Bonneau, South Carolina’s Wade Grooms is a name that you will become well aware of in 2008. Wade recently qualified to fish the B.A.S.S Elite Series this year. Wade qualified for the Elite Series through the ‘Wildcard" tournament on Lake Okeechobee in Florida last year. Grooms finished sixth which gave him an invitation to fish with the big boys.
Wade has been with Kistler since October of 2004. He said that he chose Kistler for several reasons. The reasons that he chose Kistler were because of their light weight, sensitivity and because of the way that the company (Trey) did business. Grooms said that he was first drawn to the rod because of "the testimony that Trey puts on his rods".
Wade says that he likes to fish a traditional Texas rigged worm. He said that he considers this his favorite technique. For this technique, Grooms uses a Helium LTX Med/Hvy rod. Wade feels that this rod gives him the sensitivity and weight that is needed for a day of worm fishing. He also says that this rod is his favorite rod to use because it is "so versatile".
When asked about his goals for 2008, Wade stated that he would like to "make a check in half of the Elite Tournaments". He also said that he would like to improve as an angler and continue to learn what it takes to be successful as a full time Elite angler.
Grooms has fished the B.A.S.S. Opens and the Stren Series for the last three years. In 2004, Wade won the Co-Angler Championship on the Wachita River, in Louisiana.
For the last 17 years, Wade has put his engineering design degree from Clemson University to use while working for the Department of the Navy. With the realignment of bases that is currently going on, Grooms feels that this is the perfect time to take this leap into full-time angling. Wade stated that he had prayed about this decision for quite a while. He said "that without prayer, he would not be in this situation".
Good luck in the Elites, Wade! We are all behind you!
Kistler Pro Staff member, Andy Gaia of Tomball, Texas just finished 5th at the FLW Series Tournament at Lake Falcon in Texas. Andy had a weight of over 98lbs for four days of fishing.