Gerald Swindle is every fisherman’s fisherman. He loves the sport, loves to connect with people, and loves talking about his favorite fishing experiences. He’s a wonderful ambassador for bass fishing, and we are proud to have him on the Huk team.
Gerald grew up in Hayden, Alabama, where fishing became a part of his life from an early age. He says one of his favorite childhood fishing experiences is catching a four-pound bass out of the family’s pond when he was around seven years old. It was so big, he couldn’t reel it in so he had to land it by running backwards.
Gerald fished throughout is childhood, but his career in competitive fishing didn’t take off until well after high school. Working in the construction trade, he fished local competitions after work. These events only lasted a few hours, so he learned to fish a wide variety of techniques to get the most for a small amount of time.
His big break came in 1998, when he was almost 30 years old. Using a spinner bait with a large blade, Gerald won first place at an FLW event in Arkansas, and with it, a $150,000 prize which gave him the financial stability to launch a full-time fishing career.
Called the “G-Man”, he is one of fishing’s most passionate and enthusiastic personalities. Full of jokes, stories, self-confidence, and the perfect amount of humility, Gerald is definitely someone you want to fish with. If the fish aren’t biting, you can bet Gerald will keep you entertained with funny stories, humorous jokes, and commentary on just about everything. In fact, he has said that if he wasn’t a pro angler, he might be a comedian. Seems he could also make quite a career out of motivational speaking!
Gerald continued to rise through the ranks of professional angling, and in 2004, he became the Bassmaster Angler of the Year, arguably the highest award in competitive fishing. He has earned over a million dollars in career winnings and has caught over 4,000 pounds of fish.
While bass fishing is his career, he also enjoys a wide variety of outdoor activities, including archery hunting. One of his favorite ways to pass an evening is sitting by a river bank and pulling out catfish.
Gerald’s Specialty is No Specialty
Gerald Swindle claims that he has no specialty when it comes to fishing techniques. While other professionals may specialize in using crank baits, spinner baits, or top water lures, Gerald prefers versatility. This probably comes from having to fish in short events after work, which required a wide variety of techniques to ensure he was covering every possibility. You can go online and find videos of Gerald demonstrating fishing with simple jigs, crank baits, flipping and pitching, and more.
He claims his best tool is his positive mental attitude. He never lets a bad first hour turn into a bad day, and he always focuses on going through all the options to find the right technique for any given time.
One of his fishing tips is variety, even if something was working earlier. In other word, if you caught one bass on a yellow spinner under a specific tree, don’t spend the next five hours trying to recreate the catch. Move on and keep trying different lures and approaches for long-term bass fishing success.
Only the Best Fishing Apparel for Gerald Swindle
We are proud to sponsor Gerald Swindle, one of the most entertaining and interesting fishermen on the water. You can wear the same high-quality gear that Gerald chooses when you visit the online store from Huk. Stop by today and check out our long-sleeve fishing shirts, fishing masks, and other top-notch apparel.