LANCASTER, Ky. (LEX 18) — Bass angler Bradley Roy went pro when he was just 19 years old. 14 years later, he says he's blessed to have made this a career while living in Lancaster.
"I love traveling, but I always love coming back to Kentucky," he told LEX 18 during our morning on the water at Cedar Creek Lake in Lincoln County.
It's lakes like this where he learned to cast his line alongside his father as a kid.
"Ever since I can remember, or have a memory of, I've been fishing," Roy said.
He figured out he wanted to go pro at 13, and just one year after graduating from Garrard County High School in 2009, Roy became the youngest angler to fish a Bassmaster Elite Series Event.
Since then, he's gotten married to his wife Danielle, started a family, and continued his fishing career.
"Even now, when someone comes up and says, 'Hey, you're Bradley Roy, you're a professional fisherman,' that to me just still doesn't always register," he said. "Because I didn't start doing this because I wanted to be famous, I do it because I love fishing."
Roy also loves giving back to Kentucky's young anglers. Bass fishing became a state-sanctioned varsity sport in 2012, the same year he started the Bradley Roy High School Open. The competition awards scholarships to high schoolers.
But Roy's favorite student is his young son, Lucas, who even has his very own fishing rod.
"My son is almost three, and he's caught the fishing bug too," Roy said. "So that's awesome for me to hopefully pass it on to him."
Another blessing in a long list of what Roy says he's grateful for, from his family, to his faith, and of course, fishing.
"I thank the Lord every day that I get to do this for a living because who wouldn't want to catch bass for a living?" he said.
Roy is potentially adding another angler to his family soon. His wife is due with their second son later this year.
