Jordan Lee has competed in four Bassmaster Classics. He won two of them. “Winning the Classic twice has been special. The stars have really aligned for me and things fell into place,” says Jordan. But the reality is more than stars aligning – Jordan works hard, travels a ton, and has to pour a lot of concentration into what he does. So, when he gets some free time, how does he like to spend it?
He goes fun-fishing.
“Pretty much the difference is I pick up a buddy and go out and just fish. I can bring a friend or my fiancé. Also, I can bring my dog, Sage. She likes fishing too. I just like fishing with people and you don’t get to when you’re in a tournament.”
But even on a casual trip, he can’t completely leave his work behind. “Oh – I’m still trying to catch ‘em and find ‘em. It’s kind of in my blood. I don’t just piddle around out there.”
Truckin'
Jordan’s ride is a Toyota Tundra, tricked out for getting him and his gear from competition to competition. “The Tundra is pretty much my office throughout the year,” he says. “I tow my Ranger boat all over the country, wherever our schedule takes us. It can make for some long days but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Having a pickup is great – you can haul a lot of stuff really easily – but some things are too big for the bed. This is where Yakima comes in. “My fishing kayak goes with me everywhere – all over the country. It’s right there on the roof rack just in case I want to hit up a little pond or something.”
But fun-fishing means more than one kayak. Plus you’ve got coolers and other gear. How does Jordan handle that? “The RACKandROLL – it’s an awesome trailer for pulling multiple kayaks. It really is handy because I’m not able to fit them in the truck bed. When I do get out with friends or my fiancé, it’s a lot easier now with the trailer rather than the alternative – because there’s not really an alternative. It’s just easy.”
The whopper
Fishing stories can be true, but they can also be fiction. “As for that second part, all fishermen are liars – so I’ll leave it at that. But the biggest fish I’ve ever caught was in a tournament it weighed nine pounds, five ounces at the Harris Chain of Lakes in Florida. It was during a Bassmaster Open event so it was a good time to catch it!”
Five fishing tips from Jordan Lee:
- Always have your fishing kayak up on your roof rack. It’s great for creeks or ponds – places you can’t take the bass boat.
- Learn how to use both a baitcaster and a spinning reel. I typically use spinning tackle for finesse fishing and baitcaster for everything else. They both have their advantages.
- Change out your treble hooks on your crankbaits and top water baits – a lot of times factory hooks are no good, so you will lose fish if you don’t switch the hooks.
- If you’re date-fishing with your girlfriend, boyfriend, or fiancé, and you’re the expert, you gotta put them on the fish – find the A-plus holes so they’re not out there struggling.
- Remember bass fishing’s basic rule: the muddier the water, the shallower you want to fish, the cleaner the water the deeper you can look for fish.
