ESPN Fish 50/50

Jeff and Taylor Turner are a father and son from Virginia who wanted to share an epic adventure together before Taylor moved away from home to attend college.  So they set off to fish 50 trophy waters, in 50 states, with 50 guides, in 50 consecutive days.  Their trip took two years to plan, and was sponsored by some of the biggest names in the outdoor industry (ESPN Outdoors, Simms, Trout Unlimited, etc.).  While underway, their trip was a huge media and internet event that was followed by thousands of people around the country.  They had a great website (www.fish5050.com), which is still active, where they posted fish counts and daily updates on their progress.

Essentially, their trip was a nationwide fishing contest, and I feel fortunate to have been selected as the guide to represent Maine.  The format for each day was the same — Jeff and Taylor fished a timed, four-hour session in each state, and received pledges from sponsors for every fish that they caught. They were serious fishermen, and used counters and digital cameras to document their results.

Jeff and Taylor fished with me on Day 43 of their trip.  We did a float trip on the Penobscot River and caught 69 smallmouth bass in the 4-hour session.   That shattered their previous record (of 50 fish) caught on Day 31 in North Dakota.  I was fortunate that all the elements lined up perfectly that day and the fish bit like crazy.  But it is heartening for me to realize, that even on an average day, the Penobscot compares favorably to any of the other places around the country that they fished.  It was also nice for me to spend time with a father and son who really had their act together.  Thanks to Jeff and Taylor for letting me be part of your adventure!!