“My dad put a fishing pole in my hands at the age of two and I haven’t put a rod down since then,” Sophomore Peter Duffy said.
At a very young age Duffy began fishing with his family. He quickly fell in love with the sport and being on the water. For him, fishing is a hobby that will never get old. In the summer, he spends most of his weekdays and his weekends on the water fishing and competing in fishing competitions.
Duffy attended the Bass Master Junior Series in 2019.
Photo courtesy of Peter Duffy.
“Small mouth bass and largemouth bass are my favorite to fish for in freshwater,” Duffy said, “I also love going to the Florida Keys for barracuda and mutton snapper.”
Even though Duffy spends almost all of his time fishing, he never grows tired of his days spent at the lake.
“I never come off the lake with a bad day, even if I didn’t catch a thing or ended up last in a tournament. It’s always better than being inside on the computer,” Duffy said.
Duffy loves how unpredictable the sport can be and how fun it can be whether you’re catching a ton or waiting around for a bite.
“With fishing it never gets old. I can catch over 100 in 4 hours and still have a great time,” Duffy said, “The next cast could also be your biggest fish of your life.”
Although Duffy says he believes there is a common stereotype around the people who fish and that they are often perceived as “country people,” he thinks that fishing is for everyone and anyone can enjoy it.
“Fishing is great for relaxing or just going out with your friends and hanging out,” Duffy said, “I know many CEOs of huge companies that live in the big cities and on the weekends they go out to the lake to relax, catch a few fish and recharge.”
While there are many challenges associated with both recreational and competitive fishing and skills to grasp, Duffy has proven himself to be a successful competitor in the competitive fishing circuit and enjoys his time recreationally fishing as well.
“The fishing community is great, everyone gets along,” Duffy said,“There’s no seeing who has the nicest boat or gear; nobody judges you on your ability or your knowledge. We all help each other out.”
Fishing may seem fun and exciting but it often requires a lot of patience. Duffy on some days waits hours for fish to bite or must search endlessly for schools of fish.
“Finding the fish wherever they are on the lake [can be challenging] but when you have found them, then it is making them bite or I can spend hours looking for schools of fish then they bite right away,” Duffy said.
Duffy says that while at tournaments or fishing in a competitive nature, keeping your cool can be a difficult skill to grasp but very important to have.
“Staying emotionally and mentally calm is very hard during tournaments,” Duffy said, “But if you work hard on it long enough you will learn how to deal with it perfectly.”
Duffy and his fishing partner Bryce Formsma have already accumulated multiple awards from many national fishing tournaments. So far, Duffy and Formsma have competed in 4 Youth Michigan Bass National State Championships and placed within the top 5 finalists in all 4 tourneys.
Formsma. The duo has attended many tournaments and placed highly.
Photo courtesy of Duffy.
With their previous success in tournaments, Duffy and his partner are hoping to improve their skills this tournament season and break some of their personal records.
“We have qualified for Nationals 2 years in a row. We have not won a tournament yet but are looking for a first this year,” Duffy said, “There are over 80 boats each tournament and schools from all over Michigan competing.”
In addition to his many professional successes, Duffy has gained a following on his fishing Instagram account where he shares photos from competitions and recreational fishing.
With more people participating in professional bass tournaments, for Duffy, going pro would require lots of time and dedication.
“I would love to become a professional bass fisher and make a name for myself. It won’t be easy with the long days on the water, countless parties missed so I can be on the water the next morning at 5,” Duffy said.
But while Duffy will be sacrificing some events for more time on the water, he will be making his own memories. He is confident that he would be as a professional fisher.
“While everybody else is about to go to sleep after being out, I will be waking up to get on the water and work towards my dream,” Duffy said.
