By Jonathan LePera
I’d followed the California scene because much like our Great Lakes fisheries, they have access to pressured deep clear water fisheries where finesse tactics shine. I’d first heard rumblings about Brent during his teens as he was tearing up the amateur scene at WON Bass and steadily rose through the ranks. At the time, I figured he was just a kid who grew up with a silver spoon and money paved his way to success. How else could a kid climb that fast and do that well? Ignorant presumptions to a fault they were.
The Young Grasshopper
Ehrler’s first exposure to fishing was through his dad, Butch, an occasional fisherman who took him to a local pond in Redlands, California where he grew up.
With a bobber and worm at the ready, Ehrler recalled an area of broken concrete from the paved path that surrounded the pond that created a subtle ledge where fish would hide. “I dropped a nightcrawler in front of this ledge and saw a bluegill that was hiding beneath it swim out, and I caught that fish.” Ehrler was mesmerized by the experience which evolved into chasing most species that swim.
His mom, Lorraine, became his chauffeur since he couldn’t drive. “My mom is so outgoing and always ready for the next adventure. If that meant leaving at 3am to drive to Lake Havasu and inflate the boat on the ramp while the bass boats were launching at first light, that’s what we did.” Soon after, he progressed to a 12-foot aluminum boat that his Dad customized to suit Brent’s needs.
Ehrler’s got his first taste of tournament fishing in 1999 upon joining the Point Seekers Bass Club in Riverside, California as a non-boater. Ehrler thrived from this platform and shared weight format.
Advancing quickly, he qualified for the WON Bass Classic in his rookie year as an amateur.
Ehrler was in awe when he drew one of his heroes, California hammer Art Berry.
At the meeting, Berry told him to bring rods and reels to throw a buzzbait, frog, and flip. Berry spooled all of Ehrler’s gear with a mix of braid and heavy monofilament line depending on the technique.
“Upon running to the first spot, I went to cast from the back of the boat and he said, “Uh-uh no way.” I need you to come to the front right beside me and fish shoulder-to-shoulder as we parallel these banks. That was a really cool thing for me. Not only did I look up to Berry, but we worked as a team together,” Ehrler reminisced.
Eventually, Ehrler fished the WON trail as a boater and later BASS Western Invitationals. Still in school, he hadn’t figured out his path in life yet.
“I thought I was going to get a job and just fish for fun,” he said. It was about the same time that Kelley, the sister of his high school buddy and college roommate, caught his interest. They dated through college, but neither thought he’d be able to make a career from fishing.
Ehrler qualified for the FLW TOUR at 28-years old and owes much credit to FLW, “an unbelievable organization.” “They provided the platform for me to be a Western guy, fish the Western tournaments at the grass roots level and qualify for the Tour,” he started. “If they didn’t come out West, I wouldn’t be a professional bass fisherman. Who knows what I’d be?”
After 10-years with FLW, he’d won the 2006 FLW Tour Championship, notched eight tournament wins and amassed $2,248,596 in winnings. That said, Ehrler felt he needed to chase his dreams at BASS against the anglers he grew up reading about. “I didn’t’ come close to accomplishing what I’d hoped to at FLW. To be the best you have to beat the best; I didn’t feel like I was at the top tier in the industry,” he said.
Denny Brauer, Kevin VanDam, Shaw Grigsby, Paul Elias and Rick Clunn all made an impression on Ehrler. He remains blown away today that he can call or text them with a question and get an honest answer in short order.
A Storm Brews on the Horizon
Ehrler’s stay at BASS was not intentionally short-lived. He still has an axe to grind with two Bassmaster Classic titles that slipped through his fingers. I saw the opening, so I asked Ehrler how long it took him to shake off those two disappointments. “I’ll let you know when it happens,” Ehrler answered bitterly. Though he’ll likely never avenge those lost opportunities, he’s eager for the journey that awaits him.
During the spring of 2018, a major shift in the industry occurred with the birth of Major League Fishing Pro Tour. Until then, Ehrler had fished the MLF Cup events that were interspersed around the BASS Elite schedule. At that point, he never fathomed that his dream of chasing a Classic win would end so promptly.
Ehrler sat down with Kelley, his wife of 15 years, to decide what best suited his career, and their family, which now included their 9-year old son, Ollie.
Those same anglers he’d left FLW for to fish against at BASS represented a significant consortium of those joining the MLF Tour. “I worked hard to get to a level to be competing against the top tier fisherman and I felt like I needed to follow that trend,” he said. “I didn’t enjoy making that decision, but it was a turning point in the industry.” Ehrler realized it was time to saddle up and move on.
Ehrler has no intention of trashing his former organization and looks towards brighter days for all involved.
“I’m hoping that the industry can come together as a whole and not have any type of division between fans and organizations. Of course, there is going to be division because they are in competition with each other. The bottom line is we all got into this sport, fans and anglers alike, because we love fishing. Plain and simple,” Ehrler reasoned.
When Your Hobby Becomes Your Job
The grind of the business has weathered Ehrler somewhat. He no longer loses sleep in eager anticipation of getting out fishing the next day. Perhaps it’s the level of competition, or the abundance of information he was used to researching beforehand, including a generous period of time to pre-fish. Prior knowledge usually doesn’t help anyway since he’d fished many of the bodies of water in different seasons or conditions.
“So many times, I would leave school and drive to Lake Mead at midnight and sleep on the deck of my boat waiting for the sun to come up so I could launch and go fishing. I was like a kid waiting for Christmas morning – that doesn’t happen anymore,” Ehrler said.
Now hold on, because I know what you’re thinking. Listen to this spoiled guy who gets to fish for a living crying the blues. What many fail to realize is the time away from home and the toll that life on the road can take.
“I still love fishing – if I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t do it. Things have just changed. It’s different now,” Ehrler stated. “It’s not a hobby. I’m trying to provide for my family.” He reasoned that many anglers are excited to go out on the weekend because it’s fun. It’s a bit different after driving 1,000 miles to go to a lake to discover that it’s 25 degrees and raining and you have no choice but to practice to do well in order to provide for your family.
Kelley attends some of the events as she heavily involved Brent’s career. She’s also the guide and regional pro staff program director for Lucky Craft and contributes to their Facebook content.
The Long Journey Home
The glue that holds their family together is their 9-year old son, Ollie. For any who have followed Ehrler’s social media and GoPro videos, Ollie is quite the character Here’s a sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOQAjD0ozUQ (Watch for Ollie at 5-minute mark.)
“He thinks he’s a star purely because of GoPro and them doing the video with him in it. We were in Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and when we walked into a ski shop, Ollie saw himself on the highlight reel of the GoPro display. It’s not just bass fishing, because through skiing they are exposing our sport to so many more people and he feels like he’s a part of that,” Ehrler explained.
Ehrler sees his mandated time at home right now as a blessing and a curse. Sure, it burns him that he can’t head to his local lake to fish due to the closure of many of the ramps due to the Covid-19 virus. He’d love nothing more than to escape to the lake, make a few casts and keep his skills on point and keep his head clear. That said, the virus has brought him back to the importance of family. The same parents who made every effort to make sure that Brent had every opportunity to grow into an exceptional angler are now relegated to phone conversations, FaceTime chats and the odd wave from the end of their driveway.
At 43-years old, Ehrler is starting to feel his age. He loves his wife, his son and his dog. Every time the truck rolls out, he looks forward to the moment he can come home and be at peace with the world. He looks to a time when he’s all done with traveling and can finally get back to fishing for fun. Maybe Ollie will be interested in bass fishing a little more by then. I can tell you this, he can’t wait to fish weekend tourneys close to home, so you best get your check book ready. A happy and relaxed Ehrler is not the guy you want to be fishing against.
Jonathan LePera has lived in Thorold, Ontario, Canada since birth, but still won’t go anywhere near ice unless it’s in his Coke Zero. He calls Lake Erie his home water and despite the frigid local temps from winter through early spring, he’ll fish for anything that swims as long as the water is soft. He’s a long-time teacher, has been writing extensively about fishing since 2008, ran a fishing charter business and served in municipal politics. From tackle prep to the state of the sport and everything in-between, it’s all fair game. He’s a proud Canadian, has definitely got his opinions, and is not someone we’d call “shy”.