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Ish: I fished my first pro-am as a pro when I was 18 years old--a WON Bass tournament on Clear Lake--and I've been fishing the Bassmaster trail now for five years. I have yet to make the Classic, but it's my major goal, and I've really been working hard this year, focusing on achieving that type of success.

BW: It takes a while to succeed on the major tour. Talk a little about what's gone right for you this spring.

Ish: I'm 18th overall in the Angler of the Year race, which is really nice. Practicing extremely hard in the preseason has really made a difference. Plus, I've got more of a mental focus this year, and some extra money the sponsors have kicked in has definitely relieved some of the pressure. Fishing to make a check is totally different than fishing to get a check. I look at a lot of the more successful anglers, and if you've noticed, not too many come from being flat broke to immediately making it. When you have extra money coming in, it relieves a lot of the tension. You can focus more, have fun and compete at the level you want.

BW: When did things turn the corner for you, where you thought you could make a go of fishing for a living?

Ish: To start, I set my goals very high from day one. Since I was 10 years old, when I first saw fishing on TV, I said to myself, "I want to do this." After that, I spent all my free time talking to every single company I was interested in to find what they were looking for in sponsoring an angler.

Nowadays, there are very few anglers out there who make it off winnings alone. I'd have to guess it's 5 percent or less. Everybody else makes their money from sponsorships and endorsements. So I learned early on that sponsorship was the way to go. I approached sponsors on a business level, and my big break came when I met Scot Laney, now president of the Professional Anglers Association.

I met him working a boat show the first year Bassmaster came out West. I'd fished two events, was doing well in points, and I was just sitting there talking to him about nearby rods and other products. I didn't realize he was the owner of the company. He started me with some rods, and when I qualified for the Bassmaster Tour, he helped me with a vehicle, entry fees, gas, etc. That was definitely my break, and not many people get it. He's the one who really got me started in the beginning.

BW: Now you're on the Bassmaster Tour. What's the reaction been on tour to your success, and the success of your colleagues?

Ish: You know, a lot of guys out there give Western guys their due respect. But there are still a few guys out there who don't want to give us credit. I remember going to a tour event right after Mark Tyler had broken the BASS all-time record. And I remember a guy, and I won't mention his name, but he yelled out "We don't give Western anglers any credit."

At that point, I realized there are still some guys out there who don't believe Western anglers can do it. But they fail to remember that Jay Yelas is from the West, and he's one of the best anglers out there. If you look at it, he's made the Classic year after year by fishing the Invitationals, which is probably the toughest way to make it. Five guys out of 300? And he's made it for, I think, 12 years now. Gary Klein--who just won Seminole and entered the Millionaire's Club--he's from California. Dean Rojas still holds the record.

Yeah, these guys may live in Texas now, but they're all from the West. John Murray is another example. He's won over $1 million in tournaments out West alone. Gary Dobyns also. There is not 10 anglers in this country who can say they've done that.

BW: So some prejudice remains. But do they still call you guys sissy fishermen?

Ish: No. they realize that we do a lot of different things, and throw a lot bigger baits than they ever considered. They also realize that we're better at reading electronics and understanding how fish relate to structure, so they never really call us sissies--unless we're throwing dropshot rigs!

BW: The BASS tour is swinging out West next month. What's the buzz from the pros on that? Are Southern guys nervous about going out and fishing there?

Ish: I'm very pumped, because if I make the cut, I'm going back to the lakes I grew up on. I sat down with Klein at the Seminole tournament, and he's been back West to practice. And I've talked to some other guys who are all excited about coming out here. But at the same time, I heard some Western guys saying, "Oh yeah, we're gonna wear these guys out." They have to realize these guys fishing for a living. They're professionals. It's just like putting Jeff Gordon on a new race track. He's never driven it before, but he's still gonna fare well. So these guys are gonna come out here, they'll get some help, they have the ability, and they'll catch 'em. I think they'll teach us a few things about fishing grass on the Delta that we've never even thought about. Clear Lake, on the other hand, I believe will be a sightfishing tournament. And I think those guys will be amazed at how many fish are on beds and how easy they are to catch. There will probably be more 20-pound-plus bags in the first two days than I can even imagine. I think it will take 42 to 45 pounds just to make the cut, and 30 to 35 pounds just to cash a check.

BW: Have you ever thought about fishing the FLW tour?

Ish: I'd love to, but as a non-Ranger owner, it's practically impossible. There's been a big stink about wanting to improve the quality of fishermen fishing FLW, but a good amount of great fishermen don't own Ranger boats. Nothing against Ranger, I think it's a great marketing plan, but they're missing out on a lot of great anglers. And there's no way I'm giving up my Skeeter.

BW: You didn't come back here to fish the EverStart series. How come?

Ish: My focus this year is on making the Classic. I'm fishing as hard as I possibly can, and I'm not even coming home until the sixth tournament is over. I've been gone since January 2, and I won't see home until the end of March. Hopefully, I'll be coming back to fish the Delta and Clear Lake.

BW: We hope so too, Ish. Thanks!