Randy Moss may have retired from the NFL in 2013, but he’s still catching ’em.
Moss has always been a human highlight reel on the football field. In his 14 NFL seasons, he had a staggering 156 touchdown catches (only Jerry Rice has more) and racked up over 15,000 receiving yards. But in his post-football career, he’s found another way to make big catches… through bass fishing.
The West Virginia native is a hammer out on the water, and recently, he’s been documenting some of his bass fishing with a new YouTube series called Chasing 10. Showcasing Moss’s hunt for a 10-pound largemouth, the series has featured Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, NFL stars Myles Garrett and Will Anderson Jr., the Kelce brothers, and more.
But this latest episode combines my love for bass fishing with another passion of mine: country music. And more specifically, one of my Mount Rushmore country artists… the great Eric Church.
The Chief invited Randy out to one of his private lakes (Chief, what do I gotta do to film some Riff Outdoors bass content out there?) that sits on 1,600 acres and is just 15 minutes from downtown Nashville. The two set out to try and get Randy a 10-pound bucketmouth.
Eric confessed that he’s caught a few 10-pounders in that lake, and that his largest pushed up over 11 pounds. Meanwhile, I’m out here in Wisconsin begging God to help me catch a 5-pound largemouth…
The pair started out with some early morning topwater, which wasn’t as successful as they might’ve hoped, before moving to worms and other bottom-contact presentations. Eric eventually moved to a small swimbait which out more bass in the boat. I won’t spoil the catches, but it’s safe to say Eric has some BIGS in that lake.
The Champions Tournament
The four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is such a fan of fishing that he decided to become an ambassador for one of the most historic fishing tournaments in the country: The Champions Tournament. The event sees anglers from the Bassmaster Elite Series and Bass Pro Tour of Major League Fishing compete for a purse of $3.25 million. First place will take home a whopping $1.25 million.
World Bass Enterprises made the news of Randy Moss headlining the event official earlier this week. The former footballer’s YouTube fishing series – Chasing 10 with Randy Moss – will be the presenting partner for the tournament. Moss is thrilled to be a part of the prestigious event:
“Bass fishing has always been a big part of my life and fuels my competitive fire in retirement. I get the same rush reeling in a bass as I did finding the end zone. As I launch ‘Chasing 10’ and spend more time on the water, partnering with WBE was an easy choice. From day one I’ve been impressed with Brian’s leadership and vision, and I can’t wait for The Champions tournament this fall in Nashville.”
The fishing tournament will take place at Old Hickory Lake in Henderson, Tennessee October 28 through November 1, and it will bring in the best of the best. The top 60 anglers from the top two pro bass tours will be competing for their share of the multi-million dollar purse.
Brian Bird, the WBE founder and CEO, could not be more excited about the event, and having Randy Moss as a part of it:
“Randy Moss is synonymous with ‘a catch,’ whether on the football field or on the water. Our partnership with Randy across ‘The Champions’ and his new bass fishing series is a natural fit as we both share a lifelong passion for fishing and a vision to take bass fishing mainstream, showcase the world’s best anglers, and welcome new fans.”
The tournament will be streamed live on Pay-Per-View. Grab a PPV pass and you’ll get 5 days of complete live coverage and you’ll also get an automatic entry into The Champions Sweepstakes for a chance to win an ATV, a beach vacation to Puerto Rico, a guided fishing trip, or an alligator-hunting trip.
