MERCER-The Awkwardly Honest Fishing Podcast

Less than 24 hours after making history, Trey McKinney sits down at a picnic table with Mercer to talk about becoming the youngest Angler of the Year in Bassmaster history.After finishing second in the AOY race in each of the last two seasons, Trey finally got it done. But what does it actually feel like when the thing you’ve chased, dreamed about and come painfully close to finally becomes reality?With barely any time to process what just happened, Trey talks about the pressure of the final event, the emotions of Championship Sunday, the heartbreak of the last two years and what it means to finally be able to call himself Bassmaster Angler of the Year.No studio. No time to prepare the perfect answers. Just a picnic table and a brand-new Angler of the Year talking about the biggest moment of his young career.Trey McKinney made history. Less than 24 hours later, we talked about all of it.

Forward-facing sonar is right up there with politics and religion as a topic you’re probably better off not bringing up… so naturally, we’re talking about it.This week on the MERCER Podcast, three different pro anglers with three very different perspectives weigh in on one of the biggest questions in professional bass fishing:Did Bassmaster’s split forward-facing sonar schedule actually work?Greg Hackney, Mike Iaconelli and Kyle Patrick give their opinions on how the season played out, what worked, what didn’t, and whether splitting the schedule between events with and without forward-facing sonar accomplished what Bassmaster hoped it would.Did it create a more balanced playing field? Did it make the competition better? Did it prove anything at all? And most importantly—is this the format Bassmaster should stick with moving forward?Three pros. Three perspectives. One topic that bass fishing just can’t stop arguing about.Forward-facing sonar: did the split season work?

During one of his best seasons ever 3 time Bassmaster winner Cory Johnston sits just two events and 1 angler away from capturing the coveted Bassmaster Angler of the Year title. But with all that success has come an unexpected conversation—some anglers close to home even think that he should be banned.This week Cory swings by for a face-to-face honest conversation about an incredible season, the pressure of the AOY race, and what it’s really like competing at the highest level of professional bass fishing.Whether you’re following the AOY race or just love hearing the stories behind professional fishing, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Fishing has changed—and keeping a secret might be harder than ever. This week on the Mercer Podcast, Bassmaster Elite Series Pro and Forrest Wood Cup Champion Justin Atkins joins us for a VERY honest, wide-ranging conversation about what it’s really like to chase a career in professional fishing.We dive into whether fishing secrets still exist in the age of social media and instant information sharing. Has it become impossible to keep a productive pattern, a winning bait, or a special spot under wraps?But that’s just the beginning.Justin opens up about the financial risks of chasing a childhood dream, what it takes to survive on tour, his relentless desire to win, and the sacrifices that come with making professional fishing your career. Along the way, the conversation takes plenty of unexpected turns—including hilarious tour stories, embarrassing moments, life on the road, and the realities that fans rarely get to hear.It’s funny, honest, and full of the kind of behind-the-scenes stories that only happen when two friends who love the sport sit down and have a real conversation.If you’re passionate about bass fishing, tournament competition, or just love hearing the stories behind the anglers, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.