Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 877 is my conversation with Jacob Wheeler, a two-time Angler of the Year in professional bass fishing. Jacob sat down with me in person to talk about his path in competitive bass fishing, why a saltwater guy like me has always studied how bass fishing does sponsorship, and forward-facing sonar, the technology that is changing the sport and has the whole fishing world talking.
Listen now: Megaphone · press play in the player above to watch.
Jacob Wheeler is a professional bass angler and two-time Angler of the Year in competitive bass fishing. He joined Tom Rowland in person for this episode to talk about his path in the sport and where bass fishing is headed.
Tom explains that as he built his career in saltwater fishing, sponsorship became something necessary for a television show, and the obvious place to look for a model was bass fishing. He points to Bill Dance and Roland Martin, among others, as having perfected the art of sponsorship long before saltwater fishing caught up.
Forward-facing sonar is live-imaging technology that has become one of the biggest topics in competitive bass fishing. Jacob discusses how it has changed the sport in a lot of ways and where he stands on its impact on tournament fishing.
Jacob says the sport has gotten younger and younger over the last ten to fifteen years, with a lot of that shift tied to platforms like YouTube changing how anglers build careers and reach audiences.
Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 877 with Jacob Wheeler is available on Megaphone, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and iHeartRadio. The video version is embedded at the top of this page.
I grew up in Chattanooga fishing Chickamauga, and even though I built my career in saltwater fishing, I have always followed bass fishing closely, especially the sponsorship side of the business. Jacob Wheeler is one of the best in the world at what he does, and I wanted to sit down with him in person and hear his perspective on the sport, both the competition and the business behind it.
Press play in the player at the top of this page to hear it.
I have always studied bass fishing because guys like Bill Dance and Roland Martin figured out sponsorship long before saltwater fishing did. Jacob and I get into what that model looks like from the inside. Worth hearing him explain it himself.
Forward-facing sonar is the topic everyone in bass fishing is talking about right now, and Jacob has strong opinions on it. He gets into how it has changed the sport in a lot of ways. Press play to hear where he lands on it.
Jacob talks about how the sport has skewed younger over the last ten to fifteen years, and how platforms like YouTube have reshaped the path into competitive fishing. Listen to that part of the conversation.
Listen to the full conversation: Megaphone · or watch in the YouTube player at the top of this page.
Getting Jacob Wheeler in the studio in person was a treat. I have followed his career for a long time, and hearing him talk through the sponsorship side of bass fishing and where forward-facing sonar is taking the sport gave me a lot to think about, even as someone who has spent my career on the saltwater side.
Press play in the player above, or find Episode 877 on Megaphone, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or iHeartRadio.
Jacob Wheeler · Bill Dance · Roland Martin · Chattanooga, Tennessee · Chickamauga · Tom Rowland (host)
Jacob Wheeler is a professional bass angler and two-time Angler of the Year in competitive bass fishing, recognized as one of the top competitors in the sport.
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