Meet Rocky Team Member Alton Jones Jr.

10 Questions for Alton Jones Jr.

1. When did you start fishing?

   I began fishing earlier than I can remember. My Dad got me into the outdoors at a very young age, my first memory of fishing was catching a 4lb bass on a Man's baby 1 minus at about 5 years old.

2. What's it like fishing against your dad?

   Fishing against my Dad is a dream come true, he has taught me so much over the years about this sport and to compete against him is amazing. We are also both very competitive so it makes for some fun dinnertime conversations.

3. What is your favorite lake?

   That is tough because I have so many fisheries that I love visiting. But I would have to say 1000 Islands in NY is at the top of my list.

4. How do you start breaking down a lake you have never fished before?

   I begin by doing as much online research as possible, along with map studies on my Garmin electronics. From there I usually try to spend some time Scouting before the tournament to get a lay of the land.

5. What's a tournament week like for you? Travel, Stay Etc. Etc.

   Depending on how far the event is I usually leave 1 or 2 days before practice starts so that I have time to recover from the long drive and get focused. We then get two days of practice to make a game plan for the tournament. Once the tournament begins the goal is to advance through each round and make the championship day which is only 10 anglers. If you do that it makes for about an 8-day tournament.

6. What's the biggest fish you have caught during a tournament?

   The biggest bass I have ever caught in a tournament was on Lake Falcon and it weighed 10.01. I caught it on a big crankbait on a deep rock ledge. It was a celebration when we got that fish in the net as it helped me and my team partner win that event.

7. What do you do for fun in the off-season?

   During the offseason my wife and I try to take a fun vacation together to get away. I spend a lot of time away from home so that is nice to get away together. I also love to duck hunt during the offseason and I am a big Baylor Sports fan. I have season tickets to football and basketball so you can usually find me at a game.

8. What is your favorite fishing technique?

   My favorite technique is sight fishing. I love fishing when the fish are shallow and you can visibly see them.

9. There's been a lot of conversation around forward facing sonar, where do you stand on it?

   I have been a big beneficiary of FFS/Livescope and I enjoy doing it a lot. It really has changed the game. I do think that in the future there needs to be lines drawn in competitive fishing as to how far technology can go, but I am not sure where that line should be drawn.

10. You can only fish for Smallmouth or Largemouth for the rest of your life, which one are you picking?

    It's going to have to be largemouth for me. They are a more versatile fish overall and at the end of the day they do get bigger, so I would have to say chasing that goal of a 13 plus pound largemouth is what would make me lean that way.