Rookie of the Year race was incredible. I led it for like two days and that was cool, but they pushed me the whole time and motivated me the whole time. Knowing how good they were motivated me to bring my A-game just to keep up with them cause they were incredible. It was something to behold and it was certainly special to be part of that rookie group.”
You recently took home a smallmouth record at St. Lawrence River that has stood for 25 years and you managed to break it during your very first season. Is there anything you’d like to say to Chuck Economou who held the title before you?
Bryant Smith: “It’s a pretty cool record and I hope I do it justice, it’s not a record you think about often. You know, everyone thinks of Dean Rojas with his 45-pounds but you don’t think about the smallmouth record. But, to actually break the record it was really cool and hopefully, I can hold it for as long as he did. Cause you know 25 years that’s a long time in bass fishing, especially with how advanced everything is going.
“It was interesting because Dave (Mercer) actually pulled me aside after day 2 or 3 and was like ‘I didn’t think you had the record’ and he is incredible with his stats. So he goes and pulls me to the side and says ‘I didn’t think you had the record because the guy who held the record before you actually weighed in at 30 or 31 pounds but he was 3 or 4 minutes late.’ so with the penalty, it was only locked in at 29. He remembered the weight but not the penalty being involved so I had no idea the record was even a thing until after I got off the stage and Emily who works for B.A.S.S. comes up to me with a piece of paper and says ‘Did you know what the smallmouth record was’ well I had no idea and she had on a piece of paper I think it was the Top 5 Small mouth weights on there and I weighed 29-5 and the top one on there was 29-1. You just never go into your rookie year and think I’m going to set the smallmouth record so that was crazy.”
