There are moments in a professional angler’s career that define everything that came before them.
The long practice days.
The early mornings.
The missed family events.
The tournaments where things didn’t go according to plan.
For me, the 2019 Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shops National Walleye Tour Championship on Devils Lake, North Dakota, was one of those moments.
Coming into the championship, the season had already been one of the best stretches of my career. A first-place finish at Marinette, followed by a runner-up finish at Sault Ste. Marie, had created momentum—but momentum only matters if you can finish the job when the biggest tournament of the year arrives.
The NWT Championship brings together the best anglers in the sport, and Devils Lake is a fishery that demands versatility. The lake is massive, constantly changing, and capable of producing winning patterns in multiple ways. Every angler in the field knew that one decision, one area, or one key bite could determine the championship.
The challenge was finding the right combination.
And then executing.
A Championship Built on Confidence
The 2019 season had already taught me something important: trust your strengths.
Throughout the year, casting had been a major part of my success. Instead of relying exclusively on trolling or traditional walleye tournament approaches, I continued to believe in an aggressive casting program that allowed me to cover water, find active fish, and trigger reaction bites.
That approach carried over to Devils Lake.
After the opening day of competition, the leaderboard was extremely tight. Mike Gofron held the early lead with a 28.22-pound limit, while several other anglers—including myself—remained within striking distance.
The championship format meant every fish mattered.
There was no room for an average day.
Battling Through Changing Conditions
The championship was originally scheduled around a multi-day format, but weather forced adjustments during the event. The field had to remain flexible and make the most of every opportunity on the water.
That is one of the realities of tournament fishing.
You can spend months preparing, but once competition begins, the only thing you control is your decision-making.
The anglers who succeed at this level are the ones who can adapt.
Heading into the final day, I was essentially tied with Dusty Minke, another outstanding walleye angler and a close friend. The championship was still wide open.
The final day would come down to execution.
The Final Day Push
Championship Sundays are different.
Every cast carries more weight.
Every fish feels bigger.
Every decision has consequences.
On the final day at Devils Lake, I focused on staying committed to the areas and techniques that had earned my position in the championship. Instead of chasing something new, I trusted the work that had already been done.
That confidence paid off.
I brought a 24.59-pound limit to the scales on the final day—the kind of championship-caliber bag needed when everything was on the line.
When the final weights were calculated, my three-day total of 67.73 pounds was enough to secure the National Walleye Tour Championship title.
The feeling was hard to describe.
Winning any professional tournament is special.
Winning the championship—the biggest event of the season—is something completely different.
A Dream Four Years in the Making
What made this victory even more meaningful was the journey behind it.
Just four years earlier, I had made the decision to transition from guiding and competing as a co-angler into the professional ranks. That path required commitment, patience, and a willingness to keep learning.
In 2015, I had earned National Walleye Tour Co-Angler of the Year honors. The championship win in 2019 represented the next step in that journey—from learning the professional game to competing at the highest level and winning its biggest event.
Professional fishing is built on small improvements.
A better decision during practice.
A more efficient way to locate fish.
A presentation adjustment.
A stronger mental approach.
Those small details eventually add up.
The Season That Changed Everything
Looking back, the 2019 season was a turning point.
Three consecutive NWT events produced finishes of:
1st place at Marinette
2nd place at Sault Ste. Marie
1st place at the Devils Lake Championship
That kind of consistency against the best anglers in the world doesn’t happen by accident.
It takes preparation.
It takes confidence.
And it takes believing in the process even when the results haven’t arrived yet.
The Devils Lake championship wasn’t just a tournament victory.
It was validation.
Validation that the decision to pursue professional fishing was the right one.
Validation that the preparation was paying off.
And validation that hard work over time creates opportunities.
