The Road To The FLW Cup

As you may know, when Joey and I aren’t filming Sweetwater, we really are passionate about competitive angling.  Fishing in tournaments has always been a key focus for both of us, and adding the competitive aspect to fishing just gets us fired up!

When it comes to tournament angling, our dream is always to make it to the “Tour” level of competition.  Whether that be on the FLW Tour, the Bassmaster Elite Series, or the newly formed Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour, the tour level is where careers are built.

2019 was the year I have been dreaming about for all my life, as I had the opportunity to compete on my Rookie campaign on the FLW Tour.  Though just getting into the Tour was enough to make 2019 a standout year, it also happened to be an exceptional year in terms of my tournament stats- I even was leading Angler Of The Year after five of the seven events!

After a bit of a stumble at the last two events, I ended the season 15th in points, which handily qualified me for the FLW Cup- the equivalent to the SuperBowl in FLW competition.  

Going into each season, every angler has their own personal goals, but no other goal is more widely set than making the Cup, because of its first place prize package of $300,000 and it’s a guaranteed $10,000 minimum check, as well as the prestige of saying you are a FLW Cup qualifier.  

Though, like all other anglers, my goal was to make the FLW Cup, I knew that it would come down to hard work, and focusing on that next bite each day of every event.  I believe that focusing on the process, instead of dwelling on the end results was what had me doing so well, during the first five events especially.  

All in all, qualifying for the Cup is a special accomplishment at any point in a career, but making it in my Rookie season makes it even sweeter.  I am excited to finally make my dreams come true, and compete in my first Tour level championship next week on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs Arkansas where my childhood dream becomes a reality!

Tune in to Sweetwater’s social media pages, as well as FLWFishing.com for all the live coverage of the FLW Cup.  Go Team Sweetwater!!

Z Man Drop Shot Rig | Pro Tips

Z Man Fishing Products - The Drop Shot Rig

One of the most consistent fish catching rigs is the Drop Shot Rig. One of my favorite presentations for the Drop Shot Rig is the brand new bait Z-Man Trick ShotZ. Traditionally the way to rig this is with a nose hook it. But a better way to rig it to make it a little more weedless and more realistic is still to nose hook it, but take the Drop Shot hook and go under the chin of the Trick ShotZ and bring the hook to where you can just barely feel the hook. That will create a more horizontal presentation and all you to catch more fish.

Pro Tips,

The Sweetwater Boys

Power Pole | Pro Tips

Power Pole - Total Boat Control

The Power-Pole is a great addition to any boat about to venture into the shallow water. For us, we use the Power-Pole not only as a shallow water anchor, but to keep our boat in place after unloading from the dock. That way, there is a decrease of chances to have scuff marks, as the boat won’t be sliding roughly off the ramp. With the Power-Pole, our boat is intact, and anchors wherever the best bass fishing spots are located.

Pro Tips,

The Sweetwater Boys