Be Like Mike

I’m old enough and still sentient enough to remember when Mike Bucca was “Triton Mike” on the old Bass Fishing Home Page. Always positive, always helpful, but not yet a full-time member of the fishing industry.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t tried. He nibbled around the fringes with several different business ideas, got in early on the big bait deal (early, that is, for those of us east of Nevada), and gradually found his way.

The Bull Shad, of course, became a big hit. That made him something of an OG in the swimbait community, or at the very least a trusted resource. His homemade swimbaits, glide baits, and rats became legit superstars, and to this day Mike makes the rounds of shows – everything from the Bassmaster Classic to your local winter sport show. At the same time, through his partnership with GSM, he has brought swimbaiting to a previously unheard-of level of accessibility. You can get an ABS Bull Shad or Trick Shad for a price that suits the masses, and at the same time, it doesn’t feel like you’re any less legit.

And that’s what Mike has mastered so much better than just about anyone else – the art of remaining authentic in different spheres. He’s just as valuable in the corporate world as he is selling baits on a backwater boat ramp. He’s likewise able to cotton to the majority of bass anglers without offending his hardcore audience. It’s a talent that few have, especially in this industry. 

On top of that, he still answers texts and Facebook messages.

Lots of people want to get into the fishing industry. Some portion of them have the level of innovation and the drive to get them there. But many, once they arrive, lose the passion…or at the very least lose their sense of relatability. If you want to contribute and you want to make a buck or two, follow Mike’s path. Not his personal path, mind you, but rather the mimic his level of authenticity. He’s stayed true to the game, and it shows every day.