The Fishing Wars

In a year filled with fishing tournaments, professional angler Stephen Johnston has competed in his share of them. With the season now drawing to a close, he can rest easier knowing that there are more check marks in the plus column than the minus. His sponsors, no doubt, will appreciate that they were well represented also throughout the year in events including the FLW Tour, the FLW Stren Series – Texas Division, and the Bass N Bucks East Texas Team Trail, and stops on the map to include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.  
 
Coming off of a season in which he had been awarded the Angler of the Year title for the Stren Series, and set to begin his first season on a national tour, everyone had high expectations for performance none more so than Johnston himself. “I know that this year will be difficult with lots of new water to fish, and I see this as a time to grow in the sport and challenge myself to be a better angler” said Johnston early on. “I know that no matter what the result of the leader board, that I’m out there loving this life and promoting the best brands in the sport.”
 
Those brands would include Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, Sebile USA, Falcon Lures, All Star Rods, Pflueger reels, Lowrance and Navionics electronics, and Costa Del Mar sunglasses, and he credits them all with a share in his success. “Without these products and the support of their brand managers, it would be impossible to do what I do”, he says. “My boat is one of the best values on the market with its superior performance and safety features, and my engine, the most dependable and fuel efficient way to get me from the ramp and back to the weigh-in”. As for the electronics, without them he says, he would have a tough time finding fish and many times would literally have lost his way in the fog. “My sunglass brand I actually switched to this year because of their ability to help me see the fish better. It’s just amazing; the difference having the right equipment can do for you.”
 
The year started off with a bang as Johnston had great finishes in two Stren events and a Tour event. Mid season however, the trials of the trail set in and he found himself struggling to get comfortable and find fish of the right size. “Its tough, to travel to new places, in and out of motels where you are worried about security for your boat and gear, having to learn new bodies of water and find fish, and just make the adjustments”. “Anyone who thinks this is an easy life is mistaken” he added.
 
To add pressure to the mental game of fishing on the road is the knowledge that things continue to move forward at home. “My guide service back home still rolls on, and the family still carries on, and they have expectations of me also.” “If I don’t perform well, I have the feeling that I’ve not only let myself down, but my family and sponsors too.” He then ads, “I do have to say though, that I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
 
When not on the road traveling for tournament competition, Johnston has found himself on the road for his new position representing Ranger Boats. He was added to the roster of South Central Sales Associates last December to represent the line in the South Texas and South Louisiana areas and has about a half a dozen dealers spread from Del Rio to New Orleans. Since last fall, he has logged over 50,000 miles and burned up a couple of mobile phones.
 
Typically, the fresh water tournament season has a lull in August each year and then picks back up to conclude things in late September. There are a flurry of Championship events for team trails and Pro-Ams. In the case of Johnston, his early season did not qualify him for the FLW Championship that he had hoped to make, but his focus was now on other events: a second Stren Angler of the Year title, and the Bass N Bucks Championship.
 
Both of these events are Ranger sponsored and the later was an event in which Johnston had partnered with his nineteen year old step-son, Danny Iles. Both of these events had big money on the line and awarded Ranger boats for top finishes. Both of these events had some of the toughest competition in all of Texas and Louisiana.  And, both of these events were scheduled for the same weekend creating a logistical challenge for Johnston.
 
The Stren Series began fishing on Wednesday and would cut to the Top Ten for fishing on Saturday. The Bass N Bucks began on Saturday and ran through Sunday. With the anticipation of making the cut in the Stren, the plan was that his partner, Iles, would fish alone on Saturday and try to hold them in good stead for their joint effort on Sunday.
 
“When a plan comes together, it’s just amazing!” exclaimed Johnston after making the cut and learning the news that not only had Iles kept them in contention, but was leading the tournament with a record weight of fish. “I was happy to make a 3rd cut in the Stren Series for the year, and hopeful that I had enough fish to finish high [he needed a win to claim the Angler of the Year title], but that all seemed not so important when I heard what Danny had caught”. “For him to catch 34 pounds by himself is just incredible and it really opened some eyes as to what kind of partner I had”, not to mention that he was more than a little proud of “his boy”.
 
When Johnston rejoined Iles on the final day of the Bass N Bucks Championship, he did so with a 5th Place finish in the Stren, and an oh-so-close race for Angler of the Year, just missing that by four points. The focus now however was on claiming victory for the team, and the family, and that afternoon, they did just that. The pair caught another eighteen pounds to lead the field by twelve, and claim the first place prize of a new Ranger Z-20 boat fully rigged with Mercury and Lowrance equipment. 
 
“We have decided to keep the boat for Danny to compete in over the next few years” Johnston said. “He has just started college and plans to join their collegiate fishing team, and fish some other tournaments, so he’ll need the right stuff too!” “Now all he’ll have to do is add the right rods, reels, and lures and he’ll be as prepared as I am, but if we are going to fish head to head, I might have to hold back a little on the secret fishing spots!”
 
A long hard year on the tournament trail has had Johnston fighting to the end for success and while it appears that he has indeed found it, the next season is just around the corner. He is confident however that he is well prepared for the next battle.  By: Robin Johnston