By Paul Strege

Every angler has a story… For Bass Tackle Depot Elite Series Angler James Niggemeyer, it is one of unwavering perseverance.

Like many other professional fishermen, James Niggemeyer started fishing at a very young age. He grew up in Glendale, California, exploring area lakes such as Castaic, Pyramid, Perris, and Silverwood with his family. James, his older sister, and parents also spent one to two weeks each year vacationing in the Mammoth Lakes area. As James reminisces, it was an annual trip that provided plenty of opportunity for him to fish.

“We fished and that was about all we did. We would wake up in the morning, go out fishing, come back in for lunch, and then go out fishing again in the afternoon. Just about everyone that was a relative or friend of the family has been on one of those trips with us. I’ve even taken my wife and 3-year old son there as well. That was really how I got bit by the fishing bug. That trip has always been very important to me, at every phase of my life.”

Up until high school, James’ angling pursuits were focused on trout and panfish. When his father read an article about fishing in the San Diego lakes area, however, his piscatorial world suddenly expanded. Lakes Hodges and Otay were new destinations and provided the chance to hook feisty, football-shaped largemouth bass.

“I still remember one of those first trips. I was walking along a bank, fishing with a spinnerbait, when I hooked into a 4-pounder. It hit the spinnerbait so hard that it just about took the pole out of my hand. That bass was more exciting than any fish I had ever caught at that time. Back then we kept our fish, so I placed it on a stringer to show my parents. And then I caught a second one, about 2 to 2-1/2 pounds, on a little soft plastic split-shot rig. After that, all I ever wanted to do was bass fish.”

West Coast Roots

Soon thereafter, James and a close high school friend, Uwe Nill, started working for Johnny’s Sport Shop in Pasadena and fishing team tournaments together. By the age of 21, James had acquired his first bass boat and fished money tournaments as his income would allow. With an enthusiasm for the sport which he outwardly displayed, he developed friendships with several prominent West Coast anglers, the likes of which included Don Iovino, Reggie Carra, Fred Borders, and Russ Meyers, among others. One of those contacts, Larry Hopper, introduced James to another aspiring professional – Dean Rojas. The two immediately hit it off and became friends. Rojas eventually moved east to pursue the Bassmaster Top-150 tour, while James continued with WON Bass and Anglers Choice Pro-Am tournaments out west. A couple years later when B.A.S.S. established a new Western Invitational circuit, James reconnected with Rojas who offered timely advice.

“When Dean and I got paired-up at one of those Western Invitationals, he asked me what I had been doing to pursue my dream. I told him that I was fishing as much as I could and working the rest of the time. He then told me that I should consider a move to Texas to work with his friends at Lake Fork Tackle and to start a guiding business. He said that guiding would give me the money and time on the water that I needed. I would be closer to the action and the tournaments that could qualify me for the Top-150’s, too. He said that I really needed to think about that. It was an idea that I had been toying with already, so I took his advice very seriously. Later that year, I loaded up my little Chevy Astro Van and drove to Lake Fork.”

Packed and Headed for Texas

James headed for Lake Fork, without a place to stay, without a job, and only a few contacts made through friends. Two of those first contacts were Lance Vick and Kelly Jordon. Both anglers helped James establish his guiding business. Around the same time, he also started working for Mark Pack, owner of Lake Fork Tackle.

“Lake Fork Tackle really helped me out. I was able to work for them and get time off as needed to guide. It was a perfect scenario as I was trying to build my guide service. At the time, Mark was a FLW tour pro and Classic qualifier, so he was able to offer some great advice. Kelly Jordon was also hanging around a lot back then, and through him, I met Jay Yelas. It was a really growing period for me. I was spending just a ton of time on the water and meeting several great anglers. Lake Fork was really a training ground for taking the next step of fishing the tour.”

The first couple years were not easy ones for James in East Texas. To make ends meet financially, he lived in a barn, rent-free, in exchange for tending cows. When a full-time farm laborer was hired a year later, he was forced into another move. He established his second impromptu residence in the Lake Fork Tackle warehouse. Those initial sacrifices allowed James to save enough money to purchase a mobile home a little while later.

James returned to competitive angling in 2001 through the Bassmaster Central Invitational circuit. Despite the experience gained on Fork, financial success did not immediately follow in competition. He struggled to win money and expenses were accumulating at an accelerated rate.

“I was doing everything my way and tried to do everything that I could to get ahead. I would get a little bit ahead at times, and then slide back and go into debt. I was kind of at the end of my ropes. I really didn’t know what I was going to do, or how I was going to do it. At the same time, I also felt like I was away from home and pretty much alone. That was when, with support from Jay Yelas and Kelly Jordon, I decided to give my life to the Lord and become a Christian. That was the point when I got my priorities straight. Prior to that, everything in my life revolved around fishing. From that point on, fishing was not the most important thing in my life anymore. It was a turning of the tide, really.”

With a new-found spiritual faith, James did not feel the same financial burden or pressure to succeed as he had before. Shortly thereafter, his guide trip business picked up, he started to win more money, and he met his wife. James downsized his tournament fishing schedule as well. In 2005, he pulled out of the Bassmaster Central Opens and started fishing smaller Wal-Mart / FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) and Bassmaster Weekend Series tournaments. He quickly regained self-confidence and qualified for both regional championships.

Back-to-Back

Two weeks before the BFL Regional on the Ouachita River, James’ wife gave birth to their first child, a baby boy. Although he felt increased responsibility to provide for his expanded family, he remained composed. Just days later, James won the Ouachita River Regional and, in the process, qualified for the BFL All-American.

“After they cut the field after Day 2 to the Top 6, I called my wife to tell her that I had made the All-American. I can remember tears welling up in my eyes because it was such a big accomplishment. I had never really fished the BFLs all that much before that year, but I still knew what winning one of the Regionals and qualifying for the All-American meant. Even as a teenager, I had read about fishing the All-American and dreamt about competing in it one day. And to win the tournament, the truck, and the boat, that was a huge boost to my confidence. The whole deal was such a blessing.”

Still, James was not finished. A couple weeks after his BFL win, he traveled down to the Red River in Louisiana to compete in another championship: the Bassmaster Weekend Series Regional. The outcome was nearly identical. He won the tournament and took home a first place prize of $50,000.

“It was funny because I found myself thinking immediately after my son was born, ‘How am I going to provide for my family financially?’ I really did not know if I had an answer. Then, I won those two tournaments. It was such an incredible blessing in my life and took quite a while to set in. I was so blown away that I believe I was just numb to it all.”

The following season, James ascended the next rung in the professional fishing ladder by competing in both the Stren Series and the Bassmaster Southern Opens. Although success in the Strens was elusive, he instantly established himself as a top contender in the Southern Opens. In the first two tournaments of a three-event series, James placed fourth and ninth. In the season finale which determined tour eligibility and Bassmaster Classic qualification, James won at Santee Cooper. The victory secured his position as the Southern Open Angler of the Year – a title which provided free entry into the 2007 Bassmaster Elite Series.

“I was really just having a tough time just trying to make it. Then, all of the sudden, there it was. Everything was falling into place. I had won Santee Cooper, my entry fees for the following season were paid, and I had a spot in the Bassmaster Classic. It was just a phenomenal season for me. There were so many goals that I had achieved within those couple years. It was a dream come true.”

At the Bassmaster Classic, James faced the daunting task of competing against the most talented anglers in the world. There, he would finish a respectable 17^th. His Classic performance combined with the years logged in the Bassmaster Open and Stren Series trails would later help to alleviate any anxiety experienced as an Elite Series rookie.

“My first event as a Pro was on Lake Amistad, and I had just a terrible tournament there. I can remember thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, what did I get into? These guys are incredible!’ But, I was able to put those worries aside and follow that up with a Top-12 at the California Delta. I saw the bottom and saw the top in my first two tournaments.”

Since his rookie season on the Elite Series, James has achieved even greater success. He has amassed earnings approaching $500,000 in his career. Most recently, he was victorious on Toledo Bend Reservoir in a Bassmaster Central Open fish-off. To start the current 2009 Elite Series season, he has already tallied several high finishes: 15^th, 13^th, and 7^th.

Sponsorships and Relationships

James’ success in fishing was built upon long-standing relationships with his fishing mentors and peers. Similarly, he has formed loyal and committed relationships with businesses and sponsors within the industry. The oldest of his sponsorship team is BassCat Boats and Mercury Marine, dating back to 1997. James’ initial placement on the BassCat Pro Staff was first recommended by another Elite Series Pro, Byron Velvick.

“Bass Cat has supported and encouraged me since the beginning and even in those times when they didn’t have to! They talk about the family atmosphere at Bass Cat, and it truly is. They were such an integral part of making my jump to the tour level.”

The newest member of James’ sponsorship team, Bass Tackle Depot, is providing additional support for the 2009 tour season. The new relationship, as he explains, allows him to reconnect with his western roots.

“I am really excited to partner with a company like Bass Tackle Depot. Their dedication to their business and affiliations with BassWest magazine and the Anglers Choice Tournament Trail has really brought them to the forefront of the industry. It is very exciting to be a part of their team while fishing on tour.”

Recipe for Success

James believes that his rise to the tour level was the direct result of several factors in combination, the most notable being: spiritual awakening, mentorship by other successful anglers, and experience gained as a fishing guide. Close friendships with Kelly Jordon and Jay Yelas allowed him rediscover his faith, while kinship with other tour anglers reaffirmed his belief that he could one day achieve his dream of being a tour professional. Lastly, the time spent while guiding allowed him to learn to become a more versatile angler.

“There was not any one single person or thing. When you surround yourself with the right people, they will start to pour into your life. I was able to spend time around champions – guys that are not just incredible fishermen, but great people as individuals. Really it was a setting that I was privileged to be a part of. And guiding on Lake Fork helped me mechanically. The routine and repetition of finding fish for clients helped me to perfect my angling skills.”

The last factor of James’ success is one that cannot be taught – perseverance. A positive attitude and optimistic outlook on life allowed James to persevere even in the most challenging times. That trait is clear to anyone that he talks to.

“There is a point in bass fishing where you simply go out and fish, believe, and hope. And when you do that, you can turn just about any dream into reality.”

James Niggemeyer

1997 – First season fishing Bassmaster Western Invitationals.

2001 – Moved to Texas. Started fishing Bassmaster Central Opens.

2005 – First season fishing BFL Cowboy Division.

2005 – Won BFL Regional. Qualified for All-American.

2005 – Won Bassmaster Weekend Series Regional. Qualified for Championship.

2006 – Won Bassmaster Southern Open – Santee Cooper.

2006 – Won Bassmaster Southern Open Points Title. Qualified for Elite Series.

2007 – Bassmaster Classic Qualifier. First Season on Elite Series.

2009 – Won Bassmaster Central Open – Toledo Bend.

1 Win and $63,000 in career FLW winnings.

3 Wins, 9 Top-10’s and $394,000 in career B.A.S.S. winnings.