Entry 8-5

Fishing with Mike Wurm

Wurm's Goals And Plans

Fishing with Mike WurmEditor's Note: Mike Wurm, a 49-year old professional bass fisherman from Hot Springs, Arkansas, first fished competitively in 1978 and began fishing professionally on the BASSMASTER circuit in 1992. Wurm ranked 21st in the Top 150 Tour for 2000-01 and 3rd in the Top 150 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has had eight top-10 tournament finishes and has competed in five BASS Masters Classics.

Question: What do we see as the future for Mike Wurm? What are you hoping to accomplish?

Answer: In the future, I will keep on keeping on, and I'm going to be fishing the B.A.S.S. and F.L.W. tournament circuits. I'll keep on working with Strike King and representing the company as well -- doing anything they ask of me and presenting the lures as much as they want them to be presented.

Question: Can you easily get tired of fishing and promoting Strike King's lures, or are you having a ball?

Fishing with Mike WurmAnswer: I don't think I'll get tired of it. I've had another career, and I have no intentions to go back to that. I'm 49-years old. I would like to do this for another 10 years, if I stay healthy. I've made five Classics -- I'd like to make at least five or six more. Winning a BASS Master's Classic is my ultimate goal. So, I'll keep doing this as long as I'm healthy and able to compete.

Question: What made you decide to leave that job to do bass fishing professionally fulltime?

Answer: I've always loved fishing and the other job had gotten to be very stressful. That career was in medical technology -- in a hospital laboratory. I got more interested in fishing and saw it as an opportunity to make some money and do something that my wife and I love to do. She's my biggest supporter. She is the one who pushes me out the door and suggests do or don't do this. I'm really glad that we have given up on my stressful career. I wish we had done it maybe 10 years ago.

Fishing with Mike WurmI love to talk the talk enough to walk the walk. I enjoy going to the boat shows, presenting seminars, talking bassing and meeting people. I've met so many people since I've begun fishing professionally - it's just remarkable. Being able to do this professionally is really something that I'll cherish for the rest of my life. I've been presented with so many opportunities to meet people and talk to them.

I've emceed some of the last Federation Junior Championships, and those are an absolute inspiration to do. I've got one this fall, as a matter of fact. Those kids are just marvelous and enthusiastic. They get their game pieces on the night before just like anybody else. They are serious -- they love and enjoy the sport. The kids' ages range from nine to 15-year olds. If you get them hooked on fishing at a young age, you can have them hooked for life. Then they can enjoy fishing for a long time and pass it on to their kids. Professional bass fishing is a marvelous profession.

Fishing with Mike WurmQuestion: Did you begin fishing at a young age?

Answer: My mother started us fishing when I was about 5-years old. Then my mom and I both got my dad into fishing. I had a little off time when I was in college, getting my two-year degree. I got back into fishing when I started working. My love of bass fishing has continued from there.




 

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