They say “there are friends, there is family and then there are friends that become family,” and that couldn’t be a more true statement about one my close friends, Joey Gress. I like to spotlight a variety of anglers across West Virginia on ‘The Catch‘ and learn more about them, but every once in awhile I want to share people who I already know a great deal about.
Gress or I as I would like to call him now, “Joseph” was a kid that when he first reached out to me through Instagram I kind of thought “who is this kid and why is he talking to me?”
Little did I know he would later become one of my closest friends who I can call any day and he is someone that has a bright future in the fishing world on a local and national level. Gress grew up fishing and for as long as he can remember he’s been around the water.
“I don’t know an exact number, but I was fishing between the age of five to eight years old. It was my dad that would always take me fishing whether it was taking me down to the river for an evening after work or just a day trip on a Saturday or Sunday to go fishing,” said Gress. “I’m beyond very thankful that he spent the time to take me fishing and got me into the sport.”
When Joey first reached out to me, I can remember going back through and watching a few of his videos he had posted on his YouTube channel. At the time it felt like there was only a few people in West Virginia doing the YouTube fishing thing, so I kind of took a little closer at what he was doing and I could admire his hustle to put up videos.
“After a while of fishing throughout my childhood, I started watching YouTube videos and what not on bass fishing tips and tricks,” said Gress. “That’s when I really started to go fishing by myself and it took off to what I am doing today.”
But most notably Gress got in tournament fishing in High School and so did the bug of tournament fishing.
“It all kickstarted in high school when Winfield high school started a fishing team,” Gress said. “I fished all the way through high school and now I am just addicted to it.”
Gress has a very storied career of high school fishing. In fact, the first high school tournament he fished, their boat sunk … that is a story for another time. But Gress was a two-time Bassmaster High School National Championship qualifier and was also a two-time runner up in the BASS Nation of West Virginia High School State Championship.
While opting not to go to college to fish, Gress has impressed me to continue his success on the water at the local level. Just last year he won The Kenny Sutton Memorial hosted by the Trail of Dreams Tournament Series on the Kanawha River and become the youngest team with partner Wyatt Gabehart to ever win a Trail of Dreams event in history. Him and partner Gabehart finished up second on Summersville in the BASS Nation of West Virginia Buddy Trail event and slid inside the Top 15 in points to advance to the State Championship.
“I’ve had a blast this season and have learned so much,” Gress said of 2022. “I feel like my potential has increased since I started in 2022 and I only hope to improve in 2023.”
“After my finish in the Team Championship and State Championship this year, it has lit a fire under me and I very deeply want to succeed this upcoming year. My goals this year are to win at least one buddy trail tournament, try to win the state championship and advance to Nationals.”
But I don’t think getting to the next stage isn’t not going to happen. I believe it is only a matter of time before he makes his way there. There are also a lot of the younger anglers I see in West Virginia who will undoubtedly make a splash on the local and national scene.
“As any passionate angler of the sport, my dream is to make it to the professional level and or fish the Bassmaster Classic,” said Gress. “That is my goal but my main goal is just to succeed in this sport. I’m so passionate about this game and have put so much time and effort into that I just want to succeed so badly. Whether that is to make it to the pro level or even start a new job in the fishing industry. It is is my passion and I love it.”
Passion and love for bass fishing is why we are all into this, but with that passion also creates memories you will never forget in life and that couldn’t be more true for Gress last year.
“Easy to say that just about any memory from this past year are the great ones. In particular back in June when I captained Riley Hendricks and Wesley Allen through the high school fishing trail and them winning the BASS Nation of West Virginia High School State Championship has to be at the top of the list,” Gress reclaims. “Getting that win on the Kanawha on my home water meant a lot to me, as well as traveling and rooming with Chase Sansom and Dylan Fitzgerald this year on the buddy trail was also an experience and time I won’t forget.”
Gress looks to add onto his list of memories in 2023 and will certainly find success in the future. Keep an eye out for him in 2023.joe
