By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor

It was only in the last several months that Chris Lane realized his teenaged son Cal had a desire to follow in the old man's footsteps and become a professional angler. The younger Lane's ascension to the tour-level ranks has occurred much faster than either expected and father and son will be competing against each other in 2021.

"The kid's always loved the outdoors and the way he duck-hunts and guides – he wants other people to enjoy that experience," said Chris, the veteran Bass Pro Tour competitor and former Bassmaster Classic champion. "I really thought he'd become a duck guide in Arkansas or something like that."

Instead, both will be on next year's MLF Big 5 Pro Circuit roster. Cal got his invitation on Thursday – he finished 6th in the Toyota Series Southeastern Division points and only the Top 5 are guaranteed Pro Circuit slots, but one of the anglers who finished in front of him declined the opportunity, which opened up a spot.

His Toyota Series placements were 23rd at Eufaula in June, 26th at Wheeler in July and 8th at Neely Henry in September.

"It's just been in the last year and a half that he really got into fishing," Chris said. "He didn't fish his first BFL until the beginning of this year and he only caught one fish (en route to a 138th-place finish), then he did a little better in the next one (88th) and a lot better in the last three (11th, 4th and 15th).

"I never saw that killer instinct that told me he really wanted to be a pro fisherman until the second Toyota event when he moved up to 14th or 15th in the points. Then after he got the Top 10 at Neely Henry, I could see how bad he wanted it. As a dad, I couldn't be more proud of him."

More Family Ties

Chris Lane is certainly accustomed to competing against family members, as he and brother Bobby have been on the same circuit (first the Bassmaster Elite Series and now the BPT) every year since 2008. With FLW having been absorbed by Major League Fishing, BPT anglers can now also fish Pro Circuit events as the schedules don't overlap.



CLFishing.com
Photo: CLFishing.com

Chris Lane said he's had a hard time outfishing his son in recent years.

"It's an awesome schedule and a great opportunity for us to get in, and for my son to get in as well," Chris said. All the pieces just came together. I'm going to have to get in better (physical) shape, though – it's going to be a hard run."

He said his son's on-the-water game doesn't necessarily mirror his or Bobby's. Cal has lived at Lake Guntersville for most of his life and thus doesn't have the Florida foundation possessed by the elder Lanes.

"He fishes his own way, he's got his own style and he does his own thing. He's very dialed in and confident about what he does and it might not be what his dad or uncle would do.

"He's patient and calm and everything is fresh and new to him. He doesn't have that routine of doing the same thing over and over."

At the moment, he's unsure whether he and Cal will travel and room together or how much practice information they'll share.

"We haven't talked about that. He's his own man and if he wants to stay with dad he's welcome, but if he wants to be with his buddies, well, he's starting his own career and his own life and I don't want to get in the way. The good thing is that if he needs anything, he knows he's got his dad and his uncle there to help out.

"I can say right now that I'm going to be worried about how he's doing (on tournament days), but when the bell drops and it's time to go, I don't think that'll be the case. Every time he got into the boat with me he wanted to beat me and probably 90 percent of the time, he did. It got to the point where I was tired of getting beat and got serious and started putting the hammer down, but the problem was he beat me then, too."