By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor

After a season like Bill McDonald had on the 2013 FLW Tour, a lot of people's advice to him would be to not quit his day job. But that's just what the 53-year-old from Indiana has done.

He spent the last 30 years as a general superintendent for a company that builds multi-story commercial buildings (schools, churches, prisons, etc.). He's given that up, though, and will be a full-time fisherman in 2014.

"It's been a desire for most of my life to get an opportunity to do this," he said. "This year, when I was supposed to be gone fishing, I was still bidding jobs and running stuff on the computer and working at night.

"It makes it very tough to stay 100-percent focused on what you're there to do. I'm really looking forward to getting out there with a clear mind and giving it my best shot."

Part-Time Pro

It seems like McDonald has been around the pro fishing game for quite awhile, but he's been in and out. It might surprise some BassFans to learn that prior to this year, he'd fished just one full Tour campaign (2004).

The ledger he compiled this year, which came on the heels of a strong showing in the now-defunct FLW Tour Opens in 2012, left a lot to be desired. He cracked the Top 100 just once in six events, and that was a 72nd-place effort at Lake Eufaula. He ended up at No. 125 in the Angler of the Year (AOY) race.

His existence was hectic, but pretty well organized in 2012, when he compiled finishes of 19th at Okeechobee, 2nd at the Detroit River, 44th at Wheeler and 25th at Sam Rayburn en route to a 4th-place standing on the final Tour Opens points list. That gave him an early berth in this year's Forrest Wood Cup.

Things got a lot tougher to manage this year, however. His father's health took a downturn and the elder McDonald died of cancer and congestive heart failure in August, just prior to the Cup at the Red River. Also, the son found himself shouldering a lot more work demands than he'd had just a few months earlier.

McDonald's mother died in 2011, and he'd spent a lot of time in the interim tending to his dad's needs. The two were extremely close.

"I don't want to say I was the primary caregiver because I had a lot of help from my brother and sister, but I spent a lot of time with my dad," he said. "He only lived about 2 miles away from me.

"This game is mostly mental and with my dad dying and my job being very stressful, to say the least, I don't think I was very focused. I had all that stuff going on before and during the tournaments, and then I'd leave one and pack up and drive like a maniac so I could get back home and go right to work.

"Work was lighter and my dad's health was a lot better in 2012," he continued. "That was a big key (to his successful run in the Tour Opens)."

A New Beginning

McDonald is looking forward to starting next year with a clean slate. He's signed a multi-year deal with primary sponsor Lucas Marine Products and also has strong support from Ranger, Evinrude and General Tire, and he's in the process of finalizing a couple of other arrangements.

In addition to the FLW Tour, he'll also compete in the Bassmaster Northern Opens. He said he likes the look of both schedules – particularly the Tour lineup.

"Anytime is a good time to go to Okeechobee to flip and pitch, and Hartwell, Beaver and Rayburn should all present an opportunity for a shallow bite, so I'm really looking forward to those," he said. "I've always liked Pickwick and Kentucky Lake as well, so the schedule sets up good all year.

"For the Opens, I haven't been to Douglas, but I've got a good buddy down there to help me. I've always liked Champlain, and the same with St. Clair."

Notable

> McDonald put in enough time in the construction trade to earn a retirement income, but he can't take it until he turns 55 in 2 years. He'll have complete access to it, without penalty, at age 62.

> His wife, Candy, travels with him to most events. His children, a son and a daughter, are both adults and his son has given him two grandchildren, with a third due in April.