Matthew Peeler prepares for a weigh-in during the Bassmaster Carhartt College Series National Championship.
Bassmaster competitor lives here
A Williamson man is making a name for himself in the world of competitive bass fishing.
Matthew Peeler and his fishing partner Brad Rutherford earned a second place finish in the Bassmaster Carhartt College Series National Championship for Young Harris College recently.
He will compete as an individual in the 2013 Carhartt College Series Classic Bracket and could win a new boat, a new truck and a spot in the Bassmaster Classic, often known as the Super Bowl of bass fishing.
Peeler is the son of Hal and Michelle Peeler of Williamson. He is a 2009 graduate of Pike County High School. His parents and others traveled to Lake Chatuge to watch him compete Aug. 1-3. TV coverage of the championship will air in August in two parts. The first aired Sunday, Aug. 11 and the second part will air Sunday, Aug. 18 from 12 noon to 1 p.m.
“Although I like to fish, I’d have to say his love of fishing came from Michelle’s dad Mike Matthews who lives close to Lake Eufaula in southwest Georgia,” said Hal Peeler. “He has only been fishing competitively a couple of years. We were able to be on the lake during the tournament.”
Matthew played on the Pirates golf team and earned a golf scholarship to Young Harris College.
“I actually went to Young Harris to play golf and I played all four years,” said Matthew. “From day one I befriended my partner Brad Rutherford. We fished all the time but just for fun. In my junior year, we started fishing about 50% of the collegiate fishing schedule. The summer between my junior and senior year, I decided to go ahead and fish the full schedule with Brad – and we finished strong.”
Matthew graduated from Young Harris in May and works for United Bank as a management associate. He typically works out of the Zebulon headquarters but spends time in multiple United Bank branches.
“I want to thank United Bank for the support they’ve given me through this whole process,” he said. “They’ve been more than gracious in allowing me time off to go fish and pursue the college fishing championship.”
Matthew and Rutherford finished second in the tournament at Lake Chatuge. More important than moving on in the competition, the team wanted to bring prestige and recognition to Young Harris at their adopted home lake. They had a huge support group of nearly a dozen boats that followed them from a distance during the competition.
The team welcomed a cameraman aboard their boat several times. They hit the water at 6:30 a.m. and had to get back to dock for a weigh in of what they caught by 2:30 p.m.
“We had a pretty good following of people since we were locals. It would be easy to get distracted with that many people watching you but you have to stay focused on the task at hand,” he said.
“The first time you get a camera man in your boat, it’s a little different. These camera guys are the best in the business. They know what they’re doing and never once in the three days of the national championship did we have a problem with our cameraman. We enjoyed it to the fullest and had a lot of good conversations on the boat.”
The team will compete in the last leg of the Bassmaster Carhartt College Series when they head to Michigan Sept. 27-29.
Matthew said his family has played a part in his recent successes.
“Being outdoors has been a part of my life from day one. It’s definitely made me the person I am today,” he said. “My dad, my grandparents – my whole family – has definitely played a huge role. I don’t ever remember not fishing or being in the outdoors. It’s always been a part of my family – my life.”
He will compete as an individual in the 2013 Carhartt College Series Classic Bracket and could win a new boat, a new truck and a spot in the Bassmaster Classic, often known as the Super Bowl of bass fishing.
Peeler is the son of Hal and Michelle Peeler of Williamson. He is a 2009 graduate of Pike County High School. His parents and others traveled to Lake Chatuge to watch him compete Aug. 1-3. TV coverage of the championship will air in August in two parts. The first aired Sunday, Aug. 11 and the second part will air Sunday, Aug. 18 from 12 noon to 1 p.m.
“Although I like to fish, I’d have to say his love of fishing came from Michelle’s dad Mike Matthews who lives close to Lake Eufaula in southwest Georgia,” said Hal Peeler. “He has only been fishing competitively a couple of years. We were able to be on the lake during the tournament.”
Matthew played on the Pirates golf team and earned a golf scholarship to Young Harris College.
“I actually went to Young Harris to play golf and I played all four years,” said Matthew. “From day one I befriended my partner Brad Rutherford. We fished all the time but just for fun. In my junior year, we started fishing about 50% of the collegiate fishing schedule. The summer between my junior and senior year, I decided to go ahead and fish the full schedule with Brad – and we finished strong.”
Matthew graduated from Young Harris in May and works for United Bank as a management associate. He typically works out of the Zebulon headquarters but spends time in multiple United Bank branches.
“I want to thank United Bank for the support they’ve given me through this whole process,” he said. “They’ve been more than gracious in allowing me time off to go fish and pursue the college fishing championship.”
Matthew and Rutherford finished second in the tournament at Lake Chatuge. More important than moving on in the competition, the team wanted to bring prestige and recognition to Young Harris at their adopted home lake. They had a huge support group of nearly a dozen boats that followed them from a distance during the competition.
The team welcomed a cameraman aboard their boat several times. They hit the water at 6:30 a.m. and had to get back to dock for a weigh in of what they caught by 2:30 p.m.
“We had a pretty good following of people since we were locals. It would be easy to get distracted with that many people watching you but you have to stay focused on the task at hand,” he said.
“The first time you get a camera man in your boat, it’s a little different. These camera guys are the best in the business. They know what they’re doing and never once in the three days of the national championship did we have a problem with our cameraman. We enjoyed it to the fullest and had a lot of good conversations on the boat.”
The team will compete in the last leg of the Bassmaster Carhartt College Series when they head to Michigan Sept. 27-29.
Matthew said his family has played a part in his recent successes.
“Being outdoors has been a part of my life from day one. It’s definitely made me the person I am today,” he said. “My dad, my grandparents – my whole family – has definitely played a huge role. I don’t ever remember not fishing or being in the outdoors. It’s always been a part of my family – my life.”
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