Byron Velvick has been around water so long it’s practically written into his genetic code. Before he was a household name on national television, he was just a kid in diapers with a fish in front of him or a three-year-old clutching his father’s fishing rods. "When my mom sent in all these pictures to The Bachelor, everything had to do with boats, the water, and my dad's fishing trips,” Velvick says with a chuckle. “So I guess it's kind of in my DNA since I was as far back as I could possibly remember."
Growing up in Southern California, Velvick was literally forged by the pros. While other kids were idolizing quarterbacks, Velvick lived a few streets over from a regional pro, Steve Oliver, who took him under his wing. "I met him in the neighborhood, and I went home and opened up my fishing magazines, and he was in them," Velvick recalls. "For me, that was like a kid who likes playing football, living down the street from Joe Montana or Peyton Manning." So by the time he was 16, when he was finally old enough to compete, Velvick traded the "figures I watched on television" for peers and competitors like Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, and Roland Martin.
Finding Home in the Hill Country
So how does a California saltwater kid end up a fixture in Boerne, Texas? Like most things in Velvick’s life, it started with a lake and ended with a story. During his time hosting Bass Center on ESPN, the tour stopped at Lake Amistad. "We all came out and fell in love with the area, the Hill Country, and fell in love with Lake Amistad in particular," he says. He eventually bought a house, a hotel, and a restaurant there, where he met his daughter’s mother.
Eight years ago, he officially settled in Boerne. For Velvick, the Hill Country offers a reprieve from the big metropolises that overwork their nearby waters. "It's just such a beautiful place," he notes. "You don't have as many people beating the heck out of lakes, and they're beautiful. They have great fishing, and you can be kind of left alone a little bit."
When he isn’t traveling, you might find him playing around at Boerne Lake because it’s a "cool little lake" where he can just bang around with a trolling motor. He’s also a fan of Canyon Lake, which reminds him of the deep waters out West, and Choke Canyon, where he once hauled in a bass weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces, the biggest catch of his tournament career.
Pro Tips for the Weekend Warrior
If you’re heading out this June, Velvick has a few words of wisdom to keep you from looking like a total amateur. The biggest mistake he sees? Impatience. "One of the most common mistakes people make is fishing too fast," he explains. "A lot of times when reeling it in—swimbaits especially—people have a tendency to fish them too fast." Instead, fishers should take their time with the lures.
He also warns against the "dock talk" that often obsesses recreational anglers. "Most of those fish have already been caught, or they've been scared off by the amount of traffic," Velvick points out. "You’ve got to kind of follow your own path."
For the summer heat, his strategy is simple: beat the sun or wait for it to drop. "Mornings and evenings are key," he insists. "The middle of the day is a good time to go wakeboarding or jet skiing. Just have fun with your friends. But mornings and evenings are your sweet spot."
The Next Frontier: Interactive Fishing
Velvick has never been one to stay stagnant. While his retirement plan eventually involves guiding for bluefin tuna around Catalina Island, his current focus is a tech-savvy pivot into streaming. Velvick has recently launched a regular broadcast of live, interactive fishing sessions from local lakes. Unlike the "fly on the gunwale" tournament streams, Velvick’s show is designed for engagement. "We're going to be actually live-streaming, and including a moderator in the boat so we'll be able to engage with the audience," he explains. It’s essentially a free, three-hour "glorified guide trip" for people stuck in their office cubicles on a Wednesday afternoon. "I'm able to not be focused on a tournament, but be focused on the audience and interacting," Velvick says. Whether he’s explaining his lure choice or just catching a monster on camera, it’s the next evolution for a man who has spent his life proving that fishing is as much about the connection as it is the catch—when you’re there for the right reasons.
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"...everything had to do with boats, the water, and my dad's fishing trips. So I guess it's kind of in my DNA…."
"The middle of the day is a good time to go wakeboarding or jet skiing. Just have fun with your friends. But mornings and evenings are your sweet spot."
"We're going to be actually live-streaming, and including a moderator in the boat so we'll be able to engage with the audience."