Story by Darrell Davis | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
Every season has its challenges, but the last two years were Murphy’s Law for me. If something could go wrong, it did go wrong. I wasn’t just riding the struggle bus, I was driving it, singing “The Wheels On the Bus” the whole way. From long travel days to brutal weather and setbacks that piled up one after another, it felt like the breaks just wouldn’t come.
This year I committed to a different mindset. Tournament fishing is as much mental as it is physical, and perseverance pays. I focused on adapting, keeping my head down, and finding a way to fight through. That effort showed at the St. Lawrence River, where I put together my best finish this season. It wasn’t just about the fish I weighed; it was about proving to myself that I could dig out of a hole.
Costly Mistakes Along the Way
That doesn’t mean the season has been without adversity. At Lake Norman, I made a mistake I’d never made before—bringing six fish to the scales. The two-pound penalty dropped me more than 20 places and cost me critical points. At Lake Eufaula, I went the other direction. I culled twice by mistake and weighed in only four fish. Even with that, I missed the check cut by just four ounces. One 12-inch fish—the very one I mistakenly culled—would have moved me up at least five places.
In over two decades of professional fishing, I had never once brought too many or too few fish to the scales. This year, I did both. And yet, I still find myself very much in contention to qualify for the Championship.
Bubble Boy
Right now, I’m sitting in 41st place in the NPFL Angler of the Year standings—one spot outside the Championship cut. Painful? Sure. But it also means I still have a shot. If I can put together a strong showing at Logan Martin, there’s a real chance I could punch my ticket into the top 40 and secure a Championship berth.
I’ve fished Logan Martin twice before, and I’ve never finished inside the Top 30 there. On paper, the odds don’t look great. But fishing isn’t decided on paper. It’s decided on the water. And that’s where I plan to put my head down and grind.
Lessons Learned
This season has been a reminder that success isn’t about avoiding mistakes—it’s about how you recover from them. Every cast is a reset. Every weigh-in is a chance to learn. And every mile on the road is part of the journey.
Even with the costly errors, I’m fishing better than the results sometimes show. That keeps me hungry and determined to finish strong.
Eyes on September
It’s September now, and the season comes down to this. First day of practice at Logan Martin is on September 21st. Between now and then, I’ve got time to regroup, refine my game plan, and get my head right.
Sitting in 41st place—on the bubble—means there’s no coasting into the Championship. I’ll need to fight for every bite and give it everything I’ve got.
Because in the end, this sport is about resilience, grit, and perseverance. No matter how the cards fall, I’ll keep casting until the very last weigh-in.
Darrell Davis – Angler Profile
