Living his dream

Travel the country and fish. Many would jump at that opportunity.

Former truck driver and current professional angler Jamie Hartman did just that in 2017 when he earned a spot on the Bassmaster tour.

“It’s got its highs and it’s got its lows, but it really is a dream job,” Hartman said.

The Bassmaster Elite Series, which Hartman currently competes on, is a nine-tournament season typically starting in February and running through August. In 2024, events are scheduled in Louisiana, Texas, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama and New York.

An interesting career for sure, but it’s still a career. And as in other fields, the top is the ultimate goal.

“It’s a job. I mean, there’s a competitive edge that we have,” Hartman said. “It’s the best of the best in the country. It takes skill, endurance, the whole thing. And then there’s a little bit of luck. That never hurts. When I won my first tournament and they handed me a check, that’s where it started. I said, ‘You’re going to pay me to catch fish?’”

Before becoming a professional angler, Hartman spent 10 years in the trucking industry hauling mostly for paper mills locally and regionally. But trucking can require a demanding schedule, and days off can be hard to come by.

Hartman noted that his schedule as a truck driver not only limited his time to hone his fishing skills but also made it difficult to even find places to fish legally. In order to pursue the opportunity to live his dream, he had to say goodbye to trucking and go all in on fishing.

“I just couldn’t do both at the same time,” Hartman said. “I’m either going to do one or the other. I decided to quit driving and just fish full time. It was a good decision, because I qualified the very next season.”

He added that long after that decision, he still benefits from those long hours behind the wheel.

“When I have long drives – anywhere from six hours to 14 hours, because we go all over the country – it doesn’t bother me,” Hartman said. “Other guys complain about it, but it’s a drop in the hat for me. I can drive eight hours no problem. So, it does benefit me there.”

Also, not unlike in trucking, the work never ends for a professional angler.

“There’s a lot of work to do even in the offseason,” Hartman said. “You have to keep up with sponsors, redo your tackle and bait, lots of paperwork and getting your boat ready. We sell our boats pretty much every season. When you get a new boat, you have to get all the kinks out. It’s pretty much a never-ending job.”

As far as fishing advice, Hartman noted that the key is patience.

“That’s the best advice I can give,” he said. “Just enjoy it and have patience.” LL