By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor

One of the greatest competitors in the annals of West Coast tournament bass fishing has packed up and moved to the other side of the country.

As of late last week, John Murray became a resident of Spring City, Tenn. (or "Stradersville", as it's known among the professional angling community, being the home of FLW Tour standout Wesley Strader and his loquacious father, Bud). He purchased a home on a double lot, the lower of which terminates in the waters of Watts Bar Lake and contains a small boat dock.

He'll miss the comfortable wintertime weather in Phoenix, but that's about all.

"It's a different feeling, for sure," he said on his initial day as a Volunteer State resident. "The last 8 or 10 years I haven't been as involved in the fishing (in the West) as I used to be, but I've always been involved to some degree.

"The (Tennessee Valley Authority) lakes have always killed me, so this should be good in that regard. I'll have an opportunity to learn a lot more about them."

Tired of the Big City

Except for a 5-year period (1996-2001) when Murray was still a bachelor and shared a house in Las Vegas with Byron Velvick, he's been an Arizona resident for all of his 51 years. He, wife Amy and 6-year-old son T.J. left a home that was located in a congested area of ever-growing Phoenix.

"The traffic has gotten so bad the last 5 years, and wanting to get out of that rat race was a huge factor (in their decision to move)," said Murray, whose ledger from his native region includes two WON Bass U.S. Open victories, along with 31 boats won on various circuits (American Bass Anglers, West Coast Bass, U.S. Angler's Choice, etc.). "Still, the No. 1 factor was cutting down on the travel – after 30 years of 28 to 30-hour drives, that wasn't working anymore.

"No. 2 was wanting to raise our son in a more rural setting, and I'm sure we'll enjoy the lake lifestyle."

He'll also enjoy living in a place where bass fishing enjoys much more popularity.

"It's just bass-centric – it's all about fishing," he said of Spring City and the surrounding area. "Every restaurant you go into has bass hanging on the walls.

"When you tell people in Arizona that you're a professional bass fishermen, most of them are like, 'What the heck is that?' They don't have that issue here. It's a totally different vibe."

He left his mother behind in Phoenix, but thinks that situation is only temporary.

"It wouldn't surprise me if she moved out here fairly quickly."

Can't Be a Loner

Murray believes the primary reason for his recent lack of success on TVA reservoirs is his disdain for fishing in close proximity to other anglers. That's something he'll try to get over in his new environment.

"I've just never liked fishing in crowds," he said. "On these lakes you can find your own place, but there usually aren't fish on it. I need to get where I feel more comfortable around other guys.

"The other thing is how big the groups of fish are. If you don't fish around other people, you don't find the huge groups."

There's only one TVA lake on this year's schedule – the late April-early May event at Wheeler. The 2016 tournament he's most looking forward to is the Toledo Bend derby that'll take place 2 weeks after that.

"I really enjoy Toledo Bend – it's one of my favorite places to go," he said. "I'm excited about the timing (on the calendar) and how good the lake's been recently."

By that time, he should be completely settled into his new digs and fully adjusted to life in Eastern Standard Time.

"After 50 years in one place, there's going to be an adjustment period, but I think I'm ready for it."