MERCER-The Awkwardly Honest Fishing Podcast

Buddy Gross has had an incredible tour level career, amassing 4 FLW wins, 2 Bassmaster Elite Series wins and 3 trips across the Bassmaster Classic stage. However, for the first time in his career he is in a slump but Buddy is man enough to talk about it because in his words “he created his own slump”. But, the best thing about slumps is they don’t last forever and Buddy is working hard to put an e...

Ed Loughran is a Bassmaster Classic Qualifier & an Elite Series Champion. However “The Barrister” does not live the life of an average pro angler because he is far from average. Ed is a full time lawyer that grew up dreaming of being a pro angler. A dream he wanted so bad that he was willing to lay it all on the line not once but twice. This week he joins the podcast to share his incredible st...

4-time Bassmaster Classic Champion, the legendary Rick Clunn​⁠ returns to the show. But this time it’s with a very different outlook and approach than before. He has been following and studying the sport this year and he shares just a few of his many Clunn-Clusions from Lake Tenkiller. But that’s not all! We are then joined by Bassmaster videographer, Jake Latendresse with the ultimate Bassmaster...

Wes Logan is a two-time Classic Qualifier and now a two-time Elite Series Champion. Hot off his incredible 1 oz victory at Lake Tenkiller “the little ball of hate” joins the podcast for his first interview since winning one of the most compelling events this season. But that’s not all! We are then joined by former bachelor, Bassmaster Classic qualifier and 3-time Bassmaster winner, Byron Velvick,...

Tucker Smith is a 3 time Bassmaster High School Champion, a former College Bass Champion and now one of the newest Bassmaster Elite Series winners. The 23year old Alabama pro has been successful at every level he has competed, but he is not simply driven by trophies and accomplishments. In his words he is “Just here to fish and have Fun”.

Dakota Ebare is a Bassmaster Elite Series rookie but he is no rookie. He is a former bullfighter that has 2 MLF wins and over a million dollars in earnings. He decided to risk it all and fish the Opens in a quest to qualify for the Bassmaster Elites and chase his Classic dream. This week Dakota joins the podcast for a very real and raw conversation about the state of the industry, chasing his drea...

4-time Bassmaster Classic Champion, the legendary Rick Clunn finally returns to the show. But this time it’s with a very different outlook and approach than before. He has been following and studying the sport this year and he shares just a few of his many Clunn-Clusions and a big announcement.

Pat Schlapper is a 4 time classic qualifier, a bass nation national champion and the newest Bassmaster Elite Series Champion. Hot off his emotional wire-to-wire win on the Sabine River, Schlapper joins the podcast and as always he tells it like he sees it. But that’s not all! We are then joined by Bassmaster videographer, Jake Latendresse with the ultimate Bassmaster behind-the-scenes show, Jake’s...

John Cox is a pro angling anomaly. At a time where competitive fishing is dominated by technology he does not even have forward facing sonar on his boat. Cox is widely considered one of the greatest natural anglers in the history of the sport. This week he joins the show to talk about why he sees technology as a distraction, fishing dreams, shooting Bigfoot, finding fish and so much more. But that...

Randy Howell is a 16 time Bassmaster Classic Qualifier, a 4 time Bassmaster winner and the 2014 Bassmaster Classic Champion. 2025 marks his return to the Elite Series and Lake Hartwell marked his return to the top 10. This week he joins the podcast to talk about why he returned to B.A.S.S., what drives him and how he caught 'em at Lake Hartwell. But that’s not all! We are then joined by Bassma...

This past weekend two elite series champions had an incredible head-to-head battle on Lake Hartwell. It was a Sight Fishing Master, Drew Cook versus a Herring Master, Paul Marks. This unbelievable battle played out blow-for-blow on BassLive for the fishing world to see. Less than 24 hours after the tournament we sat down with both Drew Cook and Paul Marks to have a very real and raw conversation....

Alabama pro angler Dustin Connell is a former Elite Series champion and Rookie of the Year. He has stacked up 5 MLF wins and has won 3 out of the last 4 Redcrest Championships. Clearly DC  is a force to be reckoned with no matter where he is fishing. Hot off his most recent Redcrest win, he joins the podcast to catch up and share his take on today's tournament anglers, the need to work towards the...

Stone Cold Kyle Welcher is a 3 time Classic Qualifier and a 2 time Angler of the Year. He joins the podcast hot off his record-breaking victory on the Pasquotank River where he shattered the all-time win margin record by winning his first Elite Series tournament by 45lb 7oz. But that’s not all! We are then joined by bassmaster videographer, Jake Latendresse with the ultimate Bassmaster behind-the-...

Carl Jocumsen is a bassmaster elite series champion and a three time classic qualifier. His incredible power of positivity and confidence fuelled him to chase a dream that was literally on the other side of the world. But none of that comes without work. Even the ultra optimistic Jocumsen will tell you being positive is nearly impossible. But that’s why he chooses it.

Lee Livesay is a 4 time bassmaster winner and a 5 time classic qualifier with 2 bassmaster century belts. Lee is a Busch Light drinking, Whiskey Myers listening, bass catching bad ass from the red dirt of Lake Fork that prides himself on being a straight shooter that plays the game the right way. In his eyes, cheating is stealing!

Hot off his Historic Bassmaster Classic victory, Easton Fothergill joins the podcast. We discuss his incredible victory on Lake Ray Roberts. His inspiring story of overcoming horrific obstacles and a whole list of hot topics. But that’s not all! Then we are joined by bassmaster videographer, Jake Latendresse with the ultimate Bassmaster behind-the-scenes show, Jake’s Take. 

John Garrett is one of the brightest young stars in pro fishing. Not only is he a former College Bass Champion but he won an Elite Series title in only his 3rd event and finished his rookie season with a top 10 in Angler of the Year. Rookie luck? Not likely. This week he will compete in his second Bassmaster Classic and will do so as the current leader in Bassmaster Angler of the Year points. But...

Seth Feider is a 2-time Bassmaster winner and the 2021 Bassmaster Angler-of-the-Year. Feider has built a legion of loyal fans that connect with his open, honest and down-to-earth attitude. This week he once again returns to the podcast and as always “the lama” tells it like he sees it. Right down to the fact that he believes if you study the rule book you are looking to cheat. But that’s not all,...

Buckle up and get ready for a mega show this week. We have the first two Bassmaster Elite Series Champions of 2025. Both Lake Okeechobee Champion Brandon Palaniuk & St Johns River Champion Bill Lowen join the show to celebrate their incredible victories. Then BASS Live videographer Jake Latendresse gives his take on the first two events of the season with the ultimate Bassmaster behind-the-sce...

Ish Monroe is a 5-time Bassmaster winner and a 10-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier. Throughout his career, he has definitely lived up to the moniker, B.S.S. (Big Bass Specialist). However, Ish is not only a top competitor on the water. It seems he is a big wheel in the board room as well. His incredible work ethic and tireless drive has made him one of the best promoters in pro fishing. Don't bel...

Bill Dance has won 7 Bassmaster events, he is a 3 time Bassmaster Angler of the Year and he even has the honour of catching the first bass ever caught in a Bassmaster tournament! The crazy part is, he did all that before he was 40 years old. At 39 years old Bill Dance retired from competition and put his full time focus into TV. Since then, he has built an Outdoors empire, creating and producing,...

Cooper Gallant is a 3 time Bassmaster Classic qualifier, a Bassmaster Open winner, a YouTuber and a certified fishing addict. Some people choose pro angling and pro angling chooses some people. Coop is definitely the later. Without fishing he actually claims to go into withdrawal. He is obsessed with the sport and finally hoisting an Elite Series trophy. This week he joins the podcast and opens up...

Is Jason Christie really one of the most feared men in bass fishing? Not by fans of the sport but if you have to compete against him that’s a whole different story. Christie has 18 tour level wins, he has fished in 10 Bassmaster Classics and he won the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing in 2022. Not only is that resume scary, it gets even more intimidating when you realize he is going into the 2025 Bassma...

I get it. The last thing the world needs is another podcast but it needs this one. Brandon Palaniuk is a former Bass Nation National Champion, he has qualified for 13 Bassmaster Classics, won 6 Bassmaster Tournaments and 2 Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles. Kyle Vandever is an outdoor videographer & producer that not only shoots the incredible BMP behind-the-scenes series but he is a world...

Denny Brauer has won 17 Bassmaster tournaments, 2 Angler of the Year titles and he is the 1998 Bassmaster Classic Champion. He was the first angler ever featured on the Wheeties Box, he made two appearances on the David Letterman Show and he actually taught Ozzy Osborne how to cast! Although this Bass Fishing Hall of Famer has been away from tour level competition for over a decade, make no mistak...