When FLW announced this new 2007 National Guard Series (Pro/Am style - $3,500 entry for a Pro - Guaranteed to fish for 3 days, top ten fish final day - Winner guaranteed $100,000 - etc..)  I was all in!   I made sure that when February 1st, 2007 came around, I was cocked, locked and ready to rock with the best in the West at Lake Havasu, AZ.  But, I had to save up some $ to make it happen.  No more partying and girl-chasing like the rest of my friends were doing at the time.  At this level, being a rookie, it gets really expensive really fast: Gas, entry fee, food, hotel, I even had to rent a truck to pull my boat for the 10 hour drive! 

I put in some hard work and got rewarded for it.  I earned a top-ten finish and $16,000+.  On the final day of competition, I remember thinking "holy crap, today I'm fishing against Jay Yelas and Gary Dobyns!"  I caught my only keeper that day shortly after on a Staycee rip bait.  It was an indescribable experience on stage, and it was a 9th place finish I will never forget.  On the long drive home, I knew I was set financially to finish the rest of the FLW Series. 

Spring came around and so did the Delta event.  I finished below 100th place but held onto the positive experiences and let go of the woulda, shoulda, coulda's.  Delta, Look out in 2008, I'll be ready for you!

My next tournament wasn't until the fall and I had all summer to work on techniques.  I would go out to Calero and Anderson and often times, bring one rod.  I would force myself to learn how to fish certain lures I felt I had to improve on.  From Silver buddies and Tail-spinners to 9-inch Lunker Punkers and Triple Trouts, I was testing them all.

September meant smallies at the Columbia River, WA.  The Columbia River in the Tri-cities area is a unique river system with clear water, rocky shoals, and dam locks.  Guys were locking through dams and running more than 60 miles from the launch site.  On the first day of practice I pull up to spot number one and a 3.5 pound smallie chokes my popper on my second cast!  Not 10 casts later, a double hookup (two 3 lbers.) on a Lucky Craft Pointer!  I was smiling ear to ear!  I had 2 great days of practice and 2 so-so days of practice.  Man, when that wind gets up and blows against the current flow and through the gorges, its like crab fishing on the Discovery channel!  Those rollers were nothing like I've ever seen before. 

This tournament was definitely the quickest-paced tourney this year.  I was burning the bank, trolling motor on high all day, ripping a pointer as fast as I physically could.  Watching these big, dark Smallmouth bass come from 15 ft.  of water to "trainwreck" the ripbait was awesome!  The faster I worked the bait, the more violent the strikes were.  I lost about 5-7 pounds over the course of that tournament (on the waist, not fish!)  I ended up in 18th place, $10,000+ and a new favorite Smallmouth factory.