2020 marks John Coble Garrett’s transition from a college bass angler into the world of professional bass fishing. John knows the road to success will be a challenge considering he will be going head-to-head with the nation’s best anglers. He’s no stranger to the pressures of competing in tournament situations. His tournament performance consistency had him ranked as #1 or #2 in the nation as a collegiate fisherman. John was a member of one of the nation’s top collegiate bass team, Bethel University’s fishing team. John won the most coveted prize in the sport of collegiate bass fishing in 2016, winning the title of Bassmaster College Classic Bracket Series Champion on Kentucky Lake. He was the first angler in Tennessee state history to take home the title at the young age of 20. In addition to the Classic berth, John earned free entry into all nine of the Bassmaster Open tournaments in 2017. Most young anglers might have walked away from academia to compete full time on the tournament circuit but John’s commitment to graduation from college took precedent over his opportunity to pursue a professional career.
Winning such a big event while being a member of the Bethel Basscats was a life-changing experience, as well as an affirmation for John’s long-term quest for a career as a professional bass angler. John now has his eyes set on earning a spot to compete on the Bassmaster Elite Series. As his schedule permits, John will also compete in other major and regional tournaments such as Major League Fishing (MLF).