By David A. Brown
Special to BassFan
She’s seen a lot, experienced a lot and grown much through her lifetime of fishing. Now, Melinda Mize-Hays can see her course as clearly as an angler spotting fish and subsurface cover through the Costa sunglasses that she represents.
Serving as bass community leader for the Daytona Beach, Fla.-based eyewear company, Hays coordinates all promotional and marketing efforts from mass media and social media to sponsored angler management and onsite event production.
More on this in a moment; but first, a look at what got her here reveals much about the person and the professional.
Family Affair
Melinda’s mother Lucy Mize – recently inducted into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame – fished the Bassin’ Gals trail, while her father Jimmy Mize competed on the Bassmaster Tour (now the Elite Series). Hays and her brother Matt traveled with their parents to many of the nation’s top fisheries such as Lake Tenkiller, Chickamauga and Kentucky Lake.
This, along with lots of family fishing for bream, catfish and crappie, instilled a love for the sport as well as the competitive scene.
“I was blessed that I got to see the country,” Hays said. “My parents would try to take us to (historic sites) along the way, so they would always try to make it educational and not just about fishing. That gave me a richer understanding of geography and what the country has to offer.”
Following in her parents' wake, Hays has fished bass tournaments since age 7. She started with local club and family events and eventually graduated to couples tournaments (with husband Dylan), BFLs, the Women’s Bassmaster Tour, Bassmaster Opens and a year on the FLW Tour.
Mize said her greatest accomplishment was becoming the only woman to ever win a Bassmaster Weekend Series tournament with her victory at Arkansas’ Lake Millwood.
“That put women’s fishing in a national spotlight,” she said. “I received a lot of emails and Facebook messages about other women being encouraged by it.”
Seeds Planted
With both of her parents sponsored by Strike King, Hays found early career inspiration from the lure manufacturer’s corporate culture.
“I always noticed that the way they did their business, they loved what they did,” she said. “Some of my early influences were (former pro staff manager) Chris Brown and chief operating officer Allan Ranson. They always seemed happy and they were always engaged in what they did.
“Even when I was little, they were always encouraging me every time they saw me fishing. They didn’t care that I wasn’t Kevin Van Dam, who is (largely) the face of the company. They just cared that I fished and I loved it.
That early inspiration so moved Hays that, during her studies at Henderson State University, she devoted a speech on career goals to Brown and Ranson’s influence. Her objective: To work as a pro staff manager and marketing manager for a fishing tackle company.
Career Path
Notably, Hays’ opportunity to fulfill that dream created an early crossroads.
“In 2011, I was accepted into law school at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock,” she said. “Two months before I was supposed to start law school, I was offered a job at PRADCO. I was given the opportunity to work in the industry that has been a part of my life and has had my heart since my infancy.
“Dylan thought I was crazy, but supported me when I decided to forego law school and take the position at PRADCO.”
During her 4 years with the Arkansas company, Hays advanced from marketing specialist/pro staff manager to marketing manager to assistant brand manager. In 2015, the opportunity to work for Costa arose and Hays said she’s never been happier.
“I use the hashtag ‘dreamjob’ all the time because I believe that’s what it is,” she said. “To work for a company that’s as passionate about the sport as I am is a match made in heaven for me.
“They want me to be involved, they want to see the sport grow, they want to make a difference.”
Helping secure the title sponsorship for the Costa FLW Series was one of her biggest accomplishments, but expanding the brand message is her ongoing passion – a drive fueled by personal experience.
Both of her parents were on the Strike King pro staff and Mize-Hays drew much of her career inspiration from the company's corporate culture.
“I grew up using Costas, so I was a fan even before coming to work for the company,” she said. “But getting to see someone try on a pair for the first time and then seeing the difference is very rewarding.”
Also rewarding, Hays said, are the various environmental, sport-fishing and educational causes that Costa supports. Examples range from Kick Plastic, an initiative aiming to rid oceans and waterways of plastic trash, to raising money to fight efforts to eradicate California Delta bass. One of her favorites has been promoting fish care by building a “fizz kit” to help teach high school and college anglers how to properly release fish during extreme hot or cold weather.
“We’re really into youth programs because if you teach young anglers right, they can carry that on the rest of their lives,” Hays said.
Maintaining Balance
Hays said she’s hoping to return to competitive fishing soon, but the biggest challenge may be finding time in a schedule that also includes pursing her MBA at Henderson State and being a mother to 2-year-old Henley and Harbor, born May 10. For now, casual fishing with Dylan represents much more than a common interest; it’s essential relationship nutrition.
“Time on the water means getting to share precious time together,” Hays said. “We get to talk so much in the boat because there’s nowhere else you can go where you’re not on the phone all day, you’re not watching TV, no one else is taking your time. We’ll think about those days when we’ve been married 65 years.
“My husband knows that my career and being a mom and being a wife are all important parts to me. I think you choose what you want to do and you just have to dedicate yourself to it. A lot of it is just serious time management. You have to make sacrifices and what I sacrifice now is sleep.”
Looking Ahead
If it sounds like Melinda Mize-Hays has a full plate, she does. But no complaints – she’s full steam ahead.
“I want to get more involved in the fishing industry on making a positive impact,” she said. “When I took the job at Costa, (the interviewers) looked me in the eye and said ‘We want to know how you can make a difference.’
“I flew home and Dylan asked ‘What do you think?’ and I said ‘This is what I’ve always wanted.’ I think that working on ways to help young kids learn about fishing, promoting fish care and helping other anglers get involved is a pure passion of mine. It’s something I’ve always had in my life and being able to share that is very important to me.”
Does that include Henley and Harbor? Yes, says Hays, but only as much as her daughters want.
“I never want them to feel like fishing is something that they have to do. I want to teach them to love the whole experience,” she said. “I want them to get to experience all that comes with fishing, not just the fishing part of it. I just think it makes you grow so much in life. It teaches you about losing and it teaches you how to win properly.
“Fishing teaches you how to overcome circumstances and how to be open to change and to follow your instincts. It teaches you all these beautiful life lessons. So I hope they love it, because it’s something that I’ve enjoyed with my family. I can’t wait to see them catch their first fish.”
