Fishing’s family tradition

Two leading EverStart pros credit dads for their love of fishing

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. – Brandon McMillan of Belle Glade, Fla., can remember when he was 7 years old and his dad would wrap him up in a sleeping bag on frigid winter mornings for a ride across Lake Okeechobee to his best fishing hole.

“Back then tournaments were mostly two-man team events and you could bring in 10 bass per boat,” McMillan said. “I can remember being huddled down in that warm sleeping bag watching dad catch bass after bass and wanting to fish like him.”

Today Brandon McMillan is 27 years old and just so happens to be leading the EverStart Southeast event on Lake Okeechobee.

And his dad? Well, that would be Jimmy McMillan, winner of the 2009 FLW Series event on Lake Okeechobee and the 2008 Angler of the Year for the FLW Series Eastern Division.

“Dad knows a thing or two about this lake,” the younger McMillan said. “He’s been fishing it for 35 years and he has taught me a lot about how these fish migrate and move around out here. And what he didn’t teach me, our good friend Carmen Patti helped fill in the blanks. Between those two guys, I’ve had some darn good teachers, that’s for sure.”

McMillan has spent most of the week flipping a Gambler BB Cricket, a 4-inch Crawdaddy and a Bruiser Baits Swimmin’ Shad into matted vegetation.

“Sight-fishing is not really my thing,” McMillan said. “I have caught a couple smaller ones off beds this week. If I see one locked down and I don’t have a limit I’ll catch it to get something in the box. But for the most part, it’s been all mat flipping for me.”

Another Brandon – Brandon Medlock from Lake Placid, Fla. – is in second place and he, too, got his love for the sport from his father, Joe Medlock.

“I started fishing tournaments with my dad when I was 8 years old and we still fish team tournaments together to this day,” Medlock said. “He fished this tournament as a co-angler and finished 21st.”

In fact, Young Brandon has been fishing his dad’s homemade jig this week – a 1-ounce Medlock’s Double-guard jig – which features a double weedguard for Florida’s weedy waters.

“Not only has he taught me a lot about fishing, he makes a pretty awesome jig, too,” Medlock said. “He’s the reason I love this sport.”

The final day weigh-in of the EverStart Southeast event on Lake Okeechobee will begin at 4 p.m. at the Okeechobee City Walmart.