Veteran tournament angler and motivational speaker Clay Dyer has entered into a sponsorship agreement with St. Croix Rods and SEVIIN Reels.
Born in 1978 without any lower limbs no left arm and a partial arm on the right, Dyer has never let physical limitation dampen his determination or spirit. He began fishing at age 5 and started fishing competitively at 15.
“Like a lot of kids who grew up in small-town rural America, there wasn’t a whole lot to do besides school, school sports and spending time outdoors,” Dyer recalls. “In my family, spending time outdoors meant hunting and fishing. I was an athlete in high school and always had a competitive drive to compete at the highest level. As I got older, I realized fishing was my best avenue.”
A man whose abilities and determination are only overshadowed by his faith, Dyer fished with FLW from 2000 to 2010 and began his career with B.A.S.S. in 2012. He currently fishes Division 2 of the Bassmaster Opens, but his main calling remains helping others remove barriers to their true potential.
“I’ve had the privilege of knowing Clay for many years,” said St. Croix VP of Marketing Jesse Simpkins. “There are no combinations of words I can string together that accurately describe everything he is or all he represents to the people he meets, but at the end of the day, Clay makes the people around him better. He just does. And that’s the same thing St. Croix has endeavored to do for anglers for the past 75 years. Each of us here at St. Croix Rod and SEVIIN Reels are incredibly excited to welcome Clay to our staff and family.”
Anyone who has watched Dyer fish could easily imagine how fishing rods, reels, and other equipment might be modified so that it’s easier for him to use, but Dyer says it’s a conscious decision to use the same gear as everyone else.
“I’ve never wanted anyone to treat me any differently because of any perceived disability,” he says. “I take pride in using the same gear everyone else does, because I can. In fishing and in life, I don’t want any asterisks next to my name.
"Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad and grateful that wonderful technologies exist and are available to anglers who need them, but personally, I just want the best gear I can get, so I couldn’t be more excited about this partnership with St. Croix and SEVIIN."
