It's about to get real for Canadian Cooper Gallant.
Four months ago, the 25-year-old native of Bowmanville, Ont., achieved a childhood dream by qualifying to compete on the Elite Series, pro bass fishing's top tournament circuit. But Gallant figured he likely wouldn't fully appreciate the accomplishment until the first event of the 2023 season.
That time is now, as Gallant's opening competition as an Elite Series pro begins Thursday on Florida's Lake Okeechobee.
"To be honest, I've been crazy busy the last few months and really haven't had a whole of time to think about fishing," Gallant said. "But having got on the road and made my way down to the first event, I'm starting to get the chills and super excited to get the season started."
Gallant becomes the fourth Canadian on the Elite Series, joining veterans Jeff Gustafson of Kenora, Ont., and brothers Cory and Chris Johnston, of Cavan, Ont., and Peterborough, Ont., respectively. Dave Mercer, the circuit's longtime master of ceremonies, is from Port Perry, Ont.
Chris Johnston (2020) and Gustafson (2021) have both won Elite Series tournaments while Cory Johnston has been one of the circuit's most consistent performers with 17 top-20 finishes in three seasons.
"I've spent some time with Chris and Cory and I talk on the phone with Jeff quite a bit," Gallant said. "If I have any questions, something as simple as what to expect at the meeting the day before the tournament, or regarding how things work, they're always willing to give me an idea of what to expect."
Gallant qualified for the Elite Series by finishing third last year in the Bassmaster Southern standings. The '22 Bassmaster Open schedule consisted of nine U.S.-based tournaments (three each in Northern, Southern and Central regions) with the top-three division finishers along with the first three anglers in the overall standings all securing Elite Series berths.
Gallant decided to fish all nine events to maximize his chances of qualifying. This year, five Canadians — Paul Bouvier, of Kingston, Ont., Jamie Bruce of Kenora, Ryan Clark of Whitby, Ont., Evan Kung of Pickering, Ont., and Danny McGarry, of Newcastle, Ont. — will attempt to follow Gallant's lead and compete in all nine Open tournaments with the goal of securing spots next year on the Elite Series
McGarry and Gallant have fished many team tournaments together.
"It's awesome," Gustafson said of having a fourth Canadian on tour. "Cooper is a young guy who qualified the hard way and deserves to be there.
"I'll be more than willing to help him. He's probably going to take my job here in the next few years but many people are excited for him. He's just a likable guy who's also a pretty good angler."
The Canadians will compete in the US$1-million Bassmaster Classic, the circuit's richest and most prestigious event slated for March 24-26 on the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tenn. For the Johnstons and Gustafson, this will mark their fourth Classic appearance.
Gallant punched his ticket when he captured last year's Bassmaster Southern Open event on Tennessee's Cherokee Lake.
Gustafson and the Johnstons are all seasoned professionals in the pro bass ranks. Gustafson said two keys to longevity are maintaining an even keel and finding ways to keep what's an a results-oriented business fun.
"It's kind of a ruthless activity as far as the highs are high and awesome but the lows are really low," he said. "I've left some events where I've caught one fish on the second day or missed getting a $10,000 cheque by two, three or four ounces and those can crush you.
"There's a fine line there because it's fishing and no matter how well you know a place or how confident you are, there's going to be tough days while other times your results sometimes are going to end up being better than you expected. And then there's weather that can be completely different the next day so you've got to be able to adjust and change things up when you have to."
Lake Okeechobee might be the largest lake in the southern U.S., but the expectation is anglers will have to deal with tight quarters when the competition begins. That's because there's a shortage of clear water for spawning fish.
Fishing pressure could also be a factor, as there was a Major League Fishing tournament there last week. But, as he's done often before, Gallant plans to hit the water with an open mind and ready to adapt to whatever conditions he might face.
"Honestly, I don't feel any pressure," Gallant said. "The second I get on water, it calms me down, which I am very thankful for.
"For sure, it feels good. I know how much work I've put into it since I started fishing tournaments and for it to all work out is a dream come true. . . but I've still got plenty of work to do. I'm thankful to fish the Elite Series but I want to catch them."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2023.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
