Personal | |
Name: | Matt Shura |
Home Town: | Gilbert, AZ |
Birthday: | 5/30/72 |
Occupation: | Firefighter/Paramedic, Tournament Bass Fisherman |
Hobbies: | Bass fishing |
Stats | |
Year’s tournament fishing: | Fishing tournaments since 1988 |
Titles/honors: | Former AZ State Record holder Largemouth Bass (15.86lbs Canyon Lake 1991), 15 time Allstar Bass Team Championship Qualifier, 2004 Angler of the year in Allstar Couples and American Bass, 13th Place US Open 2003, 8th Place US Open 2007, 8th Place US Open 2008, 2nd place ABA Championship Lake Mead 2009, Angler of the Year- Allstar Bass Teams 2010 |
Angling stuff | |
Favorite Bait: | Topwater (Super Spook) |
Favorite Method: | “Walking the Dog” |
Angling Hero: | John Murray |
Home Lake: | Roosevelt Lake, AZ |
Favorite Lake: | Alamo Lake, AZ |
Least favorite Lake: | Lake Pleasant |
Favorite Technique: | Topwater |
Primary fishing strength: | Shallow water fishing |
Secondary fishing strength: | Spooning |
Biggest weakness: | Bed fishing |
Boat: | Nitro Z9 |
Motor: | Mercury- 250 Pro XS |
Tow vehicle: | Ford Motorhome |
Fishing sponsors: | Nitro Boats, Mercury Motors, Motor Guide, Tracker Boat Center, Controls Plus, Bass Pro Shops. |
Personal Stuff | |
Favorite food: | Ribeye, medium rare |
Favorite Movie: | Old School |
Favorite Music: | Country |
Non-Angling hero: | My Dad for always supporting my fishing |
When not fishing: | At the fire station |
About me: I began fishing when I was 8 years old fishing for bluegills with my dad. He took me to a little water retention area near our house in Gilbert. I really enjoyed bluegill fishing but started watching bass fishing show on TV and was hooked. I was in 6th grade when I bought my first boat. It was a 10ft jon boat with a 27lb thrust trolling motor. My dad and I took it to San Carlos Lake where we got in to some rough water and were blown off the lake. My dad decided to buy a little bit bigger boat to handle the local lakes if the water got rough. We ended up having several boats throughout the years including a 12ft, 14ft, 16ft arrowglass tri hull, and finally a 17 ft skeeter with a 150hp motor. My poor Dad could not take me fishing enough. We would also go to fishing seminars regularly, where I met Floyd Preas who taught me a lot about finesse fishing. I fished my first team tournament in 1988 when I was still in high school. We finished 14th out of about 30boats, but we were excited because we met Greg Warne who was a Skeeter pro who we had a lot of respect for. Ever since then I have had a passion for tournament bass fishing. Three years later while fishing with my Dad at Canyon Lake, I caught a 15.86lb largemouth bass on a spinnerbait. It turned out to be the state record and held for 6 years. I slowed down fishing for a few years to pursue a career as a firefighter. I was hired in 1995 with the Gilbert Fire Department and am currently and Engineer/Paramedic. I have met several people while fishing tournaments that took the time to teach me how to become a better fisherman. Some of those friends are Brad Cook, Leroy Price, and Steve Foutch. I also fished the Allstar Bass Pro Am circuit as a non-boater for 4 years and had a lot of good experiences learning from different people. In 1998 I pursued sponsorship with Tracker Marine. I always liked John and Belinda Randall who owned the shop. They enjoyed fishing themselves and competed in many tournaments. I bought my first Nitro Boat in 1999 and was officially on the Pro Staff. I really enjoy helping with the boats shows and teaching seminars. Now I am on the Nitro State Team and the Bass Pro Shops Pro Staff and look forward to seeing you at the new store in Mesa.