Wheeler Not Your Ordinary 22-Year-Old

I remember hearing about a recent BFL All-American champion following up his win with a Forest Wood Cup title. At the time, Jacob Wheeler didn’t seem much like any other tournament standout. Young, aggressive; wearing a flat-billed hat. And I remember thinking that there was about a 50/50 chance that he’d either forge a career as a dominant pro or fade off into oblivion after a few years.

One thing is certain in professional bass fishing: While the major tournament trails are great at publicizing their crowning victor, that guy is going to be replaced in 12 short months. With the exception of a couple of times in the history of bass fishing, the name on the title changes each season. Not surprisingly, oftentimes the attention of the media shifts to the new guy in town, and the once-popular competitor shuffles back into the crowd.

Last week I had the opportunity to hang out with Wheeler for a few days, and I figured it would be a great opportunity to get into his head a bit; see what makes him tick. I was sure I’d hear similarities to other champions, and see those in the way he fished. I was sure he was just like a lot of other guys, spending decades working toward a goal of qualifying for one of bass fishing’s biggest events. He probably juggled a business, as well as a wife and kids, in order to find time and money to pursue his dream. He’d probably bounced around between sponsors, spent some time working the Fun Zones and hustled the floor at ICAST.

Then I found out he was 22 years old.

I guess no one ever told me, or that I just didn’t pick up on this inconceivable fact. This kid went out and won a BFL, as well as some state events, made the All-American, won it, made the Cup and won that too, and did so at a time when most guys his age are still using fake IDs and eating pizza everyday. Wheeler’s current FLW profile lists career earnings of over $700,000.

Again, he’s 22.

By actually waking up and realizing this, I was immediately drawn to learn more about this kid and find out what it means to be in his situation. Suffice to say, had I won over half a mil by age 21, there would have been an inconceivable party. You’ve seen the movie "Hangover"? Yeah, times 10.

Surely this guy had some stories on the fast track to derailment. Girls, tour buses, Vegas. Surely I’d come away with dirt that could only be published here. Nope, not even close. Wheeler’s big party after the Cup: a family vacation. His careless spending after cashing the big check: pay some bills and set up a retirement fund. His plans for the future: try to win everything.

As a fan of professional fishing, I always find it compelling when a rookie or someone with little experience compared to the established pros finds a way to win. We see it from time to time. I remember a buddy of mine who fished as a co-angler on the FLW and EverStart trails as a teenager. He did so well that some pros didn’t want to be paired with him.

I’ve always felt that, oftentimes, these young anglers perform well because no one ever told them they couldn’t. By this, I mean that they have yet to see how hard bass fishing tournaments can be. They aren’t burdened by sponsors, finances and mortgage rates. They just go out, go fishing, and catch ‘em. I mean, after all, what’s so hard about that?

I tried to direct some of my questions to Wheeler along the same path. What I came to find was that he was a very unassuming young man who felt that he was very fortunate. When I quizzed him about pre-tournament help, he answered: “I don’t really know anybody, so I kind of just do my own thing most times.” When I asked if he was fitting in well with the veterans, he commented, “I can’t expect respect just because I won. That comes from experience."

I pressed on with questions about the lucky horseshoe some rookies seem to carry. Again, his answer was honest, yet not over-thought: “Guys get all freaked out fishing against VanDam or Dudley. They put their pants on the same way as the rest of us.”

Wheeler was quick to point out that he felt very blessed with his accomplishments. In prominent areas throughout his boat, he has little sayings that show his strong work ethic and belief in God. In addition to this, he credits industry veteran Joe Thomas for mentoring him in the tournament lifestyle.

Through our brief time together, it became apparent that Jacob is doing all he can to get his feet wet. He’s very approachable and a hard worker for sponsors. Again, his unassuming nature is a welcome change from the ego-driven world of tournament fishing. But it’s apparent the competitive side of fishing still drives him.

He mentioned that he feels when winning the Cup, he beat “some of the best in the world, but not all of the best in the world." He mentioned that he would be interested in holding the title on both sides of the fence. “People have to assume the Classic’s on my mind, let’s be real”.

He claims to never be satisfied with what he has already accomplished, that he needs to look forward to more goals that he has yet to attain. Competition motivates him very deeply, I learned. Not surprisingly, we often hear the same thing about VanDam and Dudley, too.

Wheeler comes off far more mature than what I expected, but every now and then, his age pops through. He talked of how winning the Cup was surreal, yet he realized the dream was real because he slept with the trophy by his bed for weeks. I thought of how funny it would be to bring home a check for 500 grand and pull into the driveway of your parents' house. What’s it like to be that kid's dad and get up for work the next day?

In any case, Wheeler has his things in order. I expect to see more greatness out of him in the near future, and wouldn’t be surprised to see him fish a few B.A.S.S. Opens, just in case he gets the itch to try “the other side."

Competition drives him. I just hope he has a little fun along the way. You’re only that age once, but you live it for a lifetime.

(Joe Balog is the often outspoken owner of Millennium Promotions, Inc., an agency operating in the fishing and hunting industries. A former Bassmaster Open and EverStart Championship winner, he's best known for his big-water innovations and hardcore fishing style. He's a popular seminar speaker, product designer and author, and is considered one of the most influential smallmouth fishermen of modern times.)