Hello, fellow anglers. My name is Mike Bradner. I’m rather new to this site, but I’ve had a rod and reel in my hand for most of my 39 years. I’m a middle school teacher by trade, but, for the past two years, I’ve been fishing tournaments during the summer.
This past summer, I had the pleasure of fishing over 30 tournaments with NBAA, and I was thrilled to have qualified for their Classic tournament. It was a bit humbling fishing from a small, aluminum bass boat (only 40 hp), but my partner and I were usually right in the thick of things.
Over the years, I’ve worked hard to master different fishing strategies. I would consider jerkbaits, topwater, and skipping docks as my strengths. I like to cover lots of water. Fishing deep water is my weakness and something I really need to improve. However, slowing down is really hard for me—a work in progress.
Living in mid-Michigan, I’m very blessed to have a ton of excellent fishing nearby, but my most favorite lakes are Lake St. Clair and Portage Lake (in Onekama, Michigan). I visit both places as often as my busy schedule allows…
Well, that just about sums me up.
—Mike Bradner
Howell, Michigan
