An angler first, a pioneer second
By TERRY TOMALIN, Outdoors Editor
Published September 14, 2007
The first time Ish Monroe saw a fishing magazine, he knew what he wanted to do for a living.
"I decided that whatever it took, I had to be a professional fisherman," said the first African-American to win a major bass tournament. "If other people could do it, why couldn't I?"
Growing up in the San Francisco Bay area, Monroe played traditional sports "A lot of basketball," he said. While his friends wanted to become professional baseball or football players, Monroe clung to his dream and went fishing every chance he got.
"It didn't matter where we went," he said. "Salt, fresh, lake, pond, river or stream, as long as it was fishing."
In college, Monroe studied marketing and public speaking.
"Most people wouldn't think it, but those are two of the most important aspects of being a professional fisherman," he said.
His mother wanted him to use his new-found skills in the traditional business arena. Monroe had other plans.
"I'm going on the bass tour," he told his mother.
"Go get a real job," she replied.
So, welcome to the BASS circuit
Monroe, 33, is one of more than 100 anglers competing for $100,000 in cash (even more in endorsements) as the final event of the Bassmaster Elite Series continues today on Kissimmee's Lake Toho.
Anglers have fished from California to Florida in this 11-event series, many logging more than 60,000 miles of road time this year. The $7.5-million tournament trail is bass fishing's most competitive. Points gathered here determine the Bassmaster Angler of the Year Award.
"Everybody here is so good," Monroe said. "Everybody does everything right. The competition is always very tight. This is a sport where 1 ounce (of fish) can cost you $10,000."
Monroe went into the final in 18th place. Thursday, his first day on this four-day tournament, was average - he weighed in 5 pounds of fish, which will probably put him somewhere near the bottom of the pack.
"But all he needed was one fish to send him to the Bassmaster Classic," said Doug Grassian, spokesman for the BASS circuit.
Only 50 anglers will qualify for the "The Classic," often referred to as the Super Bowl of bass fishing, where some lucky angler will take home $500,000.
A black man in a white sport
Monroe is often asked what it is like for a black man in a sport often associated with white, southern anglers.
"I haven't encountered any overt racism at the tournaments," he said. "These guys are all professional. What matters is the fish you show up with at the weigh-in. That has nothing to do with the color of your skin."
There is a growing fan base among African-American anglers, Monroe said, and the rival FLW Bass Tour has more than a dozen anglers of color.
Monroe is by far the most visible. In March 2006, Monroe won the $100,000 Battle of the Border on Lake Amistad, Texas, where he owns a piece of land. That year, he narrowly missed winning the Best Angler Award at the ESPY Awards. The honor went to Arkansas' Tammy Richardson, who won two events on the Women's Bassmaster Tour.
Even though he has earned more than $600,000 in the past seven years (not including endorsements), it hasn't been smooth sailing.
"I've been pulled over several times for what I call DWB, or driving while black," he said. "They want to know where a guy like me is going with such a fancy boat."
Even though he is the host of his own TV show, Yo, Ish, which airs Saturday morning on ESPN2, Monroe still gets stopped. "But now all they want is an autograph," he said.
For the results of this weekend's event on Lake Toho go to www.espnoutdoors.com. Action continues through Sunday.
Terry Tomalin can be reached at tomalin@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8808.