As a lad growing up in Rhode Island, Dillon Falardeau waited for the elementary school bus while casting for bass from a bridge between two ponds. When the bus arrived, the kindly female driver allowed him to bring his rod and tacklebox aboard, which remained on the bus while he attended school.
When the bus returned after school, Falardeau eagerly snatched his tackle, bolted to the bridge and often fished until dark. He dreamed of fishing the Bassmaster Elite Series, which he religiously watched on TV every Saturday morning.
His parents, Mary and Kevin, had a home overlooking one of the ponds. During the summer months, Falardeau fished from the bridge almost daily with his brother and some friends.
“I raced ahead of them so I could fish the bridge first,” Falardeau said. “If I snuck up really quiet and threw a floating Rapala in there, I would always catch the biggest bass of the day. We’ve caught multiple 7-pounders there over the years.”
In middle school, Falardeau competed in TBS Junior Bass tournaments. In his first year, he qualified to fish the TBS Junior World Championship, which was held in conjunction with the 2010 Forest Wood Cup on Lake Lanier.
Falardeau struggled in that event but had the heady experience of weighing his bass on stage in front of thousands of fans.
“As soon as I got home, I knew I needed to get a job so I could start to afford fishing,” Falardeau said.
From seventh through eighth grade, he worked at a horse farm on the other side of the pond from his home. He rowed across the pond before dark on Saturday and Sunday mornings and shoveled stalls for a dollar a stall.
In ninth grade, he took a job at Lindy’s Tavern in North Smithfield, R.I. He did everything from washing dishes to waiting tables. His boss, Ron Carter, paid him for 40 hours a week. The steady income enabled Falardeau to secure a loan and buy his first bass boat, a 1999 Champion 203.
“I’d get out of school at 2 o’clock and go straight to work, except for Tuesday when I fished an evening tournament with the Reservoir Dogs bass club.”
Falardeau’s plan was to pay off his boat before graduating from high school so he could attend college without being in debt. He fell short of that goal by about $1,100.
“My boss came to my graduation and handed my parents a blank check,” Falardeau said. “He told them to use it to pay off my bass boat.”
After graduating from high school, Falardeau was determined to move somewhere in the South where he could pursue bass fishing more seriously. He pulled this off by signing a 10-year contract with the National Guard. This provided the funds he needed to attend the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, where he joined ROTC and fished on the university’s bass team.
“I wanted to fish as many tournaments in college as possible to get experience,” Falardeau said. “I traveled everywhere and made a lot of good friends.”
He also won a few events and qualified two times for American College Association championships on lakes Keowee and Seminole. In his senior year, he was ranked as the ninth best angler in the country.
Immediately after graduating from the University of Tennessee with a criminal justice degree, Falardeau went to Fort Sill, Okla., to attend the U.S. Army’s artillery school. He left 10 months later as an artillery officer.
Before heading back to Tennessee, Falardeau spent two weeks at Sea School in Bayou La Batre, Ala., where he acquired a Captain’s License. Upon returning to Tennessee, he began guiding for bass on Lake Chickamauga, which he continues to do.
He also owns Talkin Tackle Lodge and tackle shop in Hixon, Tenn., with his partners and good friends Greg Worsham and Tanner Huckstep
Soon after starting his guide service, Falardeau was deployed to Poland for a year. When he returned to the states, his contract with the National Guard had been fulfilled.
He figured it was time to take a shot at fishing professionally. To get his feet wet, he started with the BFLs. In his first year, he won Angler of the Year in the Tennessee division.
The next year, he won the Choo Choo Division of the BFL and did well in the Toyota Series. His success prompted Anderson Marine in Nashville, a Skeeter/Yamaha dealer, to sponsor him. This gave him the confidence and backing to enter the 2025 Bassmaster Opens.
“Becoming an Elite Series pro has been my dream practically since I’ve been able to talk,” Falardeau said.
He has also dreamed of fishing the Bassmaster Classic, which he made a reality by winning this season’s Open on the Upper Chesapeake. The accomplishment brought tears of joy.
“My whole family will be flying and driving down to next year’s Classic,” Falardeau said. “And I have a big family.”
After all four events in Div. 1 of the Opens, he landed at 12th in the Angler of the Year standings, and he is pumped to compete in the Elite Qualifiers.
Besides Anderson Marine, his sponsors include GW Properties, Stealth Charging, Metro Heating Plumbing & Air Conditioning in Chattanooga, Southern Guardian Roofing, Bass Attitude apparel, Cast Fishing, Two Rivers Custom Furniture. Elite Glow Custom Lighting, Hog Farmer and Dobyns Rods.
