For Travis Fox from Springdale, Arkansas, his rookie season has been full of highs and lows.  Just like all professional anglers, Fox is going through growing pains and much needed success on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour.  Learning can be expensive fishing as a pro.  Every tournament is costing a $4,000 entry fee and pressure can quickly build up when you are not cashing a check.  Nevertheless, a successful top ten finish can build confidence, exposure, and cash needed to just go out and fish.

Fox’s tournament season did not start off exactly how he anticipated.  In the first four tournaments, Fox did not cash a check.  This was a disappointment for Fox because two of the tournaments where just miles away from his home in northwest Arkansas; in fact, Fox started fishing local jackpots on Beaver Lake.  After four low finishes, Fox finally put it all together with a fifth place finish at Kentucky Lake.

“This year so far has been a reality check, after last year being so successful,” said Fox.  It could be Fox is following in the footsteps of another successful FLW professional angler Greg Bohannan from Rogers, Arkansas.  “I had two top ten finishes in the FLW Stren tournaments last year and now I had a top ten finish my rookie year like Bohannan did his rookie season,” Fox revealed.  His venture into fishing the Wal-Mart FLW Tour started like most professional anglers by competing in local, state, regional tournaments before jumping into a major national circuit.  “All of the tournaments from BFL through the Strens were important stepping stones towards fishing in the FLW Tour,” explained Fox.

In bass tournaments, making mistakes cost you money.  “I have made a few rookie mistakes, just like any pro fishing tournaments do,” Fox continued, “on Kentucky Lake, the net was a telescoping handle and it was extended it way out, I hooked a fish and after fighting it to the boat could not maneuver it into the net to land it; on lake Guntersville in Alabama, I fished to shallow when the quality fish were caught out deep”.    Learning from past tournaments, Fox explains the keys to his recent top ten finishes, “I always do research on the lakes and baits for each lake I am going to fish, make sure everything works on my boat, and have all the baits ready on tournament day. 

Being the new kid on the block has been exciting for Fox.  The top ten finish is opening some doors and bring him some much needed confidence boost in his rookie season.  Fox is now looking forward to the last tournament of the season and to next’s year FLW Tour.  Sure there will be some highs and lows next year, but fox is looking forward to more success and losing the title of “rookie.”

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