CHAD MARLER
Name: Chad Marler
Date of birth: August 27, 1986
Hometown: Jasper, Texas
Family: Married with two children
Nickname: None
Home water: Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Texas
Favorite water: Santee Cooper Lakes, South Carolina
First tournament: 10 years old on Goose Creek Lake in Missouri
NPFL debut: 2025 — 17th at Santee Cooper, South Carolina
Sponsors: Jacksonhill Parks and Marina; Weaver Brothers Motor Company; Solar Bat Sunglasses; Liv Fishing; Stik5 Rods; Zavalla Boat and RV Storage; Fowler and Fowler Concrete; Hilandero Blades and Custom Tackle; Twisted L Whitetail and Exotic Hunting; Finatik Baits; Dales Water Wells; Red Eye Rentals; Hook Set Transportation; Creole Steel SETX
First fish: Largemouth bass at age 4
Biggest bass: 9.98-pound largemouth bass and 5.88-pound smallmouth bass
Favorite lure: 1/2-ounce Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer (Fire Craw)
Fishing strength: I’m good at the mental grind. Tough fishing will not break me mentally.
Fishing weakness: I’ve occasionally helped friends in a tournament to my own detriment.
Fishing hero: Jerry Marler (my dad)
Fishing goals: I want to be competitive. I’ve earned a shield and qualified for the Championship, and those were two big goals of mine.
Best fishing advice: Nothing replaces time on the water.
Off-the-water work: I’m a full-time guide on Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
Hobbies: I love to play video games.
Favorite movie: “Predator” (1987)
Favorite music: “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” by the Righteous Brothers (1964)
Superstitions: I hate to fill my livewell before I catch a fish, but I have to do that to show the tournament director it’s working.
