In December Clay traveled to Flippen, Arkansas, for a tour of the Ranger Boat Factory. Ranger Boats is one of Clay’s sponsors, and Clay will be fishing out of a Ranger boat for the 2007 tour season. Following Flippen, Arkansas, Clay traveled to Moundville, Alabama, where he spoke at the Community Baptist Church. Clay spent the remainder of December celebrating the holidays with family, friends, and fun fishing.

Clay will start the New Year in Macon, Mississippi, with speeches at the Calvary Baptist Church on January 6-7. Following this, Clay will speak at a Sportman’s Banquet in Union, South Carolina, and on January 14th Clay will speak at a Youth Group in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Clay will spend the remainder of the month preparing for and fishing in the FLW Series Tournament at Lake Okeechobee in Florida.

Q. What do you find to be the best part of being a fisherman, and a fisher of Men?

A. Being a professional fisherman has many rewarding aspects for me. I get to do something I have always dreamed of doing. Also, it is simply incredible to visit all the places I have traveled, and meet people on tour that have become my best friends. I also have had the opportunity to have a career and reach goals that many people will not get a chance to do. As for a Fisher of Men, professional angling gives me a platform and the opportunity to encourage and inspire others to see how incredible God is and how wonderful it is to live for Him!

Q. Given your physical challenges, what did you have to do early in your fishing career to prepare yourself mentally to deal with the pressure of competition?

A. I worked hard on my casting accuracy so I would not be wasting time trying to make casts that take pinpoint accuracy to place the lure wherever I thought the fish were. Also, I tried to find anything I could to improve my efficiency while on the water so I could get any legal advantage on the rest of the competition.

Q. What was the coldest day you have fished a tournament? Did you have any success and what were your strategies?

A. I fished in a tournament with Jeremy, one of my best friends. I am sure he remembers this day rather vividly. It was 7 degrees at the time of take off, and the high of the day was 24. I had very little success that day but did get some bites fishing finesse jigs on deep rocky banks that were adjacent to small pockets and flats. I also fished another tournament where it was 22 degrees at take off, and the high that day was 28. I actually won that tournament with a 5-fish limit! I caught the fish on a Carolina- rigged 6- inch lizard fishing submerged humps with brush piles in the forks of creeks. It was also snowing and sleeting all day!

Q. What as your favorite fishing trip and why?

A. My favorite trip was probably this past March 2006 while I was practicing for an FLW Outdoors Stren Series Tournament on Lake Eufaula in Alabama. I caught 5 limits’ worth of keepers that day, and my best 5 fish weighed about 27 pounds. I caught four over 5 pounds including a 6 and 7 pounder.

Q. How do you brush your teeth?

A. I usually stand up to the counter and press the toothbrush between my arm and the counter and maneuver the toothbrush to clean my teeth.

With the passing of December and the beginning of a new year, I have been thinking about how thankful I am to be able to live my dream and be a full-time professional bass tournament angler. As mentioned in my weekly blogs, I have begun preparations for the 2007 tournament season. This past month the wife of a very close friend was diagnosed with cancer. She began treatment and while it is obvious she is feeling physically weak, she has not slowed down regardless of her situation. Her husband is a high school basketball coach, and she keeps the statistics book for him during games. We normally play three or four games in a week. To see her battle this dreaded disease and continue to press on with life and not let it get her down is simply amazing. I am very close to this family, and they give me a ton of support in my career. I am going to take my inspiration from this family and continue to press forward with that motivation and be as successful as possible.

Please continue to pray for Clay’s safe travels and that he would continue to be a positive inspiration and role model for all with whom he comes into contact.

C.A.S.T. for Kids

The C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation was formed in 1991 to join volunteers who love to fish with disabled and disadvantaged children for a day of fishing in the outdoors. C.A.S.T. for kids furthers its mission by increasing awareness of disabled and disadvantaged children in our communities and teaching appreciation for natural resources.

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I would like to recognize the following sponsors who have been supportive and who have made it possible for me to "live my dream."