Story by Todd Goade | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
2025 is upon us and before you know it, we’ll be at our first NPFL event at Santee Cooper. I’d like to take a quick look back at what was 2024 and the great year it was as we head into 2025.
First off, being the reigning Angler of the Year in 2024 was an honor I’ll never forget. 2023 was an amazing year to win the AOY title and I look at that gold shield every day as it sits in my office. It is a title I don’t take lightly, and it drives me to represent the NPFL in the highest fashion when I’m out in public and out on tour. Congratulations again to Kyle Welcher on his amazing year. AOY Champion is a special club!
2024 to me was a blur. It went by super-fast. Being the owner of Pulse Fish, doing work for my title sponsor Safe Haven, and fishing the seven NPFL events, there never was any time for grass to grow under my feet. I like being busy, and busy I was!
Fishing in the first NPFL Championship at Lake Amistad in March was an amazing experience. The lake is an incredible fishery, and the people of Del Rio were awesome. I hope we go back there again someday. Other than the 1,700-mile drive from my house, that place is top shelf!
My goals every year are the same: Compete for AOY, cash a check in every event, and qualify for the Championship. 2024 was a good year. I cashed a check in four of six events and finishing 15th in AOY. For me, the year came down to three lost fish and one bad decision at Saginaw Bay. Otherwise, I’d have cashed a check in all six events. Fishing against this bunch, the margins are that tight and you have to bring your “A game” every day.
2025 is going to be another whirlwind year. Since our last event just finished up at Murray about three weeks ago, I’m sure everyone else on tour feels the same. There’s very little down time in the “off-season.” It is already “go time”—signing sponsor contracts, getting boat and truck wraps, boat rigging, working on tackle and making preparations. Santee will be here before we know it.
My oldest daughter is due to have our second grandson tomorrow, and we can’t wait to welcome little Ronin to the family. I’m sure Grandma will spoil him just as much as we have Korbin, and it will be awesome to have another addition to our family.
2025 also brings in a new wrinkle to the NPFL as the league has prohibited the use of forward-facing sonar for this season. Personally, I’m a fan of the technology and have gotten pretty good at it. I’m also pretty good at looking at my Lowrance side imaging and 2D sonar and throwing at dots. I did that for many years with quite a bit of success. Justin Kimmel won the All American co-angler division in 2020 out of the back of my boat and he told me I was “the best fisherman using 2D he had ever fished with.”
Whatever the restrictions, we’re still going fishing, someone is going to win $100,000 at each event, and someone is going to be AOY. I’m excited about the schedule, and I think the product we put in front of the fans this year will be a good one to watch. While I love the technology, I also love fishing in the dirt, flipping trees and bushes, and skipping under boat docks. I bet we see a lot of that this year.
Now it’s time to plan for the East Tennessee Fishing Show as Pulse Fish has a booth there, along with preparing for the season. 2025 is going to be the blur 2024 was, but it will be great. I appreciate all the support from the fans and friends and look forward seeing everyone out there!
Todd Goade – Angler Profile
