Mark Daniels Jr.: Destined to Fish
Posted 2023-07-20 by
How an inner-city kid who loved fishing became one of the top pros in professional bass fishing
Mark Daniels Jr. is now a household name among pro bass fishermen, but his path to success was different than many of his peers. Daniels Jr. grew up in the inner city near San Francisco, and he says he could’ve easily could’ve made bad choices and gotten into trouble when he was young. Instead, he went fishing. “I loved it so much, I didn’t want to go to the park and hang out,” he remembered.
Around the age of 10, Daniels Jr. caught his first bass and was instantly obsessed. His father, Mark Daniels Sr., recognized in his son a passion that would one day lead to success. “I knew it was going to be something fishing,” he said.
“When support comes from the people who literally created you, it gives you an “I can’t be stopped” mentality.” — Mark Daniels Jr.
He was right. Realtree’s latest Be Real film is about the Daniels family, and the power of positivity. Viewers will get insight into the upbringing of Daniels Jr., and the incredibly important role his parents played in developing both the skills and confidence he needed to make it as a professional bass fisherman. Daniels Jr. also talks about his role models in the sport, including superstar bass pro Ish Monroe. He shares stories from the early days of his career, too, including fishing his first tournament as a boater when he was a teenager, and his first high finish as a pro, where his father surprised him by flying across the country, unannounced, so he could attend the weigh-in.
Mark Daniels Jr. is now a household name in bass fishing, and he recognizes and shares what it takes to succeed, and comments on why many people fail. “You’re on the cusp of crossing over, but because you hit a small hurdle and never jumped over it, you never became great.” Through his example, Daniels Jr. plots a roadmap for others to succeed simply by proving it can be done.
