YORKTON - When it comes to the world of professional sport fishing Canadian Jeff Gustafson has climbed about as high as one can go.
In 2023, the Ontario-based Gustafson won the 2023 Academy Sports Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota at the Tennessee River, Knoxville, TN.
“It’s sort of our Super Bowl,” he told Yorkton This Week in a recent interview from Texas.
Gustafson said the win was “life changing” coming not only with a cheque for $300K, but opening up new sponsorship opportunities, and raising his profile in the sport.
The event is for the elite bass anglers, with only the top-40 earning a chance to fish.
“I’ve made it every year,” said the five-year pro.
Gustafson is one of four Canadians at the highest level of the sport. The others being Cooper Gallant of Bowmanville, Ont., and brothers Cory and Chris Johnston of Cavan, Ont.
Founded in 2006, the Bassmaster Elite Series is the highest level of professional bass fishing tournaments.
In the big event in 2023 Gustafson emerged with three-days of bass weighing 42 lbs. 7 ounces, just edging Scott Canterbury who finished with 40 lbs. 1 ounce.
Gustafson said he had fished the water in 2021, and did well, and it continued for the big event last year.
“It plays well with the way I like to fish,” he said.
Now he is still basking in the light of the big win.
“I’ve signed a lot of autographs since last year,” he said.
So as any fisherman will know, fish don’t always cooperate when it comes to be caught, so is pro bass fishing a thing of luck?
“There’s a little bit of luck,” admitted Gustafson, but adding at the pro level it’s about mitigating that luck to still catch fish.
“There are the best bass anglers in the world,” he reminded. “If you’re relying on luck you're not going to do very well.”
Gustafson said the top pros find ways to be successful.
“They find fish in off-the-wall places – Find that off-the-wall way to catch fish,” he said.
In Gustafson’s case it comes down to experience.
Growing up beside Lake of the Woods, a noted bass lake, he naturally ended up with a fishing rod in-hand.
“My dad took me to my first bass tournament when I was 10 years old,” he said, adding he was the one hooked.
Gustafson stayed at taking in tournaments, becoming a guide, writing about fishing, and simply persevered until taking the plunge to go pro.
“I did well enough to keep at it,” he said, adding a fellow he guided helped him head south and join the pro loop.
While admitting the pro bass tour was once also exclusively southern state anglers that has changed.
Along with the four Canadians, competitors are also on tour from Japan and Australia.
“The cool thing about fishing is anybody can do it,” he said, noting a 19-year-old won the second event of 2024, and Rick Clunn is 77, “and he’s still competing at the highest level.”
For Gustafson the 2024 season has already started, although not as well as he would have hoped.
“I’ve got off to sort of a mediocre start to the season,” he said.
Events typically start with about 100 competitors who battle it out over two days of fishing, with the top-50 hitting the water day three and the top-10 on the fourth day.
Gustafson said the goal is to at least make the cut to fish day three which gets you a cheque for at least $10,000.
At the first event of 2024 Gustafson was 24th, missing the cut in 58th at the second.
More importantly he maintained an overall top-40 position, which earned a spot in the big event the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic in Tulsa, Okla., which was held March 22-24.
However, Gustafson would not repeat finishing 31st recording a total catch of 27 pounds, 11 ounces, well back of frontrunner Justin Hamner with 58 pounds, three ounces.
