®
Spring 2019
ANGLER
spotlight
Randy Pierson
page
16
TO THE ELITES AND BEYOND
Randy Pierson of Oakdale, Calif. realized a lifetime dream of qualifying as a professional angler on the Bassmaster Elite Series and earning a 2019 Bassmaster Classic berth.
Gaining entry to the prestigious group occurred over two years fishing the B.A.S.S. Nation events.
“There were five state tournaments to get qualified to the State Team,” said Peirson as he explained his path. If you won an event, you automatically qualified. If you didn’t, then you had to qualify by points. “My first tournament was at Melones. I took second there and then I went to Oroville for my second event. I won there, which automatically qualified me for the State Team and the Regional Finals. That win was in June 2017.”
Pierson’s next step to the Finals was in May 2018. “There were 11 other states represented – a total of 110 boats,” he recalled. “I finished third overall; but I was the highest California angler and the highest from each state went on to the National Championship; so, I moved on.”
The National Championship was held on Pickwick and according to Pierson welcomed competitors as far away as Japan, France,
Mexico and Zimbabwe. “The top three finishers got a spot in the Bassmaster Classic and won a brand-new boat to keep and the use of a Phenix boat for a year with paid entries into the Bassmaster Opens of their choice,” he said. “The winner was offered the option of a Bassmaster Elite invite and
$16,000 toward entries”
Pierson opted in for the Elite Series and his
life hasn’t been the same since. It wasn’t a hard
decision for him.
“This is something that I have worked really
hard for all my life and I took it one step at a time,
starting with winning the first tournament at
Oroville and being on the State Team,” he said.
“Then the next step at the next event. Once I get
back there on the Elite Series, I am also just going to
take it one step at a time.”
THE FISHING LIFE
Pierson was introduced to fishing as a teenager by his father Glenn. “I fish a little bit
for trout; but for 33-years, it’s
mostly all been bass,” said
Pierson. “I always wanted
to do the tournaments
and of course I’d watch
Pierson’s Pickwick trophy that earned the Bassmaster Classic berth and Elite Series invite Photo by Stephen Findley/ B.A.S.S.