MERCER-The Awkwardly Honest Fishing Podcast

There are a lot of ways to make a living in sport fishing and Jay Siemens just may have done most of them. He started as a 16 year old fishing guide, turned photographer, videographer, YouTuber, influencer, lodge owner, fishing batter company co-owner, and ultimately, a very successful YouTuber and content creator. So successful in-fact that outside of his own channel (@JaySiemens) he actually hos...

Darold Gleason is a Bassmaster Open winner, a Classic Qualifier and a full-time Bassmaster Elite Series Pro. But it was not always that way. After spending 7 years as a school teacher, he decided to leave the security of that job behind, to chase his dreams and start living life because as he says “you can’t buy more time”. Gleason joins this week’s show with a very revealing & honest conversa...

Cooper Gallant came into the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series as a highly hyped rookie, with a head full of confidence, hot off his first Bassmaster Open win. Now with just three events to go and all in his wheelhouse, Coop has once again put himself in contention to qualify for another Bassmaster Classic. But what’s it REALLY like to be an Elite Series rookie? This week he joins the Mercer podcast to...

Sure Gerald Swindle is a 2 time Bassmaster Angler of the Year and a walking weigh-in highlight reel. But he is also a starch defender of the rules and his way of playing the game. This week, he once again joins the podcast to talk about the recently acceptable grey area in rules, his trip to Jamaica and his belief in pro anglers defending the shield that they have earned the right to wear.

Stone Cold Kyle Welcher is a two-time Bassmaster Classic Qualifier and the current leader in Bassmaster Angler of the Year points. Welcher, a former professional gambler, is one of the brightest young stars in pro fishing. His incredible mind and unique outlook on angling is truly remarkable. This week he joins the podcast to have a very open and honest conversation about angling and so, so much m...

This week we are joined by two of the most naturally gifted bass anglers on the planet. John Cox and Keith Carson are both Bassmaster Classic qualifiers. However, they did not start on top. These two childhood friends have been turning heads at tournaments ever since they could legally tow their janky Jon Boat to the ramp. Forged from 15 years of skipping school and faking sick days to chase bass,...

This week we have a double dose of goodness. The newest Bassmaster Elite Series Champion Brock Mosley joins the show and of course. we have Jake’s Take. Bassmaster Videographer and friend of the show, Jake Latendresse returns with the ultimate behind-the-scenes Bassmaster break down of everything that REALLY happened on and off the water at the Sabine River Bassmaster Elite Series tournament in Or...

He is an Elite Series rookie but he is already a Bassmaster Elite Series Champion. It did not take “The Cowboy” Joey Cifuentes long to rope his first Elite title winning the second tournament he fished. Everyone knows that stuff but did you know Joey has been branded twice, rode a bull and once grew up dreaming of being a pro in another sport? This week Joey Cifuentes joins the podcast and we lear...

Seth Feider is truly one of the biggest names in sport fishing. Not only is he a 2-time Bassmaster winner, the 2021 Bassmaster Angler of the Year and a 6-time Classic Qualifier but he has built a legion of loyal fans. Some call him the the Llama, some call him the Amazing FeiderMan, but his incredible fans connect with his open, honest and down-to-earth attitude. Seth Feider joins this week's podc...

Just back from the 5th stop on the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series at Lay Lake and so is Jake’s Take. Bassmaster Videographer and friend of the show, Jake Latendresse returns with the ultimate behind-the-scenes Bassmaster break down of everything that REALLY happened on and off the water at the Lay Lake Bassmaster Elite Series tournament in Alabama.

Shane Lehew is not just the Baby Shark- he is also a 4 time Bassmaster Classic Qualifier, a 4 time Forest Wood Cup Qualifier, a member of the Bassmaster Century Club and a former Junior World Champion. This week, the often quiet but always likeable Bassmaster Elite Series Pro joins the podcast and opens up about his past, the present and the challenge of being a naturally quiet person in this supe...

Just back from the third and fourth stop on the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series and so is Jake’s Take. Bassmaster Videographer and friend of the show, Jake Latendresse returns with the ultimate behind-the-scenes Bassmaster break down of everything that REALLY happened on and off the water at the Lake Murray and Santee Cooper Lakes Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments in South Carolina.

The ultra likeable Chad Pipkens is a 6 time Bassmaster Classic Qualifier and a Bassmaster Open Winner. His incredibly positive outlook on life and professional angling is truly addictive. With 17 Bassmaster top 10's the friendly & charismatic Michigan pro feels this big win is coming. But first, he joins this week's podcast to talk about life on tour, being a hockey ref and his battle with Bif...

Ben Milliken is only two events into his Bassmaster Open career and he has already made his mark in a giant way. He finished 5th in the first one and he won the second one, making him a Bassmaster Classic qualifier and he just may be the Next Big Thing in Bass fishing. Ben arguably has one of the biggest independent fishing channels on YouTube. Milliken Fishing has over 500,000 YouTube subscribers...

Mike Iaconelli is the 2003 Bassmaster Classic Champion, the 2006 Bassmaster Angler of the Year, an 8 time Bassmaster winner with almost 3 million dollars in tournament winnings. Ike was once referred to as the bad boy of bass fishing and he even made GQ’s list of the top 10 most hated athletes. Well, whoever made that list clearly never asked the actual fans because Ike has amassed one of the bigg...

Just back from the Record setting 2023 Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville, Tennessee and so is Jake’s Take. Bassmaster Videographer and friend of the show, Jake Latendresse returns with the ultimate behind-the-scenes Bassmaster break down of everything that REALLY happened on and off the water at the 2023 Bassmaster Classic.

The ultra popular and always likeable Jeff Gustafson made history this past weekend by becoming the only Canadian to ever win the Bassmaster Classic. He also became the first Canadian with multiple Bassmaster wins. Ironically both wins coming from the same body of water - the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tennessee. The fact that Gussy lives roughly 22 hours from there in Kenora, Ontario did not s...

Louisiana’s Tyler Rivet will kick off his 2nd Bassmaster Classic appearance in just a couple of days. He comes into this tournament riding an incredible wave of momentum after winning the first Bassmaster Elite Series tournament of the season on Lake Okeechobee and backing it up with a 3rd place finish at Lake Seminole. He is the current leader in Bassmaster Angler of the Year points and he is tru...

Kevin VanDam is the most accomplished angler in the history of professional bass fishing. KVD is a 7-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year, a 4-time Bassmaster Classic Champion with a record 25 Bassmaster Wins, 4 MLF wins & a FLW Angler of the Year title. All of that adds up to over 7 million in earnings & countless records. Nothing about Kevin VanDam’s tournament career has ever been average...

Rick Clunn is a 4-time Bassmaster Classic Champion, 16-time Bassmaster winner, 32-time Classic Qualifier & a former Bassmaster AOY. Beyond all of those trophies and accolades, Rick Clunn is an absolute anomaly. What he is doing in fishing is not happening in any other sport or competitive activity on earth. At 76 years old he just kicked off his 49th season competing at the top level of the sp...

Just back from the first 2 Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments of the 2023 season and so is Jake’s Take. Bassmaster Videographer and friend of the show Jake Latendresse returns with the ultimate behind-the-scenes Bassmaster break down of everything that REALLY happened on and off the water at the Lake Okeechobee and Lake Seminole Bassmaster Elite Series Tournaments.

Ben Milliken is no stranger to taking risks. In his mid 20’s he left a safe job to chase his dream of fishing full time. Just seven years later he arguably has one of the biggest independent fishing channels on YouTube. Milliken Fishing has over 500,000 YouTube subscribers and over 120 million plays. All of this fuelled by his life long angling addiction. Next week he embarks on another incredible...

Bradley Hallman is a two-time FLW Tour winner and a two-time Elite Series qualifier with a rapidly growing YouTube following. But it has not always been this way. At one point in his life, Bradley walked away from the Bassmaster Elite Series believing that tournament fishing had stole his soul. But that was then, this is now. A rejuvenated and reenergized Hallman is just a few short hours away fro...

Over the last 3 years Lee Livesay is truly one of the hottest anglers on the planet. In that short time he has won 4 Bassmaster tournaments, collected 2 Bassmaster Century Belts & weighed in the 3rd biggest limit in Bassmaster History. He has qualified for 3 Bassmaster Classics & not only did he win on his home lake (Lake Fork) but he did it back-to-back. Along the way he has assembled one...

Matt Robertson is one of the most polarizing pro anglers in professional fishing. He is a 4-time Bassmaster Classic Qualifier and a Bassmaster Open Champion. In a very short time he has built a legion of loyal fans. Known for his signature ON ‘EM hat, his cut-off shirts, fur coats and ferocious personality. Matt proudly represents Kentucky and the trailer park he calls home. His down home thinking...