Reginald Crews, Tournament Angler

When I first started tournament fishing in 2005 I was trying to be a run and gunner like many of the top professional anglers. I was throwing everything but the kitchen sink in the water. In return I got little or no results. This started chipping away at my confidence level. It also didn't help that I was competing against anglers that had been fishing since they were toddlers and I didn't start until I was 32 years old.

In 2007, I made the biggest move to date to help my tournament angling, I didn't compete most of the year. I took most of the year to compete not against other anglers but against the bass. I read magazines, books, articles, viewed websites, television shows, instructional videos, and listened to seasoned veterans. I shut my mouth and let God speak to my heart, mind, and spirit. After taking in all of that information and inspiration I felt that I was ready.

In November of 2007,  I competed in a "pot luck" tournament where everyone threw in $40 and winner took all. I won!

What I realized after that win was that I had developed my own personal style of fishing that I call patience. No matter what's going on with the weather, other anglers, or if I have one hour to go until weigh in I stay patient. Anytime I let outside conditions intefere with my concentration it shows at the weigh in. The only thing that I allow to break my concentration are the phone calls that I get from my wife and children telling me that they love and support me and that they're praying for my success.

The 2008 season was my best ever. I won 2 tournaments (including a district  2-day championship) and came in second in another. In total I finished in the top five in 4 of the 9 tournaments that I competed in. Compare that to the 2005 and 2006 seasons when I competed in a total of 16 tournaments and finished in the top 10 only 5 times.

God is good!

P.S. September 20, 2008 I earned ABA Southeast Region Homeland Security Angler Of The Year honors.

God is truly great!