Story by Brad Fuller
President, NPFL
My name is Brad Fuller, and I’m the President of The National Professional Fishing League, or simply “The League.” I grew up as the son of a coal miner in a small rural town in southeast Ohio. As I neared the end of my senior year of high school, my dad sat me down and asked what I planned to do with my life.
I thought the answer was obvious. I would follow in the footsteps of my dad, my two uncles, and many family friends by working in the coal mines. His reaction was unforgettable. With a stern look, he told me, “Over my dead body will you ever set foot in a coal mine!”
I lost my dad to cancer in December of 2022. My wife Michele and I reluctantly agreed to live with my dad and my stepmom while we built our new home. It was the best decision I ever made. I got to see my dad every day during the last year of his life, sit on the porch and drink coffee, and just be father and son. He loved the NPFL and was always amazed that his son had a part in it.
I don’t often speak about my mother, who passed away last year. She was the most loving, caring, and talented person I’ve ever known. Sadly, she fell victim to the opioid crisis that has devastated many in Appalachia. We were estranged for several years before her passing—a decision I’ll regret for the rest of my life, but one that was necessary.
After high school, I joined the U.S. Air Force. When I told my dad, he asked what I intended to do there. I replied that I was going to fly—after all, it is the Air Force!
My dad was quick to point out, “You’ve never flown on an airplane in your life.” I replied, “I know, Dad, but I’ll figure it out.”
Despite never having been on a plane, I spent my first ten years in the military flying various surveillance aircraft. In 2003, as I considered leaving the military to join the family timber-cutting business, a mentor encouraged me to explore Special Operations.
Eventually, I was reassigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command in Florida’s Panhandle, where I spent the next ten years with various units within the AC-130 community, flying Special Operations aircraft around the globe until my retirement in 2013. For the following seven years, I worked overseas as a private contractor for the U.S. government.
I’m an avid outdoorsman and currently live on the family farm where my wife and I have built our forever home in the rolling hills of southeast Ohio. I enjoy bow hunting and growing deer on our land. Another passion—or obsession—of mine is thermal hunting for coyotes in the local area. I loathe being in the office and talking on the phone, which ironically is a significant part of our current business model. If nothing else, it makes me appreciate the time I get to spend outdoors, away from the office and off the phone.
You might wonder what any of this has to do with fishing or being the president of The League. The truth is that all my life experiences have led me to this point. Every success and failure have shaped my approach to leadership and management, honing my problem-solving skills and ability to tackle complex, multi-layered problems. My goal with this column is to give you an inside look at what it means to shoulder this responsibility, share the challenges we face, and explain how we operate the NPFL. I’ll be candid about the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I always looked forward to returning from events and sitting on the porch with a hot cup of coffee with my dad. It wasn’t until later that I realized he wasn’t as interested in the tournaments as he was in spending time with his son. One of my goals is to honor his memory and the values he instilled in me.
I hope you’ll join us for the ride!
